[Q] How to download apk file on PC from market? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I can't download apps from market on my Android device(maybe due to a network issue), so I'm wondering how could I download the apk file of an app on my PC from market.android.com ?

Nope, it just pushes the app directly to your phone. What error is your phone giving you?

you can't download the apk file straight from market
just straight download and install

wonderfuly said:
I can't download apps from market on my Android device(maybe due to a network issue), so I'm wondering how could I download the apk file of an app on my PC from market.android.com ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that Google have been experiencing intermittent market issues their end over the last few days as many others in my local forum have reported issues......just give it some time and try again.

so has any one found a way to download apk files directly from the web via windows / linux with out using android phone / emulator
my phone has not been able to download new files for like a year now .. the downloads just never start ....
surly their must be a firefox plugin by now ?

unless you download it from some site like mediafire, 4shared which is not highly recommended.

there is a method to get .apk from the android market. But just a disclaimer, this doesn't apply to every app on the market.
Just click the app author's name and it will show you the list of other apps the author has on the market. On that page, there is a link saying "visit website for <author>", follow that link. If the author has his website tied directly to sites.google.com, at the bottom of that page there are options to download the .apk of his apps directly to your PC. Of course this mostly happens to apps which are free to begin with.
But just in case, you can also try going to the author's main website and check if they offer their apps as direct .apk download. HTH

Related

[GAME] "Let's Golf" Free from Gameloft

I found this over in the Nexus section. Gameloft is giving away "Let's Golf" for a limited time. Someone over in the Nexus One section uploaded the .apk because in order to get the game you needed to download/install something else. I'm not exactly sure if this is supposed to be free ONLY for Nexus users, so if it is, I guess this thread would be considered "warez" and should be closed.
Here's this .apk...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=361664&d=1279324137
Instructions...
-Install the .apk
-Enter Airplane mode (disables all data)
-Install the game and launch it (Still don't enable data)
-It will tell you to download the game's data, choose yes.
-It will ask you to download with Wifi or 3G, choose Wifi.
Works just as described. Nice find
thanks! worked perfectly
Thanks! Downloading data now.
I followed the steps and everything was downloaded. But now when I open the game it goes blank and reverts back to the homepage. Any suggestions?
*** Nevermind, I uninstalled and deleted all the downloaded files for Game Loft and reinstalled and it works like a charm. Good find!
Works like a charm! Its reminds me of one of my top "quick play" games for the PSP, Hot Shots Golf.
Awesome!! Thanks!
Hey guys, Just got my Vib,and I am new to andriod, Install apk to sd card?
30Glock said:
Hey guys, Just got my Vib,and I am new to andriod, Install apk to sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Put the apk file on your sdcard and open file explorer. Install the file from there.
When I try to download the link, I get an error saying its unupported file type. Unknown sources is checked. Any idea why?
Does not work for me as well. Mail screen will load, but says it's not the original version of the game, than it boots me out.
Thanks ultra spike great post. I appreciate anything free. It works like a charm.
WilliamStern said:
Does not work for me as well. Mail screen will load, but says it's not the original version of the game, than it boots me out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
William, follow directions exactly and you should befind. Even install and 5o back and reinstall. I had to do that cuz I wasnt in a wifi spot.follow exact directions and you will have game.
I havent downloaded anything thru the browser on the vibrant yet i just got it my self coming from the HD2 but when i had my G1 i had to have ASTRO file manager to allow me to download files from the browser.
Working perfectly for me....thanks so much for the link!!!!
Note: if you are getting the " it's not the original version of the game" message, go to your apps, uninstall it.....go back to first post and follow the directions and it'll worked perfectly
Don't have time to play it now but it installed perfectly for me. Thanks!
is this downloadable via the browser?
Update: May have went the long way in doing this but I don't have my usb cable here at work. Downloaded to my pc, changed file extension to .zip. Attached in email and sent it to my gmail account. Download to phone and save attachment using astro file manager. Changed file extension to .apk. Don't know if its going to work but the icon changed to the picture of the game so I'm guessing it may have worked.
I will see if it work when I connect to a wifi network later on today.
Update: That above method works in you are on the go and do not have a usb cable available
Works completely fine as instructions shown. Downloaded, hooked it up via USB, APK on sdcard then unmount... used ASTRO to install.. airplane, open app, choosed wifi and done.
velocd said:
is this downloadable via the browser?
Update: May have went the long way in doing this but I don't have my usb cable here at work. Downloaded to my pc, changed file extension to .zip. Attached in email and sent it to my gmail account. Download to phone and save attachment using astro file manager. Changed file extension to .apk. Don't know if its going to work but the icon changed to the picture of the game so I'm guessing it may have worked.
I will see if it work when I connect to a wifi network later on today.
Update: That above method works in you are on the go and do not have a usb cable available
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know you can send yourself an apk through gmail and download it through gmail in the web browser, but not the gmail app.
What ultra spikey said....
Copy link and email it to yourself.....and then open the email and link from your phone and it'll automatically download it
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

What is that program that allows you to install programs without connecting to PC?

Hey guys, for the life of me, I can't find that wonderful software that allows you to install apps without connecting the phone to the computer?
It's something to do with hosting it via cloud and then connecting with it wirelessly to download and install?
dropbox.........
dropbox, appbrain, awesome drop...
appbrain is very cool if you use their site to browse the market. You can click on the apps in your browser (pc) and then have them automatically install on your phone.
Thanks guys!
Hey man, if you do go with dropbox (amazing), I have a referral link in my sticky thread (general section) that would give us each an additional 250MBs.
I used your referral link. Quick question on dropbox, is there a way to upload an entire folder on the phone instead of 1 file at a time?

[Q] List of rules to install generic .APK file?

Ok, I've side-loaded a generic .APK file, into a sub-dir within the 1.0-GB
area. (Previously, I likewise side-loaded a movie file into this same area, and it plays great.)
As I read other posts asking this same type of question about procedures/rules
for installing side-loaded apps, I'm not yet clear on a few things, such as
whether I need to be 'rooted' to install them and whether I first need to
purchase/install separate SD-card and load such generic apps there instead.
My current state is:
(1) My Nook tablet is still at 1.4.0 (i.e. I have NOT yet received the 1.4.1
update that blocks installation of such APKs.)
(2) My NT is NOT yet rooted.
When I view/select the side-loaded generic app, see a red question-mark on the file, and tappin it, I get msg:
"This nook cannot read this file. It may be an unsupported format."
So, what should I try next, to allow this file-type of .APK to be
a supported type?
Is this your first non-B&N apk? If so, I believe you have to download and install at least one apk directly through the Tablet's browser to get the option changed to allow sideloaded apks.
CapsLockKey said:
Is this your first non-B&N apk? If so, I believe you have to download and install at least one apk directly through the Tablet's browser to get the option changed to allow sideloaded apks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it WAS my first non-B/N app.
So, I installed an app, one named 'Skitch', from the BN app store.
But, that makes no difference at all...my original side-loaded APK file
still gives the same error msg that I mentioned in the base post.
So, your 'belief' seems to be incorrect.
Anyone else know what to do, to install side-loaded .APK files?
[This issue could end up being one more nail in the coffin...if I don't resolve this,
I'll have to strongly consider returning this device, and waiting for a 'true' Android
tablet this spring, with newer, more main-stream code (e.g. 'Ice Cream Sandwich')
in it.]
Hi cookdav,
CapsLockKey is correct about needing to download an apk through the browser in order to do what you would like.
I noticed this yesterday after playing with my NT for the first time. When you download an apk through the browser you will see a notification in the lower left hand corner that it is complete. You have to launch the apk from this notification in order for the file to be correctly recognized.
When I went to my downloaded files and tried clicking the apk file I got the same message you are seeing. It seems to me that the BN overlay does not natively recognize the apk file format, but the code responsible for the notifications does.
You should then be able to follow the directions for enabling ADB. After that you can use adb to install any apk file you would like.
I hope this helps and that it was clear.
cookdav said:
Well, it WAS my first non-B/N app.
So, I installed an app, one named 'Skitch', from the BN app store.
But, that makes no difference at all...my original side-loaded APK file
still gives the same error msg that I mentioned in the base post.
So, your 'belief' seems to be incorrect.
in it.]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does installing an app from the B&N app store have to do with side loading an app from the browser or email? Have you bothered to read the "how to side load apps thread?"
How you can fix your face to say "your 'belief' seems to be incorrect." when you aren't following instructions is funny as hell.
dkb218 said:
What does installing an app from the B&N app store have to do with side loading an app from the browser or email? Have you bothered to read the "how to side load apps thread?"
How you can fix your face to say "your 'belief' seems to be incorrect." when you aren't following instructions is funny as hell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The operative word there is 'seems'.
And, yes, I did read that thread, but obviously now, I missed something.
I guess I missed the distinction, between installing an app via 'shop'
and installing an app via the browser. So, shoot me.
[That said, I'm still a bit confused. But, reading-between-the-lines has always
been problematic for some of us newbies.
I'll go back and re-read everything 3 times again,
and I'm sure that these distinctions will eventually become clear to me.]
Thanks for clarifying.
Ok, did one thru the browser, but still no-go...
Ok. I installed 'golauncher', via the browser.
Sigh. But, once again, after that, when I go back and try to install
the earlier-mentioned .APK, it still says what it has been saying all along.
Hmm..a new possibility has occurred to me: Maybe I'm so immersed in
Linux and Windows-XP and Win-7, that that has made me too stupid
to follow directions and learn this new 'tablet-way' of doing things.
[Whoever said "The devil is in the details" must have been an Android user.]
Clearly, I've STILL missed something, after re-reading. Anyone got
any more ideas/guesses of what I might still be missing?
"this nook cannot read this file" although I do sideload apks
I got a similar problem with Nook Tablet wit 1.4.0
I have managed to download an app so that my settings have been changed to accept those apps
If i go to another app market, I do install apps.
But for some reason I am limited (Amazon Apps refuses to work because I am not in the US and others have limitations which I dont understand, as on a chinese android pc they work, however)
SO I d like to install from sd card
And i get this message "this nook cannot read this file"
If I mail to gmail, in nook mail I cant open attachment (nor any others)
Any workaround?
Thanks
Agnes
cookdav said:
Ok. I installed 'golauncher', via the browser.
Sigh. But, once again, after that, when I go back and try to install
the earlier-mentioned .APK, it still says what it has been saying all along.
Hmm..a new possibility has occurred to me: Maybe I'm so immersed in
Linux and Windows-XP and Win-7, that that has made me too stupid
to follow directions and learn this new 'tablet-way' of doing things.
[Whoever said "The devil is in the details" must have been an Android user.]
Clearly, I've STILL missed something, after re-reading. Anyone got
any more ideas/guesses of what I might still be missing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can install apk's through the native file browser. You will need a different file browser to install your apk's.
if you are downloading directly from the internet browser, then the installation process is the same as installing the tgps launcher or in your case go launcher.
However, if you are sideloading your apk's through something like dropbox or an sd card, you will need a file browser.
I recommend Root Explorer (paid), but if you need a free one you can download es file explorer.
es file explorer can be found in the must have apps thread located in the themes and apps section of the NT forums. Just go to that page on your NT internet browser and click the download link. You will be redirected to a download page, and there should be something that says "remove this frame". Tap on that and your download should start.
hope this helps

[Q] downloading of apps - ftp?

How does the buying and downloading of apps work technically?
1) Do any of the apps come with any type of copy protection, or can expensive apps simply be copied to another android device?
2) If I buy an app on the Google Play site on my PC, how does the download work? What triggers the device to start downloading? And how does it do? Does it log in to some ftp site?

Play store Downloader app

Hi there wondering if anyone can help , downloader app suddenly not working , unable to use the browser within downloader ,now has message (the page you trying to access is restricted due to a security rule) same message in the help tab , or can someone recommend an alternative compatible download manager for the shield.
Thanks in advance as a bit of a novice with this
glitch7 said:
Hi there wondering if anyone can help , downloader app suddenly not working , unable to use the browser within downloader ,now has message (the page you trying to access is restricted due to a security rule) same message in the help tab , or can someone recommend an alternative compatible download manager for the shield.
Thanks in advance as a bit of a novice with this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need Downloader Browser-Plugin 1.0
Have the same problem with my new "Vodafone TV" box and couldn't find any solution in the internet. Tried loading the browser plugin suggested above but same error message! The downloader app just simply won't connect to the net, period!!!
So, anyone has a solution, or as the op said, can anyone suggest an alternative?
Pitching in, as I'm a new Shield user with the same issue. Here's the page from AFTnews explaining the issue and the work-around; includes an installation video.
aftvnews.com/browser-plugin-now-available-for-downloader-app-on-android-tv
In short, browser capability had to be removed from the Google Play version so the app could remain in the store. The dev provides an APK at browser.aftvnews.com to add the capability back in. Should be the same APK as rainman74 linked to above (Downloader-Browser-Plugin-v1.0.apk).
However, the AFTnews' recommended action of pointing the Download app's browser to browser.aftvnews.com did not work for me; I received the same web access error message from Downloader.
To get around this, I loaded another web browser (Puffin for Android TV), entered the browser.aftvnews.com URL, and Puffin downloaded the APK. I needed to relaunch Puffin, then select the APK from Puffin's download list to install. Once installed, Downloader was able to access the web.
Hope this helps.
mpwalters said:
Pitching in, as I'm a new Shield user with the same issue. Here's the page from AFTnews explaining the issue and the work-around; includes an installation video.
aftvnews.com/browser-plugin-now-available-for-downloader-app-on-android-tv
In short, browser capability had to be removed from the Google Play version so the app could remain in the store. The dev provides an APK at browser.aftvnews.com to add the capability back in. Should be the same APK as rainman74 linked to above (Downloader-Browser-Plugin-v1.0.apk).
However, the AFTnews' recommended action of pointing the Download app's browser to browser.aftvnews.com did not work for me; I received the same web access error message from Downloader.
To get around this, I loaded another web browser (Puffin for Android TV), entered the browser.aftvnews.com URL, and Puffin downloaded the APK. I needed to relaunch Puffin, then select the APK from Puffin's download list to install. Once installed, Downloader was able to access the web.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what do you actually enter at the Downloader http:|| screen?
Good question. I may not have been clear, but I was not able to download the patch APK through the Download application.
Instead, I installed another web browser application (Puffin TV, available in the Android TV's play store) and put the browser.aftvnews.com URL in there. When the Puffin TV web browser loaded the URL, it automatically downloaded the APK from the site.
Once the APK was downloaded, I returned to Puffin TV's main menu and selected the file from the download list. When I selected the APK, it installed the APK to patch Downloader. After that, the Downloader app was able to again access the Internet through its browser.
Note: if you are installing Puffin TV to install the APK, you will need to tell your device to allow Puffin TV to install APK's. By default, Android doesn't grant permission for applications to install APK's. That's OK; you can do so under settings and my guess is your device will tell you how to do so.

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