Android’s Play Store contains a plethora of apps, and new apps are released every day. However, things fall apart when you learn that the app that you’re trying to install is not compatible with your device. An error message is generated and the app simply won’t install. So how would you still install such an app from the Play Store? The answer comes in the form of APK Downloader, a web app which pulls APK files directly from the Play Store’s servers. It basically generates a download link for the app from which you can download the APK file of that particular app.
To prevent piracy, this web app will only work for free apps on the Play Store. It won’t allow you to download paid apps. So if you’re not able to download a free app from the Play Store, try using the workaround method below:
Download APK files from Play Store
- Open the Play Store page for the app for which you want to download the APK file.
- Notice the URL of that page, and copy the content immediately after the ?id= section. For example, if you want to download the APK file for WhatsApp, then its full Play Store URL is: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whatsapp. But we’re interested only in the part that comes after “?id=“. This means that the package name of WhatsApp would be “com.whatsapp“.
- Visit APK Downloader right here.
- Paste the package name in the field provided and click on “Generate Download Link” button.
- Alternatively, you can also directly paste the full URL of the Play Store so that you won’t have to figure out the package name.
Once you’ve finished this step, you’ll get the download link (from Google Play’s server) and then you’ll be able to download the APK file. Now you can copy this APK file to your Android smartphone or tablet and install it. Don’t forget to enable app installation from unknown sources on your Android device. This setting can be usually enabled from Settings > Security > Unknown sources on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
Installing an APK manually can lead to problems in the future
However, note that installing an APK manually can lead to problems in the future. There’s a reason why some developers specify hardware configuration for the app, and bypassing those restrictions can mean that the app might not work perfectly. With that in mind, do try out this method to download APK files from Play Store.
