How to Download an APK from the Google Play Store

You can download APKs that are available in the Google Play Store by using a web tool to generate download links or an APK extractor app on an Android device.

When you download an app from the Play Store, you’re installing an APK file to your Android device, but you can’t download the file directly. There are a couple of ways to get APK files from Google Play.

While it’s not possible to get an APK file directly from the Google Play storefront, there are a few methods we can use to get “official” APK files without resorting to piracy. We’ll show you how to do it on desktop and Android.

Download APK From Google Play on Desktop

You can use a web tool to download APK files by pasting Google Play Store URLs. The files are the same you would get from the Play Store, and you can choose different versions to download.

First, we need a URL to an app or game from the Google Play Store. Go to play.google.com in a web browser and use the search feature to find the app or game, then copy the URL from the address bar.

Now navigate to apkcombo.com/downloader/ in the web browser. Paste the URL in the top text box.

Next, select a device type from the “Device” drop-down menu. You can also choose an architecture and Android version, but it’s usually not necessary. If the downloaded APK doesn’t work on a device, then you should check with version is compatible.

After you’ve made the selections, click the “Generate Download Link” button.

The download link will be generated underneath the button—click the down arrow icon to download the APK file.

That’s all there is to it! The APK can be found wherever downloads from your browser are stored! Now you can transfer the APK to an Android device to sideload it.

Download APK From Play Store on Android

You can’t download APK files directly from the Play Store on Android—but you can extract the APK from apps and games you already installed from the Play Store. That way, you’re still getting the same APK file, but you do need to download the app or game from the Play Store first.

First, download “App APK Extractor & Analyzer” from the Play Store.

Open the app and you’ll see all the apps and games installed on your device. You can filter by “User,” “System,” or “All.”

Select any app that you’d like to get the APK for.

Tap “Extract App” from the pop-up menu.

The file manager will open and you’ll have the option to choose where to download the file. Tap “Save” to download.

That’s it! The APK will be downloaded to your preferred location, and you can do whatever you’d like with it.

Download APK From an Alternative App Store

Since the Play Store doesn’t allow you to directly download APK files, it’s usually easier to use an alternative store, such as APKMirror.com. APK Mirror is a trusted source for downloading APK files, and we recommend using it for things such as installing the Play Store on an Amazon Fire tablet.

Go to APK Mirror in a web browser and use the search feature to find the app you’d like to download the APK for.

There will most likely be a number of versions available—select the most recent one.

There will probably also be multiple variants of that version available. Find the one that’s compatible with your device and download the file marked “APK”—not the “Bundle.” Click the download icon.

Click the “Download APK” button on the next screen. Make sure you click the button next to the “Verified safe to install” label.

The APK will now download on your device! That’s all there is to it.

How to Install APK on Android

Sideloading Android apps (installing an APK from outside of the Play Store) is very easy to do—simply open the APK file and Android’s built-in installer will do the rest. You will, however, need to give the app you use to open the APK file permission to install apps from unknown sources first.

First, we need to open the APK. If you used a browser to download the APK, you’ll typically see an option to “Open” it after downloading it. You can also find downloaded APKs from the “Downloads” folder in the file manager.

A pop-up message will inform you that you need to allow the app to “install unknown apps” before you can install the APK. Tap “Settings” to be taken there.

Toggle the switch on to “Allow From This Source.” You will need to do this for any app you use to install APKs, but only once.

Now you can tap “Install” on the next pop-up to finish installing the APK.

That’s it! The app can be found in your app drawer along with all the other apps on your device.

In general, you should try to install apps and games from the Play Store whenever possible. However, sometimes it’s necessary to use APK files—especially on Amazon Fire tablets. You can also try third-party Android app stores, such as the open-source F-Droid.