This blog is a journal of the research, goals, and process I undertook to create my Chrome extension, Emulator for Android.

The main reason for creating this blog is to document the steps I’ve taken to build the extension. However, I do hope that it may be informative for others who are interested in learning more about creating their own extensions as well.

Chrome Extension For Android Emulator

Want to quickly run an Android app on your PC without downloading a heavy PC Android emulator? You can get a tiny Android emulator Chrome extension that should be able to run most of the basic Android apps without trouble. I happen to know the perfect Chrome extension that is easy to use and runs most apps and small games.

Let’s see how you can use this Android emulator to run Android apps in Chrome:

Warning: You should not use an online Android emulator to run apps with confidential information, such as financial accounts. The information inside the emulator can be tracked by a third-party and could lead to accounts being stolen.

Also read: Mirror Android Notifications in Google Chrome
Introducing Android online emulator
The extension I am talking about is Android online emulator, which is completely free but ad-supported. The emulator emulates an Android 8.0 Oreo tablet and comes with all the features a regular Android device comes with. It has internet access and you can navigate the emulator just like an Android device using a mouse and keyboard. You can also login to a Google account and access Google apps, and even download apps and games from the Play Store. Although I will recommend you to not use your personal Google account for security reasons.

If you have APK of an app on your PC, it can also load it to run immediately in the emulator.

How to use Android online emulator
Click on the extension button and then click on “Run Android online emulator”.

Android emulator Chrome extension

A new tab will open, here click on “Start” and once the emulator loads, click on “Enter”.

Open emulator

The emulator will load and you should be able to see the home screen in a tablet layout.

Emulator home screen

You can navigate the emulator using your mouse pointer as a finger. Swipe up to see all the installed apps and access settings to make changes. You can install apps from the Google Play Store after logging in with a Google account.

emulator apps

If you want to run apps using an APK file, then first you need the APK file in your PC. You can download APK files of your favorite apps using Evozi APK downloader. Just copy/paste the app link from Google Play Store in Evozi search bar and it will give you a link to download the APK file.

Afterward, click on the extension button and select “My Apk manager and Apk upload”.

APK uploader

Now click on the “Upload APK” button and select the APK file in your PC.

Upload APK

Once uploaded, you can click on the “RUN APK” button to launch the emulator.

Run APK

The app will immediately start and you can control it using the mouse. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer any special keyboard controls to make it easier to use some apps. Although, it should work fine for most apps that don’t require multi-touch functionality.

Opened APK

Ending thoughts
In my experience, this Android emulator extension is great for basic use to get access to Android apps on your PC and experiment. I would have definitely appreciated some better control options as you find on dedicated PC Android emulators, but I appreciate that it lets you use your physical keyboard to type.

And of course, just like other Android emulators, this emulator can also lag and be slow if your PC doesn’t have enough power.

best android emulator chrome extension

Ever thought of trying an Android app or game on your desktop or laptop. Sure, you have! And, the option that instantly comes to our mind is an Android Emulator. They are relatively simple to install and run. Here we are going to talk about a potent alternative, a way through which you will now be able to run Android applications, right from your browser, or by visiting a website and running the application.

1. Android Online Emulator
   Android Online Emulator

Needn’t install any bulky emulator on your computer or laptop if you want to run Android applications or enjoy its interface. Android Online Emulator, as the name suggests, lets you get the best of the Android world while using only the web browser. It is free.

To begin with, this Android emulator Chrome extension lets you run the APK file of your desired app. The setup is pretty simple and straightforward. First, install the Android online emulator Chrome extension. Once installed, click on the Android Online Chrome extension and then Run Android online emulator. Click on the Start. That’s it, in a few seconds, you will be taken to a tablet that runs over Android Marshmallow (6.0)

It simulates features such as hardware sensors, device rotation, and access to phone buttons that you can see on the right side of the emulator in the form of a menu. On the downside, it takes a bit of time to start. But that depends on your network speed. Here’s how you can boost your internet speed on Android.

Get It Here

2. ARChon Runtime For Chrome
   ARChon Runtime
   Source: github
   ARChon is available as a Chrome extension Android emulator. It is accessible not just on Windows but even on Linux and macOS as well. It even works fine on Chromebooks as well. What it does is that it runs APK files of Android applications on Chrome, and there are a large number of applications and games that are supported by ARChon Emulator for Android.

The process could be a little tricky, but here we have simplified things for you –

First, you will have to download the unzipped file of ARChon Runtime for Chrome, the link of which is given below and then follow the steps mentioned below –

Unzip the file that you have downloaded
In Google Chrome browser, go to Chrome://extensions
First, activate the developer’s mode by toggling the Developer mode switch to the right
Next, click the Load unpacked button which you will find just under the three vertical bars (hamburger icon)
You can now select the unzipped package that you have just downloaded.
Now, download the sample app mentioned in the download link to test the ARChon emulator. Again, repeat the same steps mentioned above, i.e., download the zipped package, unzip it, and repeat the steps from 1 to 4.

Head to Chrome:// apps, and you should be able to see the app running.

Get It Here

3. Appetize.io
   Appetize.io
   Source: appetize.io
   Appetize.io is not precisely a Chrome extension Android emulator but a platform that lets you run applications smoothly. It is indeed great for developers who want to test their applications online and those who desire to enjoy one platform’s applications over the other. Be it Android or iOS applications; this is one platform where you can run all these without any hassle. Though, this is a limited free service.

Visit Here

After you have signed up with the free trial, you get 100 minutes every month and 1 concurrent session. The basic services start at $ 40 per month. You can swipe the screen, choose phone button and even run your applications

4. ARC Welder
   ARC Welder
   Source: uptodown.com
   ARC Welder initially came into being for app developers who wanted to test their apps within the Chrome OS, but later it was released for all users. ARC Welder tool only works with APK files, which means you will have to visit websites that offer apps as an APK package. The applications would then run on Google Chrome (both for Windows and OS X) and Linux.

After Downloading ARC Welder, you would be required to add a third-party APK file host. Click through this file host and select your desired mode, which could be either Tablet or phone. Last but not least, click on the “Launch App” button, and you are all good to go.

Some essential things should be considered when using ARC Welder. Firstly, ARC Welder runs applications that support Android 4.4 or above. Secondly, only one application can be loaded at a time, and you may have to select the landscape or portrait mode manually for the app.

So, Which One Did You Enjoy Using The Most?
After using the above Chrome extensions Android emulators, which one did you enjoy using the most? Do let us know in the comments section below, and if you have a better option, drop us a comment. So, that was it. For more such content, interesting apps, troubleshooting tips, and tricks, and a lot more, keep reading Systweak blogs. Also, follow us on Facebook and YouTube as well.

Conclusion

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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