Installation
How to Install APK Files on Android (General Guide)
Five steps from downloaded file to working app, including the per-app permission model that replaced the old global Unknown Sources toggle.
Before you start
- Android 5.0 or later, with roughly three times the APK size free in storage.
- A file manager you can open the downloaded file from.
- The permission prompt will name whichever app you opened the file from — that is the app being granted install rights.
Step-by-step installation
1.Download the APK to device storage
Save it somewhere you can find again, normally the Downloads folder. Note the file size so you can compare it against what the page stated.
2.Open the file
Tap it in your file manager or the browser's download list. Android's package installer takes over from here.
3.Grant install-unknown-apps to that app
If blocked, Android offers a Settings shortcut. The toggle you enable applies only to the app that asked — this is the step most guides describe incorrectly.
4.Review and confirm
Read the installer screen. If it names a package you do not recognise, stop; the file is not what the page claimed.
5.Open and check
Launch the app, then visit Settings → Apps → the app → Permissions and revoke anything unnecessary.
If the install is blocked
| Message | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| For your security, your phone is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source | Per-app permission not granted | Grant it to the app you opened the file from, then reopen the file |
| App not installed | Existing app with the same package but a different signature | Uninstall the existing app first, accepting that its data is lost |
| There was a problem parsing the package | Incomplete download or an APK targeting a newer Android version | Re-download; if it repeats, check the build's minimum Android version |
| Insufficient storage | Less headroom than the install needs | Free several hundred megabytes and retry |
Worth knowing: Since Android 8, install permission is granted per requesting app, so granting it to Chrome does nothing for a file opened from your Files app.