App-tastic: Accessing Android Apps on your PC
Have you ever wanted to play your favorite games or use your apps right on your PC? Thanks to Google that is now possible thanks to their new developer app called Arc Welder. For us non-developers Arc Welder allows us to bring Android right to our PC. Below are the steps for getting your apps available on the computer.
Step 1: Find APKs to Download to Your Desktop
Since ARC Welder requires an APK of the app you want to run, you'll need to download one (or several) to your computer. Using Raccoon for Windows, Mac, and Linux, you can search through the Google Play Store and download APK files easily.
Of course there are various other methods to getting APKs on your computer; just make sure that they're up-to-date and not corrupted in any way.
Step 2: Install ARC Welder
With APKs for apps taken care of, install the ARC Welder extension from the Chrome Web Store, which will then be added to your Chrome App Launcher.
Step 3: Load an APK in ARC Welder
Open ARC Welder and select the download destination (where your apps will be saved) to finish the setup process. ARC Welder will then ask you to add your APK, so hit the plus sign icon and find your file.
Note: You can only use one Android app at a time, which will then be saved to your Chrome App Launcher, so ARC Welder will ask you to delete any previous ones before you run a new app.
Step 4: Customize the Options
On the next page, select options for Orientation, Form Factor, and Clipboard Access, all of which will vary from app to app. Since I'm using an APK for Instagram, I chose the following:
Orientation: Portrait (most apps will work best with this setting)
Form Factor: Phone (just because I didn't want a huge window, but all three should work fine)
Clipboard Access: Yes (if it requires you having to enter text)
Step 5: Use Your Android App in Chrome!
From there, just hit "Launch App" to begin using it, but be aware that it might be a little slow or buggy (since ARC Welder is currently in beta). Also, not all applications will work, so you'll have to test out each one to see. If the window freezes or ARC Welder force-closes, it means it doesn't work with that app.
Steps retrieved from here.
