How to Install APK Files on Your Android Phone or Tablet

The ability to install applications without the help of the official Google Play Store is one of the many strengths of the Android OS. Anyone can do it, and the entire process is very straightforward and painless.

Some users might think that installing applications on their own and not through the Google Play Store is a complicated process, but that’s actually not true. If anything, installing apps from the APK files can be done with ease and takes only a few steps.

It’s important to know that any application that you have on your phone or tablet is stored as an APK file, even the ones that are part of the operating system. For example, you can’t delete the launcher or the dialer app, but they also come in the form of APK files and can be upgraded.

There are lots of reasons why you might want to use an APK instead of the regular Google Play Store, but in this article we’ll focus on how to install them. All you need is an Android device and the willingness to insta...