How to Run Android Apps On Mac?

Even though macOS doesn’t support Android apps by default, it’s not hard to run Android apps on Mac. It won’t be enough to just download the apps. You will need to choose and install an Android emulator before you can run them on your Mac. This piece of software lets you run Android apps on your Mac by simulating the Android operating system. We show you how to choose an emulator and install it so you can run Android apps on a Mac.

Choosing an Android Emulator

You have a few options when it comes to emulators. If you know a lot about technology or just want to try different things, you might want a choice that gives you more control over how it works. If you are making Android apps on your Mac, you may need better development tools.

Next, we’ll show you how to set up BlueStacks, which is our favorite general-purpose Android emulator. BlueStacks is one of the oldest and easiest-to-use Android emulators for Mac, and it is still being updated. It’s also easy to set up, so it’s great for almost anyone, no matter how tech-savvy they are or how familiar they are with Mac or Android.

BlueStacks is also well-documented, so if you have trouble setting it up or using a certain app, it’s likely that someone else has already solved your problem.

Installing and Running Apps with BlueStacks

BlueStacks needs macOS Sierra or a later version to run. BlueStacks didn’t originally support macOS Big Sur, but it now does. You will also need 4 GB of RAM and 4 GB of free space on your hard drive. If your Mac was made before 2014, your graphics card might not be strong enough to run Android apps. You can look at the full list of requirements to make sure you’re ready.

Also, BlueStacks pulls Android app files from the Google Play store and puts them on your computer. If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to make one before you can run apps with BlueStacks.

BlueStacks 4 is the most recent version for macOS right now. But BlueStacks 5 was just released and should work soon. Check back often to find out when the new version will be ready.

First, navigate to the emulator’s download page, then double-click on the downloaded setup file with the .dmg extension.
When the application opens, double-click on the BlueStacks logo to proceed.
Click the “Install Now” button that appears at the bottom of the app window.
If you get a “System Extension Blocked” pop-up, click on the “Open Security & Privacy” button.
This should open a system privacy settings menu. At the bottom, click the “Allow” button.

Once BlueStacks is installed, it won’t be hard to run Android apps. When BlueStacks is open, you can use the main app page to go to the Google Play store. You can start downloading apps from there. Once you’ve downloaded these apps, you can run them by clicking on their icons on the main page.

Other Emulator Options

You can also use other emulators to run Android apps on Mac. But BlueStacks is usually the easiest to use. Some, like Android Studio, are more for making and testing apps than for downloading and using them.

A popular alternative to BlueStacks is the Nox App Player, which works in a similar way. Once everything is set up, you also have the option of adding more user accounts. This is useful if you want to play the same game with more than one character or account.

Andy is also a possibility. It’s made to make switching between Android and Windows or macOS as easy as possible. Even though it lets you use your phone as a controller, it’s not the most recent emulator. OS X Mountain Lion is the most recent version of macOS, and Windows is not supported. It might not work with the latest versions of macOS. But it could be a great BlueStacks alternative for older versions.

If you’re a developer and want to test your apps, Genymotion is a great tool. It is not a free emulator, and desktop use costs by the hour or by the year. This one isn’t right for you if all you want to do is play your favorite Android games on your Mac.