How to Install APK and XAPK Files on Android

Before you start

An APK is the install file for an Android app. When you install from the Play Store, the store handles everything for you. When you install a file yourself — often called sideloading — you take on a few of those jobs. Spend one minute on this short checklist first and most problems never happen.

• Android version. Open Settings → About phone and note your Android version. Each download page lists the minimum Android version a file needs.
• Free storage. Keep at least two to three times the file size free. Large games unpack while installing.
• Processor type. Most recent phones use arm64-v8a. Older or very low-cost phones may use armeabi-v7a.
• A good connection. Use Wi-Fi for big games so a broken download does not waste your mobile data.
• A trusted file. Compare the file hash and signature shown on the download page. Our guide on checking if a MOD APK is safe explains how.

How to install APK files: the quick steps

If you just want the short version of how to install APK files, these five steps work on almost every phone running Android 8 or newer. The sections after this one explain each step in more detail.

1. Download the .apk file from the download page.
2. Tap the finished download in your browser, or open it from your file manager.
3. When Android says the app is not allowed to install unknown apps, tap Settings.
4. Turn on Allow from this source, then go back.
5. Tap Install, wait for it to finish, then tap Open.

That is all for a normal single APK. Split packages (XAPK, APKS, APKM) and games with OBB data need a few extra steps, which we cover below.

Allow “Install unknown apps” on Android 8 and newer

Android blocks installs from outside the Play Store by default. Since Android 8.0 (Oreo), this permission is no longer one switch for the whole phone. Instead, you give it to each app that is allowed to install other apps — for example Chrome, Files by Google or your phone’s own file manager.

This is safer, because only the app you choose can install files. You can give the permission in two ways:

When Android asks during install

The first time you open an APK from an app, Android shows a message such as “For your security, your phone is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source.” Tap Settings, turn on Allow from this source and press back. The installer will continue.

From the Settings app

1. Open Settings → Apps.
2. Find Special app access (on some phones it is under the three-dot menu or “Advanced”).
3. Tap Install unknown apps.
4. Select the app you will install from, such as Chrome, and turn on Allow from this source.

On Android 7 and older, the setting is a single switch called Unknown sources under Settings → Security. Remember to turn it off again when you finish.

How to install APK files from Chrome

Chrome is the default browser on most Android phones, so this is the most common way people install APK files.

1. Open the download page in Chrome and tap the download button.
2. If Chrome warns that “this type of file can harm your device”, tap Download anyway only if you trust the file.
3. When the download finishes, tap Open in the message at the bottom of the screen. You can also find it later in Chrome’s menu → Downloads.
4. If asked, allow Chrome to install unknown apps as shown above.
5. Tap Install.

Tip: if the Open button does nothing, the file may still be downloading or may have been saved with a .bin or.zip name by mistake. Check the file name in Downloads.

How to install APK files with Files by Google

Files by Google comes pre-installed on many phones sold in India and is free on the Play Store. It is useful when you downloaded an APK earlier or received it from a friend.

1. Open Files by Google and tap Browse.
2. Open Downloads (or the folder where the file is).
3. Tap the APK file. Files by Google shows the app name and asks to install.
4. Allow Files to install unknown apps if Android asks.
5. Tap Install.

Your phone’s own file manager (Mi File Manager, My Files on Samsung, or File Manager on Realme, Oppo and Vivo) works in the same way.

How to install XAPK, APKS and APKM files

Many modern apps are no longer one single APK. Developers publish an Android App Bundle, and the Play Store sends each phone only the pieces it needs: a base APK plus “split” APKs for screen size, language and processor. Download sites pack these pieces into one file so you can install them outside the store. That file is an XAPK, APKS or APKM, depending on the tool that made it.

Android cannot install these packages by tapping them, because the system installer expects single APKs. You need an installer app that supports split APKs. The steps for how to install APK bundles are similar in most of them:

1. Install a split-APK installer app that supports the format you have (XAPK, APKS or APKM).
2. Allow that installer app to install unknown apps.
3. Open the installer, choose your downloaded file and confirm.
4. The installer picks the right pieces for your phone and installs them together.
5. If the package includes OBB data, a good installer copies it to the correct folder for you.

Do not try to install only the base APK from inside an XAPK. The app will usually crash on launch because its other parts are missing. On our download pages, the format, size and supported architectures are shown before you download, so you know if you need an installer.

Games with OBB data: the Android/obb folder

Large games keep their graphics and sound in separate expansion files with the.obb extension. The game looks for them in one exact place:

Android/obb/<package name>/ — for example Android/obb/com.example.racinggame/.

• The folder name must match the package name exactly. It is shown on every download page.
• Keep the OBB file name as it is. Do not rename it.
• Install the APK first, then copy the OBB, then open the game.
• On Android 11 and newer, many file managers can no longer write to Android/obb. An XAPK installer that copies the data for you is the easiest fix. Copying from a computer with a USB cable also works.

Common install errors and how to fix them

Even when you know how to install APK files, Android sometimes refuses. The message is often short and unclear. This table lists the errors we hear about most and what usually fixes them.

A note on Play Protect warnings

Google Play Protect checks apps on your phone, including ones you install yourself. If it says an app is harmful, take that seriously. A warning that an app is simply “unknown” or “not scanned before” is different — it means Google has not seen that exact file. Mods often trigger this because they are rebuilt. Check the file hash on VirusTotal before you decide.

How to update an APK you installed yourself

Knowing how to install APK files also means knowing how to update them. Apps you install from a file do not always update by themselves. How you update depends on where the file came from:

• Original file from the developer. It has the same signature as the Play Store version, so the Play Store can often update it, or you can install a newer original APK over it without losing data.
• MOD file. It has a different signature. You can only update it with a newer mod signed by the same modder. Installing the original over it fails with a conflict error. Read more in our guide on what a MOD APK is.
• Version going down. Android does not allow installing an older version over a newer one. Uninstall first if you really need the older version.

Each app page on APK Mods keeps a version history, so you can see when a newer file was uploaded and whether it is signed with the same certificate as the one you have.

How to uninstall an app

Removing a sideloaded app is the same as any other app:

1. Long-press the app icon and tap Uninstall (or drag it to “Uninstall”).
2. Or open Settings → Apps, choose the app and tap Uninstall.
3. For games with OBB data, check that Android/obb/ no longer has the game’s folder, so the space is freed.

If an app will not uninstall and asks for “device admin” rights, open Settings → Security → Device admin apps, turn it off, then uninstall. A normal game or editor should never need device admin access; treat that as a warning sign.

Notes for Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, Oppo and Vivo phones

Phone brands popular in India add their own security layers on top of Android, so how to install APK files differs a little from brand to brand. Menu names change between software versions, so use the search bar in Settings and type “unknown apps” if you cannot find a path below.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

MIUI and HyperOS run their own security check when you install a file and may show a scan screen or a warning. Read it, then continue only if you trust the file. Some split-APK installers do not work on older MIUI versions unless you change a developer option; if an installer closes without a message, try installing the XAPK with a different installer first, and avoid changing settings you do not understand.

Samsung Galaxy

Newer Samsung phones include Auto Blocker under Settings → Security and privacy. When it is on, the phone blocks installs from anywhere except the Play Store and Galaxy Store. You can switch it off for an install and then switch it back on. Samsung’s file app, “My Files”, can install APK files once it has the permission.

Realme, Oppo and Vivo

ColorOS and Realme UI often ask you to confirm with your lock screen password or account before installing from a file. Vivo phones may show a scan result from their own security app. These checks are normal. If the phone says “installation blocked”, look for an option such as “Install anyway” and only use it when you are sure about the file.

Why people learn how to install APK files

Most people only need the Play Store. Still, there are good, everyday reasons to learn how to install APK files yourself, especially on phones used in India:

• An app is not available in your region or on your phone model in the Play Store.
• A new update broke something and you want to go back to an older version that worked.
• A friend shares an app offline, which saves mobile data when many people need the same file.
• The phone has no Google services, as on some imported or older devices.
• You want to test a beta or a developer’s own build before it reaches the store.
• You want a modded version — which brings extra risks we explain on a separate page.

Benefits and risks of installing APK files yourself

Before you decide how to install APK files on a phone you use every day, weigh both sides. Sideloading gives you more control, but it also removes some of the checks the Play Store does for you.

The risks are easy to reduce. Check the signature and hash on the download page, read the permission list, and remove apps you no longer use. If you install a mod, remember it will never receive official updates.

Tips for mobile users

A few small habits make every install smoother, whether you get files from APK Mods or anywhere else.

• Save data. Download big games on Wi-Fi. A 1.5 GB game can finish a daily mobile data pack in one go.
• Watch your storage. Phones with 32 or 64 GB fill up fast. Delete the APK or XAPK file after installing to get the space back.
• Charge first. Installing and unpacking large games uses battery and can heat the phone.
• Use one installer. Keep one split-APK installer you trust instead of trying many different apps.
• Back up game saves. Link games to a cloud account where possible, so a reinstall does not erase progress.
• Search first. Use our search page to find an app and check its file details before you download.

Conclusion

Once you have done it once, knowing how to install APK files is simple: allow one app to install unknown apps, open the file and tap Install. XAPK, APKS and APKM packages need a split-APK installer, and big games need their OBB data in Android/obb/ under the exact package name. Most errors come from signature conflicts, low storage or a file that does not match your phone, and the table above shows how to fix each one.

Most of all, install only files you have checked. Look at the signature, hash and permissions on the download page, keep Play Protect on, and keep money-related apps on the Play Store. When you are ready, browse the latest games and apps, or read our guide to MOD APK safety first.