[HOW TO] Run (Android) .apk file on your PC

Dear friends, I have started programming on Android system 2.1 and started writing articles on how the program should be written. You can get subscribed to my blog if you want more and more tips for developing articles on android. In this article I am teaching the command line installation of the application on android.
You might be here for some minor problems as:
You have compiled you application but couldn’t run the program in the emulator.
You might have got the way to install the program on your emulator.
You might not have clearly setup your android emulator.
I have been using Netbeans IDE for the development of android applications but what about you just have an .apk file and you may like to run any application without installing any developing tools. But first you must learn to start an emulator. Yes, you must have some patience to start an emulator.
You must follow some steps to start your emulator. You can get the step on my previous article. On the article just follow the downloading parts. The SDK Manager can be easily download from the android website as on the article. After that run the emulator and wait for the emulator to load its OS. Well most of the work has been accomplished. Now the extra step is just to type a command:
Goto Run > type cmd.
Move to the directory where you have installed Android SDK tool. eg. cd “c:\program files\Android\android-sdk\”
Again move to the platform-tools directory that was just installed during the previous article.
You find a file named adb.exe, you need to install the application via this program.
Just type adb.exe install <your_path_to_apk_file>. Your Emulator must be running during this process.
Now view the Menu on the emulator. You will find your application on it.
Have fun.

28 thoughts on “[HOW TO] Run (Android) .apk file on your PC”

    1. try this command:
      adb devices
      If you are getting no list of device, then you might not have started the emulator.
      You can open the emulator by following steps:
      Open the “ADV manager”
      If you don’t see any list of AVD(Android Virtual Device) the create a New one.
      Then select the device click “Start”.
      Have fun

      1. idiot. it’s not as easy as just “create a new one”
        there are a ton of options when you click new and most of them are greyed out.
        why do you morons even write these guides?

        1. When I wrote, the options were fewer, but now a days the options might have gone higher. I too love to cover as much as possible.
          Now a days I am onto other professional works, so I am quiet busy managing this. Help minor things out 🙂

    1. Ok, the main problem of that may be you need to specify the “SD Card” volume.
      Open the “AVD manager” and click on the emulator that you are using. After that you Click on “Edit” and then increase the size of SD Card to be mounted on the Emulator.

  1.  Move to the directory where you have installed Android SDK tool. eg. cd “c:program filesAndroidandroid-sdk”
    Again move to the platform-tools directory that was just installed during the previous article.
    You find a file named adb.exe, you need to install the application via this program.
    Just type adb.exe install . Your Emulator must be running during this process.
    As I didn’t learn any programming language beforei totally not clear what these step is? 
    Can the author or someone post me some photo and show me how it works ? 

    1. I guess I need to teach a brief step on that but I will just elaborate here as much I can.
      represents the application you developed using “netbeans/eclipse” that is located on “bin” folder of the project named after “myproject-debug.apk”(an example).
      So if you have any emulator regrading Android via “Android Virtual Machine” then with the help of the command on “cmd.exe” you can just install the application to your virtual machine.
      If you are still in confusion, you can post your skype ID here as comment(I will not publish that) so that I can help you in any way you want.

    1. The problem is with your ISP I guess, can you please open “developer.sonymobile.com”. If yes then their might be a problem in the SDK manager.
      But why actually you have a repository from “sonymobile.com”, I guess you should have a repository from google server.
      Can you post a detail on that problem.

  2. i’m having a problem about putting an apk.file to my xperia active without installing any developing tools……i hope u can help me

  3. This apk file and other programs like com.cooliris.media along with other downloads regarding my android applications have been downloaded from a PC without my consent or knowledge. How do I remove these files? Please help…these are being controlled by someone else and its a violation of my privacy and makes using apps in my phone a lot more difficult

    1. Its simple the un-installation on the Android. or from you PC with adb: adb uninstall “package name”
      the Package name are like the way you provided:
      eg: com.cooliris.media

  4. C:UsersUser>C:adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130219sdkplatform-toolsadb.exe inst
    all D:GamesApkcom.leftover.CoinDozer_51.apk
    216 KB/s (15134685 bytes in 68.393s)
    pkg: /data/local/tmp/com.leftover.CoinDozer_51.apk
    Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_CONTAINER_ERROR]
    C:UsersUser>
    in cmd it write like that when i try to install a game,how can i solve it? plz help me…

    1. Got some solution Online:
      – remove this file from ur device
      /mnt/secure/asec/smdl2tmp1.asec
      If you don’t have root access, you need to mount the sdcard and remove it via pc:
      /.android_secure/smdl2tmp1.asec

    1. Ok, I guess you might have forgotten enabling USB Debugging mode? or you PC didn’t recognized your device. Try installing PDANet if your device driver isn’t installed. One of my friend told about the PDANet

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