Run Android apps on your PC- Bluestacks

Hello World

Today I'd like to present you with the simplest way to run Android Apps on your PC. I'll make use of a 
software called Bluestacks.

Note: This post is about Bluestacks 0.7, to view the article about Bluestacks' latest version 0.8 (currently), check the post in the following link:

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I'll try to fully explain, how to download & then run apps, for your ease.

Here's the screenshot of Bluestacks Main Menu:

10 MB Online Installer | 106 MB Total Download

THE SOFTWARE

As I said earlier, the software is Bluestacks, it'll run android on your PC. So Install it from the online installer, given below:

Download Now

It is available, both for Macintosh (Mac) & Windows.

INSTALL THE SOFTWARE

So after downloading, simply run the online installer, to Install Bluestacks Beta. it's about 100 MB, so it will take time to download & then install.

Note: While installing I'll strongly recommend you to allow creating File Associations with bluestacks, for .apks, if there's an option while installing it. It'll be very helpful in future.

Then run the installed Bluestacks software. First Run may take some time.

DOWNLOADING & INSTALLING APPS

So for running Android Apps on Bluestacks, you'll first need to run Google Play Store/Android Market in it, here's a post , by me, that explains how to do it:

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Now download any app, you want, through Google Play Store, by Searching or Browsing through Play Store.

Note: You can install apks (android Packages) too, in Bluestacks, by simply running them in your pc & Opening them with Bluestacks "HD-apk Handler".

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If you weren't able to create File Associations with Bluestacks for apks, don't worry, here's a method to run apks with Bluestacks any way:

You can install an apk on Bluestacks, by simply Right Clicking the apk file & select Open With. Then choose Default/Other Program.
Then Browse for Bluestacks main Directory, mostly:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Bluestacks
OR C:\Program Files\Bluestacks.

Then select the Application "HD-apk Handler" to run the apk file & it'll then be installed.
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BASICS

So Now that we have downloaded & installed the software, I'd like to tell you some basics about it:

1. It's a software, made to run Android Apps, not Android itself, so therefore you'll not have features like Dialing in it.
(By the way, why would you need them!)

2. I guess it uses Android 2.2 Froyo. So you may not be able to download & install apps, supporting Android 2.2+.

This includes Google Chrome 18+ or 27(currently), browser for Android. Although Google Chrome 14 is run-able.

I've given a post about running Google Chrome 14 on Android 2.2+ Devices. Here's the link for that post:

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3. Once opened, Bluestacks doesn't close easily, so to do it. Close the Bluestacks window, using the Cross sign.
Right-click it, in the notification Area & Click on Stop, it may still not fully close.
To completely close it, go-to Task Manager & End The Process "HD-Agent", from the Processes Tab.

It'll then close after some time.

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UPDATE

Point 3 was for older version of Bluestacks. Now in the New Version (0.7.10), you can exit Bluestacks, by simply Right-Clicking it in the Notification Area of Windows & clicking on "Quit" Option.

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4. You can control Bluestacks with the "Home" Button at the bottom-Center Portion of the software Screen & the "Back" and  "Options" Buttons on the Bottom-Left Side of the software screen.

5. There's also a settings Button, where you can Manage Contacts & other options.

6. If an app doesn't have full-screen, Press the settings Button, Click on Manage Applications & finally Choose the size of that particular app, according to "Tablet" option.

See the Screenshot of App Settings on Bluestacks, below:

7. You can also share files into Bluestacks Virtual SDCard, the method to which, I've given in the post below:

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That's it! That was all about running Android apps on PC, using Bluestacks. In future I may also give post about running specific apps, like "Whatsapp", in Bluestacks.

Photo By Boians Cho Joo Young / freedigitalphotos.net

I hope you liked the above tutorial & thesis. DO comment with your review, query about this or anything else you wanna share.

ENJOY!!!