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Mac Update Android Emulator



Recently, we had covered some of the best ways to run Windows apps on macOS. The point was to overcome the lack of multi-platform software. This time, however, we have something different. We are going to talk about the ways to run Android apps on Mac. Yes, about using Instagram, playing Asphalt 8, or listening to Audible on Mac.

This time too, we have found multiple ways to run Android apps on macOS. Since different people have their different purposes, we’ve different methods too. In this article, you will find the best methods to run Android apps on Mac for normal users, gaming enthusiasts and developers. Shall we now check out the options?

Run Android Apps on Mac

#1 BlueStacks — Best for Running Apps

BlueStacks (also called BlueStacks App Player) is the oldest and the most popular way of running Android apps for Mac. You will be able to run almost any Android app using this simple emulator. It’s the best choice if you want to run WhatsApp on your Mac or access your Instagram account. You will be able to run your Mac apps and Android apps side by side, which is great.

The BlueStacks interface is equally awesome as well. Apps are opened in individual tabs and you have access to Google Play Store. Depending on the specifications of your Mac, BlueStacks lets you handle multiple apps with ease. Despite the optimizations for running apps, BlueStacks offers a true Android feel as well. You can even make changes from the Settings section.

Installing and using BlueStacks is like a piece of cake! You have to download the free installer from the official site of BlueStacks and run it. If you have previously installed bluestack, do a clean uninstall, before you reinstall it. Once the installation is done, it may take a few seconds for starting up. Before you can install apps, however, you need to sign into a Google account. Altogether, we think it’s really easy to get started with BlueStacks.

As far as running apps is concerned, BlueStacks does the job very well. We were able to install and use apps like WhatsApp and Instagram without any hassle. We also tried playing some Alto’s Odyssey game.

Pros

Windows x64 macOS Android: 5.0-12514: 4 days, 18 hours ago: Android: Remove unused files (PR #9058 from Ebola16) Windows x64 macOS Android: 5.0-12511: 6 days, 4 hours ago: GCAdapterAndroid: Minor cleanup (PR #9049 from Ebola16) Windows x64 macOS Android: 5.0-12509: 6 days, 4 hours ago: Code cleanup (PR #9037 from shuffle2) Windows x64 macOS. Download the latest version of the Dolphin Emulator (5.0-13217) from the official website. In this article we will discuss the top 10 android emulators which you can download to install your favorite android applications on your PC/Laptop. Contents 1 Top 10 Android Emulators For PC & MAC. Best Android Emulators For PC And Mac: MEmu. MEmu is relatively a new app player in comparison to the others. Launched in 2015, the MeMu Play, again, is focused on gaming. Regarding the speed, this Android emulator gives similar results as Nox and BlueStacks. Download the official Android IDE and developer tools to build apps for Android phones, tablets, wearables, TVs, and more. For more information on recommended devices as well as Android emulator support, visit chromeos.dev. Download Android Studio for Mac Download Android Studio for Mac android-studio-ide-2-mac.dmg.

  • BlueStacks is really easy to set up
  • It doesn’t involve long installation processes
  • Performance is optimized for apps

Cons

  • Not much suitable for games or development

Who Is It For

We think BlueStacks is the best option for those who need to use Android apps on Mac. It works fine when it comes to running apps like WhatsApp and Instagram. While the gaming performance is okay, we believe there are better options.

Check Out BlueStacks

#2 VirtualBox — Best for More Control

Mac update android emulator ios

At the core, Android is also a Linux-based operating system. As it happens, you can install Android on Mac using a tool like VirtualBox. In order to do this, you have to create a virtual machine and install Android in it. Compared to the other options we’ve listed, this VirtualBox method offers better control over the Android device and the apps you install.

Once the installation is done, VirtualBox gives you a pure Android experience. This is because we’re installing the basic Android Operating System on the virtual machine. However, you should not expect an optimized environment for running apps or games. Chances are, there are some bugs too. On the bright side, you can deploy Android v8 Oreo in the virtual machine.

We would not say that Android on VirtualBox is easy to set up. There are some downsides that you will have to tolerate in the long run. In order to do this, you need to download Android x86, a project that ports the popular OS to PCs. Then, as we always do, you can create a virtual machine based on Linux, Android. Once the installation is done, you’ll have a full-screen Android experience.

While apps like WhatsApp and Instagram work fine, the performance isn’t the best. We would not suggest this method if you’re into gaming either.

Pros

  • Offers more control over the virtual Android device
  • You can run the latest version of Android
  • It offers a fully-fledged Android OS experience

Cons

  • Installation is somewhat complex
  • Lacks performance optimization or customization options
  • Chances of bugs

Who Is It For

Running Android on Mac using VirtualBox is best when you need better control over the process. As a virtual machine, you can customize performance too. However, in the long run, you will have to compromise overall performance and gaming controls.

Check Out VirtualBox and Android x86

#3 Nox Player Mac — Best Optimized for Gaming

If you want to play some graphic-rich Android games on Mac, Nox Player Mac is the best option in town. It’s an Android emulator that prioritizes speed and performance. There are also some features such as screen capture, on-screen button mapping etc. Once set up, Nox Player Mac offers a standard Android experience as well.

Nox Player Mac manages to run apps as well. However, we found that things aren’t as smooth as BlueStacks when it comes to app downloads and installs. But, the reason you should install Nox Player Mac should be to play high-quality games like PUBG on Mac.

To install Android apps on your Nox Player, you can either login with your Google account and use the built-in Google Play Store or if you don’t want to go through that hassle, you can download the apk using the browser and install it directly.

Nox Player Mac is the easiest to install. It doesn’t even ask you any questions. Just run the installer and in a few seconds, you will find the fully-fledged Android virtual tablet. It runs Android v4 KitKat — which is a downside when compared to others.

Nox Player Mac is perfect when it comes to handling popular apps. So, if you want to bring some common apps and high-end Android games to Mac, choose this program.

Tablet

Pros

  • Easy to set up and get started
  • Optimized performance for games and apps
  • Advanced features like keyboard mapping and location manipulation

Cons

Emulator
  • Not suitable for development
  • Runs on Android KitKat
  • Ships with some bloatware

Who Is It For

Nox Player Mac is the best option if you’re into high-end Android games. Even if you have a mid-end MacBook Air, it should offer the best performance. Also, thanks to the macro and mapping features. We’d also recommend the tool for running WhatsApp and all.

#4 Genymotion — Most Suitable for Developers

Genymotion is an innovative way to run Android apps on Mac — and on Cloud, for that matter. However, it is offering a bunch of different options. If you’re a professional, you can create a virtual Android device on a Mac or in the cloud. Let’s come down to the Desktop version, which is great. You will be able to create a big variety of Android configurations for testing.

For instance, you can change the Android version, device hardware etc. Genymotion is the best option to make sure that your app runs perfectly on all Android devices out there. However, if you are getting started as a developer, you can find standard solutions as well. Genymotion also offers some additional features, for instance, embed your Android app on the website and let people try the app.

There is no necessity that you should install Genymotion on your Mac. As we said earlier, it can be used as a cloud service as well. However, Genymotion Desktop is really easy to install. We used the Personal version of Genymotion as well. It’s more convenient if you just want to try some apps. On the other hand, if you like the fully-fledged Android development experience, Genymotion Desktop is the way to go.

Running apps on Genymotion isn’t as smooth as the other platform. This is because the emulator has a major focus on features that help developers.

Pros

  • Awesome features for developers
  • Multiple Android configurations
  • Better Control over Running Apps

Cons

  • Performance Optimization could be better

Who Is It For

Genymotion is the best solution for Android developers who want to run their Android apps on a number of virtual devices. It syncs so well with your coding process and customization needs. Thanks to the plug-in, you can integrate this program with Android Studio as well.

Check Out Genymotion (free trial, $136/year)

Mac

Mac Update Android Emulator For Android

#5 Andy — a Smoother Workflow

Last but not the least, Andy is another way to run Android apps on Mac. However, compared to all emulators we’ve listed above, Andy offers a smoother workflow. The best part is that you’re getting a 100% full Android experience when you start up. You get built-in apps like Gmail, ES File Explorer and a lot more. It’s running on Android v4.0 KitKat, though.

Because Andy comes with Play Store access, you can easily download and install apps. There are some other important features as well. For instance, you can run the Android emulator in vertical and landscape modes as well. Also, there’s Key Mapping and Location manipulation. These features are awesome when you want a more optimized way to run Android apps.

Andy has one of the easiest installers we’ve seen. It’s an online installer, which would download files over an Internet connection. It needs to be noted that Andy downloads around 500MB of files, the largest on the list. Once the installation is done, Andy will show you the standard Android interface. You can use the mouse and keyboard for managing the virtual Android tablet.

As we said, Andy is the best when it comes to running apps. However, it would not be our go-to choice when it comes to playing Android games.

Pros

  • Easy to Install and Manage
  • Best optimization for apps
  • Offers a standard Android experience

Cons

  • Runs on KitKat
  • It’s lagging a bit when other apps are running

Who Is It For

Andy offers the perfect level of optimization and a standard Android experience. We’d recommend this tool if you need a real-like virtual Android device on your Mac. Of course, there are some performance lags but you can avoid it by avoiding multitasking.

Check Out Andy (Free)

The best way to Run Android Apps on Mac?

So, these are the five different ways to run Android apps on Mac. In a way, you’re creating an Android device within macOS environment as well. As we said earlier, not a single solution is suitable for everyone. We have recommended Nox Player for Mac if you want to play games. On the other hand, if you just want to use apps smoothly, BlueStacks and Andy are the best options. And, for those upcoming developers out there, we will recommend Genymotion, which has a ton of features packed inside.

Android Emulators are one of the most popular applications these days because of a variety of purposes which they serve.

It helps android app developers to test the applications which they have developed according to real life usage before they release it.

However, the reason why Android Emulators are so popular because these android emulators allow you to install your favorite android applications on your PC/Laptop which allows you to play your favorite games on a bigger screen with the comfort of using a keyboard and a mouse.

There are a lot of Android emulators which are available for download, but finding the one which is the best and which will suit you the most is not at all easy and it can be very confusing for any user.

In this article we will discuss the top 10 android emulators which you can download to install your favorite android applications on your PC/Laptop.

Contents

  • 1 Top 10 Android Emulators For PC & MAC

Update Android Os

Top 10 Android Emulators For PC & MAC

  1. GameLoop

    GameLoop is one of the most popular android emulators available for PC because of the latest changes which this emulator has introduced.

    It was previously known as the Tencent Gaming Buddy but since it became the exclusive emulator app for Call of Duty Mobile game, it changed its name to GameLoop android emulator.

    It is dedicated completely for playing Android games which means you can install other Android applications on this emulator, but their performance would not be that great.

    Game Loop has got plenty of built-in game settings and support for Android games especially FPS(First Person Shooting)games like PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile.

    It has really low response time and even heavy games like PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile do not lag during the gameplay. This is why, GameLoop is our number one choice when it comes to Android Emulators.

Update Android Tablet

  1. BlueStacks

    One of the oldest and probably the most known and famous Android Emulators of them all is BlueStacks Android Emulator.

    It is really easy to install which adds to its popularity and it is one of the most preferred Android Emulators when it comes to gaming purposes. Earlier, BlueStacks was used only by gamers, but now even app developers use it because of the updates this app has received which suits most of the app developers well.

    The most recent version of the app BlueStacks 3 is much faster and efficient than ever before and it now runs even the most demanding games at high settings and graphics without lags.

    Another reason why BlueStacks is so popular because users can download apps from the official app store of BlueStacks which has apps optimized for being installed on BlueStacks android emulator.

  1. MEmu

    MEmu is one of the more recent android emulators launched in 2015 and it mainly targets thegaming audience i.e this emulator is made specifically for gaming purposes.
    It is capable ofrunning graphic intense games like PubG Mobile and COD Mobile at high settings and smoothgraphics and the performance of this Emulator is somewhat similar to the performance ofBlueStacks emulator.
    The reason why it is so popular because it has also got support for older and slightly outdatedAndroid versions like KitKat and Jelly Bean.It has got dedicated mapping which will help you when you play FPS games like PUBG Mobile.
    It can also automatically identify APK files on your computer and can install them just by adouble click on the file.

Android Emulator Mac

  1. Nox App Player

    If you have used MEmu Android Emulator, you will find Nox App Player quite similar to MEmu because Nox App Player is quite similar to MEmu emulator in terms of usability, interface and performance.

    It is one of the best emulators for personal use and has got a really simple interface which makes it very easy to use.

    It has got a massive in-built game library and has got the smoothest gameplay on all of them.Nox App allows you to map your keyboard and has also got gesture support which makes it really popular in the gaming community.

  1. KO Player

    KO Player is one of those emulators which love gamers because it focuses mainly on gamers. It aims at delivering a lag-free experience to its users which makes it really popular amongst gamers.

    KO Player is a free application and this is why you can see a few advertisements here and there for monetization purposes.

    KO Player has in-built support for keyboard mapping and it is very easy to set up and navigate through the apps.

Run Android Emulator On Mac

  1. Remix OS Player

    After the huge success of Remix OS, Jide Technologies launched its own Android Emulator, the Remix OS Player.

    Unlike the Remix OS which was a real operating system and it required disk partition for being installed on the hard drive of a user’s laptop or PC.

    However, the Remix OS Player is an android emulator and it is one of the unique android emulators available because of the unique features which this emulator has to offer.

    It has been highly optimized for gaming and this is why it is really popular amongst the gamers.

  1. Andy

    Andy is a completely free Android emulator and you won’t also be seeing any annoying advertisements.

    It has got a unique feature which allows you to use your smartphone as a controller while you are playing your favorite games.

    It also allows you to install Android apps directly on your desktop.
    It runs very smoothly and could be great emulators for games that you want to play as well.
    I personally have played many games and the playing experience was just smooth.

  1. Droid4x

    Droid4x is one of the competitor applications to Andy and it comes with many features which the Andy Emulator offers.

    It is one of the few selected emulators which is suited more to the developers working on Android App Development instead of gamers.

    It can be installed both online and offline using installer packages.

    Personally using it on my low configuration PC, it gave me pretty satisfactory results.

    Hence, if you have a low configuration PC, you may choose this one.

  1. GenyMotion

    GenyMotion is one of the few applications which has been developed specifically for developers although it supports games equally well.

    It lets you test your developed applications on various platforms.

    Various android versions which can help a developer fascinating their applications on a wide variety of different android versions.

    When you will be installing this on your PC, you will notice that this is a very light emulator.

    The RAM usage is very little as compared to others.

Update Android Phone

  1. Android Studio

    Android Studio is the official emulator of Google and is a developmental IDE(Integrated Development Environment).

    It has been developed mainly for developers and has a lot of in-built tools which are of a great use to these developers.

    These are some of the best android emulators and all of them except the BlueStacks emulator do not require powerful processors of additional RAM and most of them would work on Intel or AMD processors with 2 GB or less of RAM.

    But it suggested that for a smoother gaming experience, your PC/Laptop should have at least 4 GB of RAM or more.