Google Play Store is the official application store for mobile devices of the Android operating system. Developed by Google, it houses more than a million apps in its catalog. It offers a wide variety of content, such as games, movies, books, and music. Even free and paid applications.
The application comes installed by default on all Android mobiles. Through Play Store, users can keep the various applications on their phones up to date. What’s more, it is a good place for companies to showcase their new products.
In addition, in this space you can discover the best apps on the market. However, Google Play Store has a limitation. Some applications in its huge catalog are not available in certain countries. Learn how to download apps from the Google Play Store that are not available in your country!.
Why are there applications in the Google Play Store that are not allowed in my country?
The Google Play app has a geographic restriction. Each territory offers a different catalog of apps. For this reason, the situation arises that some applications are not available in a country, as they do not belong to the catalog of the region.
Limitations come for a variety of reasons. In the first place, it may be because application services are not enabled in the country. On the other hand, some apps do not have the necessary translation to work. Although it can be annoying, there are alternative methods to download and install those applications that do not appear in the catalog of your country. Discover them!
Steps to install applications from Google Play Store that are not available in my country
App stores alternatives, country change, downloads APK or VPN connections, are just some of the methods that make it possible to download the applications that are not available on Google Play.
Here’s how each one works:
Changing your country from the Play Store
The option to change country it is enabled for users who have moved to another nation. However, it is possible to use it even if you are in the same country. However, doing so violates the terms and conditions of the platform. So be very careful, or opt for a less risky alternative.
If you have moved to another country, follow these steps:
- Open the app from Google Play Store.
- Choose “Menu”. Then press “Account” and go to the section “Country and profiles”.
- If you have a payment method, belonging to the new country, add it to the system.
- The new form of payment must have a Billing Address which is from the country to which you want to change the location in the Play Store.
- A profile linked to the new country will automatically be created. On the other hand, Google Play will change region within 24 hours.
- During that time, access the application settings, select “Google Play Store” Y clear storage data.
- After 24 hours, you can make purchases in the store. You probably have to accept the terms and conditions of the service again.
With an APK
APK refers to the Android application package. An executable file whose extension format (.APK) allows you to install applications not available in your region. It is commonly used to distribute items from Android platforms.
It is possible to install an APK app from alternative stores to Google Play:
- To install the applications APK, it is necessary to enter “Settings”, press “Applications” and allow downloads from unknown sources.
- On the other hand, you can also request a partner from another country the app link to find the APK.
- You should search for the application you want to download on Google Play. Then, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and finally press “Share”.
- Then you need to select “Copy to clipboard” to get the application link.
- When you have said link, paste it into google search. You must delete part of the link, except for the app ID, which begins with the “com.” For example: com.kiloo.subwaysurf
- To complete the application search, you must add the APK format to the search bar. For example: com.kiloo.subwaysurf apk.
- Then, press search and multiple pages will appear that offer the application you are looking for. However, you have to know how to choose, as some portals may contain viruses or malicious files.
With a VPN
If you want to use a Google Play account from another country, in your region used the method through the VPN, follow these steps:
- Download a VPN app on your Android device, mobile or tablet. VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network”. It consists of a secure and anonymous network connection that allows you to change the IP address for that of another country.
- Activate the VPN connection, and make sure it works perfectly. Select a country as your new location.
- Now, create a new Google account with the country you selected on the VPN.
- Delete your old account from the device. Go to “Settings”. Then select “Accounts”. Press “Google” and press “Remove account”. Also, you need to delete the app data. Also, you must disable the GPS function.
- No need to enter a new payment method. It is important to keep the VPN connection open every time you enter the Play Store, so that the application recognizes the new location.
Risks of APKs How safe is it to install these types of apps on my mobile?
Downloading an APK application is really simple, and it can be done from any Android device. However, you must know in depth the risks involved in not acquiring the apps from an official platform such as Google Play. By allowing downloading from unknown sources on your mobile or tablet, you open the doors to a possible infection from a computer malware.
In some cases, the APK does not contain the application you want, but is modified to corrupt your device. This can lead to phone malfunction and even the total loss of it, in the worst case. The same way, the user becomes vulnerable to data theft, scams and extortion by cyber scammers. If you really need an application that is not available on Google Play, you must find a safe and reliable website to download the content.
List of the best app stores to download APKs of apps not available in my country
Just as there are unreliable pages, You can also find on the Internet some portals that stand out for their services for the community of Android.
For that reason, we present a list of the best app stores to download APK:
APKPure.com
It is one of the most trusted application repositories on the internet. It has a website and an app to enter the store. It has a wide catalog of apps, including those that are not usually available in some countries. To locate and download the application, just have the app ID or its URL. In addition, it has an automatic verification system that shows if an APK file is the official one or if it is altered.
APKMirror.com
It is an application repository portal that offers only free content. APKs are uploaded by users. For this reason, the platform is in charge of checking the reliability of each executable file that is uploaded to the catalog. On the other hand, it allows you to keep the apps on your devices up to date. Via APK Mirror you can find old versions and even beta versions of an application. It does not have an App Store, so all downloads must be made from the website.
Uptodown.com
It’s a Spanish web portal that stores and distributes APK files for Android. Compared to other app stores, the Uptodown catalog is considerably larger, as it also offers content for iOS devices, Windows, Ubuntu, among others.
It has an application for mobile devices, for greater accessibility. What’s more, allows you to download old versions of applications. This is convenient for users who have old mobiles, which do not support new versions of certain apps.
Aptoide.com
It is a repository of applications that it is characterized by being open source. It has a comfortable interface, easy to use and quite fast. The platform works with multiple languages, and offers half a million applications in your catalog. Therefore, it is one of the most secure and comprehensive portals available. It has an application to access its virtual store, as well as a light version for users with little storage space.
Amazon App Store
It is not necessary to have an Amazon mobile device to use the App Store of the platform. You may get the app from the Amazon website. You should only allow the download of applications from unknown sources on your phone or tablet.
The official Amazon store has a catalog of 300,000 thousand applications, along with other content such as books, movies, comics, among others. To opt for paid content, you just have to have an Amazon account and access from www.amazon.com/getappstore. In this way, you will enjoy all the benefits it offers.