15 best free programs to emulate Android on Windows and MAC, to be used to install applications and games of smartphones and tablets on PC. The best Android emulators for Windows PC, have you ever wanted to download Android applications on your PC? There are hundreds of thousands of amazing apps available in the Google Play Store each of which will serve you for different purposes. So if you don’t have an Android device, you can download an Android emulator on your Windows or MAC computer and use it, you will be able to run the best Android applications or games on your PC.
What is an Android emulator?
An Android emulator is software that creates an Android environment on your computer so that the applications you use on your phone can run smoothly on your PC as well. Using one of these Android emulators that you find in the post, you will be able to download almost all Android applications on your Windows or MAC computer. Below, we discover the best 15 Android emulators for Windows and MAC that are all free to download and easy to install on each computer, which allows you to install and use smartphone applications together with normal PC programs.
1. KoPlayer
KoPlayer is a newer Android emulator for PC (relatively speaking). Its main objective is the game. You will be able to use key mapping to emulate a controller with your keyboard. Players will also be able to register the game and load it wherever they want. The installation process is fairly simple and seems to be working well.
Like MEmu, KOPlayer has a more traditional interface since you recognize the three (virtual) buttons typical of Android. It can also be noted that these buttons are a bit old and reminiscent of the old Android. As for the features, overall KOPlayer offers the same functionality as other emulators on the market- the installation of APK via the Play Store or APK, optimizing performance through settings, keyboard shortcuts, geolocation, etc.
The emulator can access your webcam, which can be useful in certain situations. An option is also available if you want to record your screen, it can be useful if you are doing tutorials or playing. It works with a virtual machine like most other Android emulators for PC and MAC. It’s an option halfway between gaming and productivity. It’s not as bad as a free option.
2. Nox
Nox is an Android emulator for PC dedicated to gamers. This includes the usual things like keyboard key mapping, actual controller support, and even the ability to map gesture controls. For example, you can assign the function to scroll right on an arrow key and use it in a game without actual hardware controller support.
It is a lot of fun and seems to work pretty well most of the time. It is also completely free and in active development.
3. memu
MEmu is another of the emerging Android emulators that seem to do quite well with gamers. One of its biggest features is support for AMD and Intel chipsets. Most work on AMD processors, but it’s nice to see developers pay close attention to the AMD platform.
You can even run multiple instances simultaneously for multiple games or test functions. It can also be used as a productivity tool. His most recent update arrived in late December 2018 according to his blog and this means that his development is still in full swing. We appreciate it very much.
MEMU is a high-performance Android emulator for Windows that is based on Android Lollipop. Unfortunately, it is pre-installed with Android Jellybean 4.2, and updating to Lollipop requires downloading additional packages. It does not cause any problem to your PC. It is compatible with Intel, Nvidia Windows PCs and unlike Remix OS Player it is also compatible with AMD chipsets.
The first time you open it, you will be greeted with a 4-year-old Android version, with the main menu hidden in the right sidebar. It comes pre-loaded with the Google Play Store, so you can browse and download Android applications and games with ease.
4. Droid4X
Droid4X is currently available, but it is difficult to recommend. It is one of the classic Android emulators for PC and has a simple design that should work easily for many people. It drives players and boasts support for simpler and more casual games.
The last update was on March 28, 2016. Therefore, we advise you to proceed with caution as it may be a defective and unstable product. Droid4x is also compatible with Mac. Here we have the Windows version, Mac users will have to search. It allows you, for example, to play Clash of Clans on the PC.
5. Bluestacks 4
Bluestacks is the most popular of all Android emulators for Windows and MAC. There are many reasons for this. He was also one of the first to run smoothly and still get regular updates. The emulator is aimed at mobile players.
It has the ability to launch multiple instances so that you can play multiple games simultaneously (or the same game multiple times). Includes settings for many installed games. This should help make things a lot easier. It is one of the heaviest emulators on the list. However, it also has the most features for better or for worse. The upgrade to Bluestacks 4 has also improved speed, even on older computers. It should work well on newer computers and laptops.
6. Genymotion
This Android emulator is primarily for developers. It allows you to test your apps on a variety of devices without owning them. You can configure the emulator for a variety of devices with various versions of Android to meet your needs. For example, you can run a Nexus One with Android 4.2 or a Nexus 6 with Android 6.0.
You can easily switch from one virtual device to another. It’s not perfect for regular users, but Genymotion offers its services for free for personal use. Its most useful feature is its availability on both the desktop computer and the cloud. Those without powerful computers can make Genymotion’s servers do all the work for them.
7. Android Studio emulator
Android Studio is the default development console for Android. It comes with a set of tools to help developers make Android-specific apps and games. Apparently, there is also a built-in emulator that you can use to test your app or game. Installation is quite complicated and can take a long time.
Hence, we do not recommend it for consumer use. However, developers can simply use this tool as an emulator to test their apps. It also supports Kotlin in case the developers wanted to try it. It is difficult for normal people to use, but it is excellent for developers.
8. Archon
ARChon is not a traditional emulator. It installs as an extension of Google Chrome. So it gives Chrome the ability to run Android apps and games (albeit with limited support). It is not an easy emulator to get. You will need to install it on Chrome. From there, you need to get the APKs and load them. You may need to use a tool to modify the APK to make it compatible.
There are many more steps to make it work than most other Android PC emulators. By the way, it works with any operating system capable of running an instance of Chrome (Mac OS, Linux, Windows, etc.). We connected to the official GitHub where you can find detailed instructions on its use.
9. Bliss
Bliss is something different. It works as an Android emulator for PC via virtual machine. However, it can also simply work on your computer via a USB stick. The USB installation method is very complicated, but it allows your computer to run Android natively from boot. This makes Bliss a truly unique emulator if you can get through the steps to the end.
Of course, it only works really well if your system is compatible, so prepare yourself with a backup of your current operating system. The system runs Android Oreo and this is among the most recent versions of Android offered by an emulator. Again, we only recommend this emulator to an expert.
10. PrimeOS
PrimeOS is a sort of standout in the space of Android emulators. It is not actually an emulator. It installs as a partition on your computer and starts with native Android. This is an Android experience focused on the gamer, although you can make full use of it for productivity if you wish.
PrimeOS includes a game center, mouse and keyboard support, and access to most Android apps and games. To be honest, it works almost like ChromeOS minus all parts of Chrome. Multitasking, watching video content or playing is your choice. We haven’t tested it yet.
11. Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player by Jide is one of the latest Android emulators for PC (comparatively speaking). Remix OS Player is an operating system based on the Android x86 project. While you can install Remix OS on your Windows or Mac, there is an even easier way to experience Remix OS without going through the hassle of installing it.
Remix OS Player is a free Android emulator for Windows based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Before installing OS Remix Player, please note that it does not support some AMD chipsets and also requires “virtualization technology” enabled in the BIOS.
The first time you run Remix OS Player, you should be greeted by a new-looking interface, complete with the taskbar at the bottom and a shortcut button to access all installed applications.
The Remix Central app offers recommendations for games that can be downloaded. It supports the Google Play Store, so you can download applications and games without any additional installation.
There are some specific features like a customizable toolbar. It boasts features like running multiple games simultaneously. That said, it’s a fairly clean emulator, so it’s still perfectly usable as a productivity tool.
12. YouWave
YouWave is a popular alternative to the Bluestacks emulator. Although it is not free, but you can still use the free version with some limitations to install Android applications on your PC.
YouWave’s interface is also quite simple like the screen which is divided into two parts – the one on the left showing the installed applications and one on the right looks like a smartphone screen. YouWave’s interface is simple and clean and better than many of the other Android emulators available.
13. Jar of Beans
Jar of Beans has a nice name, a tough name, you can download Jar of Beans from the official website as it can be downloaded for free. Then you can download Android applications from the emulator and install them on your PC. The process is fairly simple and you will find it easier than ever.
14. LeapDroid
LeapDroid is a powerful Android emulator which was acquired by Google last year and has been turned off / closed. But make no mistake, despite the suspension, LeapDroid still manages to be one of the most robust Android emulators for Windows computers.
It is based on Android 4.4 KitKat and comes with all AOSP applications such as the navigator, music, camera, etc. The main screen offers links to download the titles of the most popular games like Clash of Clans and Pokémon GO. But that is not all. Full support for the Google Play Store is also provided, you can download Android applications and games in no time.
15. AndyRoid
The AndyRoid emulator is increasingly known and more and more people love the way it allows you to use Android applications and games on your computer. With AndyRoid you can not only play but also provides you with a lot of functions such as using your smartphone as a remote control to easily control your TV.
It also allows you to download applications from the desktop browser. Once you have started using this particular Android emulator, I’m sure you won’t be able to do without it. Also for this emulator, you need a worthy hardware.
Conclusions
Today we talked about the best Android emulators for Windows PC. Be careful even if I have tried these emulators on my PC, this does not mean that they work well on yours too. If your PC is more powerful than mine then you won’t have installation problems, but if it isn’t, then try one at a time until you find the Android emulator that works well on your computer.
Andy is one of those emulators that can create problems if your PC is not very powerful, the latest 4/5 software can also run on less powerful devices. We recommend the NOX App Player emulator, it works well on any PC, and once installed it can also work in dual boot with Windows.
I hope this post on the best Android emulators has been useful. I suggest you download and use Bluestacks on your PC as it is the best currently available for both the Windows and Mac platforms. However, it needs good hardware. However, if you’ve used it for a long time and want to change it for another emulator, then choose another one from the list.
Through these emulators, you can play the games of your Android phone on your Windows PC or MAC. If you liked the post, please share the post with your friends and let them know about the best emulators for Android to run Android applications on PC.
