Nowadays, people are looking for simple ways to download Android apps for PC because we all love to use applications and games on a bigger screen. There are several Android emulators available that allows us to download and install our favorite apps and games on our computer. A few months back, we shared the best emulators for Windows but today, we are going to share an updated post where we put together the best Android emulators for PC, Mac and Linux, so that you can run the apps on all the operating systems.
Since you have been searching for the best emulator software for Android, you might be looking for the best way to download and use your favorite apps on your computer without any difficulties. I have faced the same situation and after researching for a long time, I got to know about the best emulators for Android that I can use on different platforms. So I thought of making a list putting together the best Android emulator for Linux, Mac and PC so that everyone can get all the information at one single place.
How Does an Android Emulator Work?
An Android emulator is basically a software that creates a suitable environment for the Android apps to run on a computer. Without installing and running an emulator on your computer, you won’t be able to install or run any of the Android apps or games on your computer.
Android emulator, android for pc, Andy, Android Apps for PC, Android Games for PC. Play all your favorite android games. Directly from your PC or MAC Just launch andy from your desktop Run all your communication apps. From your desktop. (snapchat, Viber, whatsapp etc) Use your phone as a remote control. When playing games. Nintendo Switch Emulator For Android & iOS is an indoor video game console that is both compact and fixed, and is considered to be a dual console.
Once you download and install one of the below mentioned Android emulators on your computer, you will be able to search for the apps and games and install them on your computer via the Google Play Store integration.
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Best Android Emulators for PC, Mac and Linux
Droid4X
Droid4X is one of the newest Android emulator applications whose presence has had a major impact within the short period it has been on the market. Today, Droid4X is amongst the fastest growing and popular android emulators whose frequent upgrades have made it a platform of choice for many users because every improvement makes the application more effective, easier and friendly to use. With every new version that is released on the market, user requirements are addressed. Droid4X is a good choice if you are an expert with Android emulator applications. Being a relatively new application, it still has some bugs and also doesn’t have plenty of supporting documentation to guide new users.
On a brighter note, Droid4X is excellent, powerful and ranks among the top when it comes to Android virtual machines. If recent developments are anything to go by, it is expected Droid4X will soon rival major platforms such as Bluestacks, Andy and Genymotion. This android emulator is a better performer than many other emulators both on Mac OS X and Windows platforms. Droid4X runs on a machine as a guest operating systems and makes use of the same PC hardware facilities. Due to its superior performance, you can be guaranteed you’ll have an exciting and fruitful experience using various android apps and games.
AMIDuOS
If you’re looking for a great android emulator that will satisfy your needs, AMIDuOS is a powerful platform that has the capability to run android apps in Windows 7, 8 or 10. This android emulator is packed with numerous features especially for running android on a Windows PC. Compared to Bluestacks, Andy and Genymotion, this application has greater capability to run graphic intensive games thanks to well designed features. When using AMIDuOS, you get to experience excellent performance with android seamlessly running on your PC without any performance or usability compromises.
Since it’s a relatively new application, the performance is quite good. Overall, AMIDuOS is a smooth android emulator whose performance is impressive. This means you can comfortably run apps as well as games without encountering any major hitches. Furthermore, the installation process is stress free but developers lose out because this emulator lacks device-specific configurations; this emulator was evidently designed for the consumer. Even though AMIDuOS is a paid android emulator, you can enjoy it for free for one month. The key advantages for this emulator is it installs very fast, gives users a full android experience and runs at a great speed.
So what do you need to install AMIDuOS? A dual core CPU plus 2GB RAM, OpenGL 3.0 as well as a hardware virtualization enabled BIOS. This software has 3D acceleration allowing users to enjoy playing graphic intensive games on their Windows PC. The software makes use of Windows OpenGL drivers whose role is to make sure there is an acceptable frame-rate improvement. Once you have AMIDuOS installed, you’re free to easily share images, video and music between your Windows PC and Android. The software has an SD card option that permits you to tweak the size of the SD card with the help of a simple tool. If you’re keen on having an android emulator that offers you a full android experience, AMIDuOS is your best bet for windows powered PC.
Manymo
Unlike other android emulators, Manymo is a lightweight program that brings app right into the browser. It is more of an online android emulator meaning it permits you to successfully run android apps in a web browser. Here, you can easily and conveniently add functional android apps to website the same way you embed YouTube videos. Testing is a key phase in mobile app development. Fortunately, Manymo allows you to perform automatic testing with the assistance of virtual Android devices available in almost all screen sizes as well as OS versions. In other words, Manymo performs well with any android compatible automation platform. The good news is this online android emulator has been used by thousands of users online and therefore, can be trusted to deliver good results. In addition, you can open a free account and launch any android app; you will not be asked to provide your credit card details.
MEMU
Memu is known for its exemplary performance with Windows PC especially for users who’re keen on enjoying a great Android experience. Memu is a new entry on the market and therefore, doesn’t have enterprise grade features such as those found in bluestacks or Genymotion. Memu is a product of Microvirt Co. Ltd and there’s every indication the developers intend to nurture this software to greater heights in order for it to compete with market leaders such as Andyroid, Genymotion and Bluestacks.
For now, you can use this software to comfortably play Android games, chat using the keyword while using apps such as wechat and whatsapp, enjoy live TV shows as well as run multiple android windows. In addition, this software supports multiple hardware configurations and therefore you don’t have to worry so much about compatibility. In addition, users are guaranteed of having great experiences while interacting with this Android emulator.
BlueStacks (For PC and Mac)
Download (PC) | Download (Mac)
BlueStacks is one of the best and the most popular Android emulator that everyone uses and recommends when it comes to downloading Android apps on PC.
The app player is available on both Windows PC and Mac so if you own any of these, then you can download it on your computer and install the application to start using your favorite apps. It is free to download and install – all you have to do is follow the installation instructions. Note that, in order to run BlueStacks without any glitches, you must have a decent graphics card installed in your system.
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AndyRoid (For Mac and PC)
AndyRoid emulator is growing in popularity and more and more people are loving the way it allows you to use your favorite apps and games from your desktop.
With AndyRoid, you can not only play apps and games on your computer, but it also provides you with a lot of features like using your smartphone as a remote control to play games with ease and also allows you to download nay app from desktop browser to Andy OS. Once you start using this particular Android emulator, I am pretty sure you won’t be looking at any other software.
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YouWave (For PC)
Another great alternative to run apps and games on your computer is YouWave. With this particular emulator, you will be able to get the apps running on your PC easily.
The emulator comes in two different variants – free and paid. If you don’t want to pay for the app then you can download the free version and use it without any troubles but if you don’t want any limitations then you would have to go with the paid version of the emulator. Also, YouWave is available for only Windows platform.
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Official Android Emulator (For Linux, PC and MAC)
This Android emulator software, as its name suggests, is the official emulator that was designed specifically for developers so that they can install it on their computers and test the applications. The emulator can be operated on Linux, Mac as well as Windows PC and can be downloaded for free.
Since it was developed for app developers, the installation process is a bit complicated, so I suggest you to follow the steps in the link mentioned below.
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GenyMotion (For PC, Linux and Mac)
GenyMotion can be considered as one of the best Android emulators for Mac, Linux and PC because it is the perfect platform for developers to test their apps and games.
Using GenyMotion emulator, you will come across no glitches or difficulties when running Android apps and games on your computer. To download the software, you will have to create an account, confirm your email address and then you will receive the download links to get it on your computer running either Linux, Windows or Mac OS.
Nox
http://noxappplayer.com/
If you’re an Android game lover, Nox has been specifically designed to cater for the needs of gamers. The software is packed with numerous features whose role is to help gamers have full control of their games using the mouse and keyboard. Some of the great addons included in this software are “swipe right” to simulate gesture movements on your keyboard or a joystick if you are in possession of one. When you begin using this android simulator, you will not want to stop because it’s a lot of fun. In addition, the software features seem stable and reliable. The best part about Nox is its completely free so you need not worry about any charges.
Jar of Beans
http://www.androidemulator.in/emulators/jar-of-beans/
This is an awesome Android emulator with capability to run all games and apps that can be run on Android Jelly Bean devices. The user-developed emulator is a product of “UnrealManu” and gamers love it because this Android emulator can smoothly run games which rely on hardware graphics acceleration. When it comes to app and games emulation, Jar of Beans comes in second after Bluestacks. The good news is you can enjoy playing your games in full-screen mode as well as switch to tablet mode for games which are supported by Android tablet. There are plenty of settings which enable you to customize how you play your games as well as app usage experience. Jar of Beans avails a wide variety of configuration options that include keyboard support, a virtual SD card as well as different viewing modes. It is expected that in future Jar of Beans versions, this emulator will incorporate numerous skins and multiple resolutions.
Apparently, this emulator can also work as an app-testing sandbox and therefore, you can easily and conveniently test your apps without having to use a real device. In addition, you can also import .apk files you’ve created on your PC into the emulator via a special button. Given that Jar of Beans is extremely flexible when it comes to customization, you can easily adjust your settings according to your app preferences. Also, feel free to create a virtual SD card with a size of your choice. This emulator has mixed reviews so feel free to download it and be the judge.
So those were the best Android emulators that you can use on your desktops to either play games or use apps or if you are a developer, then you can test your apps to see if they are working fine in all the platforms or not.
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Android Emulator for PC like Windows & Mac, is software that allows a PC to create an Android environment to run Android Applications. And the Best Android Emulators for PC are listed here in this article.
About Android OS
The Android OS is a pretty great Operating System that encompasses all the features that are needed by a smartphone and also provide users with amazing access to their mobile device’s features.
With Android Operating System, users can install 3rd party applications on their smartphone and also install a new UI system if they desire it. Users can fully customize the display and functions of their smartphones.
This level of customization is even greater than the one found in the iOS devices as iOS users cannot install 3rd party apps that are not on the Apple pay store and they are unable to change the UI. All these factors are why people decide to create an Android Simulator for PC and not an iOS Simulator.
What is an Android Emulator?
A software that can be used to make a PC act like another operating system is known as an Android Emulator. An Android Emulator will help create an environment on your PC that will be able to support various kinds of Android Applications and run them smoothly.
What is the Use of Android Emulators for PC?
Android Emulators can be used on the PC for several purposes ranging from Usability testing for apps to gameplay.
In order to test their apps before it goes live, developers can decide to use an Android Emulator on their PC and test the app on their PC.
Sometimes gamers also use an Android Emulator because they want to use a gaming mouse and keyboard to play their game on a PC.
Benefits of Android Emulators for PC
Android Emulators enable PC users to develop and run an Android environment on a Mac OS or Windows Operating System. However, your system features and specifications will determine how well the mobile apps will run on your PC.
If you have a PC with a good specification, you will be able to play some pretty great games on your PC. The Android Emulator will enable you to get the full Android experience on your Mac OS or Windows PC.
There are a lot of Android Emulators available on the internet, but a good number of them are unable to carry out their functions properly. This is why it can be particularly challenging to find the best android emulators on PC.
Here are some of the best android emulators on PC.
Best Android Emulators for PC
- LDPlayer
- Bluestacks
- Nox Player
- MEmu
- Gameloop
- Genymotion
- ARChon
- Android Studio
- Bliss OS
- Xamarin
- KO Player
- Droid 4X
- Andy
LDPlayer
The LDPlayer Android Emulator is one of the best Android Emulators on PC around and it was specifically developed for running mobile games on Windows devices.
This piece of software enables users to play various kinds of mobile games on their PC with their Keyboard and Mouse. It is also compatible with various multiplayer Android mobile games and it provides great graphics for games if your system specifications can handle it. This particular software also enables users to run more than one mobile game at the same time.
The default Android OS for this software is Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and it also provides access to Google Play Store. You can play FPS games like PUBG, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Black Desert online with this software.
Bluestacks
Considered to be one of the best Android Emulators on PC of all time, Bluestacks is the most popular Android Emulator available on the market. They can be used on both Windows and Mac Operating Systems. Bluestacks is one of the first Android Emulators that was developed and worked well while still getting various updates.
This amazing piece of software is able to perfectly balance graphics and processing power without having to compromise one for the other. This is one of the things that makes it one of the best Android Emulators on PC around currently.
This is also why it is often preferred by a lot of gamers that want to run their high-end and high-graphics mobile games on their PC. However, for you to be able to get these good graphics, you have to make sure that your PC has a good specification that can handle the graphic level.
Bluestack is not just one of the best Android Emulators on Computer, it is also one of the most trusted by PC users all around the world for both Windows and iOS devices. This is why a lot of people are excited about the latest “Nougat Version” which is said to be about six times faster than typical smartphones.
Nox Player
One of the best Android Emulators around currently is the Nox Player. Nox Player is compatible with both Windows and Mac devices. Although this piece is based mainly on the Android version Lollipop 5.1.1, users can still decide to run more than one Android version (up to the Nougat version at least) on the software using its Multi-Drive option.
Nox Player is one of the best Android Emulators on PC for gaming on Windows and Mac devices. It is capable of running high FPS games like PUBG Mobile and CODM without any issues.
It also features support for a keypad, script recording, and gamepad. And, if you notice that the graphics you need to play the game are a little higher than your system can handle, you can decide to optimize the quality and tweak the controls in the settings.
MEmu
When compared to Bluestack, MEmu is a relatively new piece of software. However, although it is still relatively new, it is still a pretty great Android Emulator for PC, which is why it is considered one of the best Android Emulator for PC, both Windows and Mac devices.
One of the things that make MEmu stand out from other Android Emulator for PC is the fact that it is compatible with both AMD, NVIDIA and Intel Chipsets. It also supports more than one version of Android including Kit Kat, Lollipop, and the Android Jelly Bean.
It also comes with a pre-installed Google Play Store. And if your system has the specification, you can use it to play high-end games with great graphics.
Gameloop
If you are the type of person that like mobile games, then there is a chance that you are familiar with the famous gaming developer company commonly known as Tencent.
Tencent is responsible for the development of some of the most popular mobile games around and some of the most common ones are Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) and PUBG Mobile. However, Tencent is also responsible for the development of the amazing Android Emulator for PC known as Gameloop (previously known as Gaming Buddy).
Gameloop is one of the best Android Emulators for PC available, even though it was specifically developed for playing mobile games on PC. The company even went as far as announcing that Gameloop is the official Android emulator for mobile games. However, this piece of software can also be used for other high-end (mostly FPS) games apart from the ones created by Tencent.
Genymotion
If you are a developer and you are looking for the best Android Emulator for Computers to test out your latest app projects, then you should definitely try out this piece of software.
This particular Android emulator enables users to customize their own ecosystem for a range of devices with different Android versions to test out their latest applications before it is made live. This software is very easy to use and you can easily switch between various Android devices.
ARChon
ARChon is not exactly like other Android Emulators for Windows and Mac PC due to the fact that it is installed in a completely different way.
In order to use this particular Android Emulator on your PC, you will have to install it just like you will install a Google Chrome Extension. Apart from that unique difference it has with other Android Emulators, it can also be used to operate Android Applications and Games on the PC.
However, it requires users to use a particular tool to change the APK file in order to make it more compatible with the Android Emulator. Currently, ARChon often comes with Android 4.4 as its default Android version.
Android Studio
Android Studio is one of the best Android Emulator on PC and it is also one of the most common Android Emulator for App testing.
This software is used by a lot of Android App developers to test their new mobile apps and games before they go Live. It also comes with a wide range of amazing features that are designed to help developers test and improve their mobile apps.
Developers can monitor the performance of their apps in different Android environments with this software. They can test the apps with different RAM, Battery, GPU, Signal Strength, and storage.
Bliss OS
This particular PC Emulator for Android is also a bit different than most of the other Android Emulators due to the act that it operates through a Virtual Machine. This software can however also be used on the PC with the aid of a USB Stick.
This particular Android Emulator is often used by developers that are looking for a great Android OS to test out their mobile apps. Unlike most of the other Android Emulators, it can run on Android Pie and not just Marshmellow Version of Android. However, there is a chance that this piece of software will not be compatible with your PC.
Xamarin
Another great Android Emulator for Developers to test out their apps on Windows devices is Xamarin. This particular software is preferred by a lot of professional app developers.
Xamarin is just like the Android Studio software except for the fact that it is capable of creating a bigger ecosystem for development by plugging into tools like Microsoft Visual Studio.
It also comes with a lot of features to help the developers test and debug the new app. This software can also be used to test new iOS apps before they go live.
KO Player
The KO Player emulator runs on Android 4.4.4, which is a bit dated, but that won’t stop your applications from working.
We like it very much, for several reasons. First, it is easy to configure and we can do it in detail: keyboard settings, resolution adjustment, increased game performance, and even access to your practical webcam for certain applications, on which you must put your face.
KO Player also has a button to record your screen, which will delight YouTubers and creators of tutorial or live game session content. Like its competitors, KO Player plays applications that you download directly from the Play Store, but also APK files.
Free Android Emulator Windows 10
The only downside, it is rarely updated and it sometimes freezes from time to time, which is annoying! But apart from this concern, it is one of the best Android PC emulators of the moment.
Droid 4X
Complete and appreciated by FPS players or racing games, this emulator allows you to run larger software on your PC. It also has a graphics performance booster and is fully configurable. Those who swear by the mouse + keyboard combo will be happy to apply their method on favorite Android games.
The interface, which is quite cold, will not, however, be exotic for those who frequently use their smartphones and tablets. We would have liked a little more color, but the set is quite easy to use. In addition, we like the possibility of launching an APK by simply dragging it onto the Droid 4X program. Fast and efficient, we don’t ask for more!
Andy
Here is an emulator completely free and very easy to access.
We tested it when it first came out. Although it had some problems at the time, it still managed to prove that it could replace apps like Bluestacks. Today it is really functional. In our opinion, it remains a little worse than the emulator proposed above, but it is still nice.
Finally, note that the Andy Emulator software is available on Windows PC, but also compatible with Mac.
Bottom Line – Best Android Emulators for PC
I’ve listed all the best Android Emulator for PC that can be installed and run on both the Windows and Mac OS to test or run Android applications. You can download, install and run desired Android Emulator on your PC according to your requirements.
Android Emulators FAQs
What is the best Android Emulator?The Bluestacks is considered the best Android Emulator of all time.
Is there any PC emulator for Android?No, there is no PC emulator for an Android device.
Is Android Emulator free?Yes, most of the Android emulators mentioned in this post are free to use.
Is Android Emulator safe?Best Android Emulator For Mac
You can consider the above mentioned Android emulators safe, as they have good reputation. But you’ve to check the online reviews before using anyone of them.
Which Android emulator is best for 4GB RAM PC?Android Emulator For Mac 10.11.6
The Bluestacks is the best Android emulator of all time for all kind of PCs. But you can also use use any of the Android Emulators mentioned in post.