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How to install applications that are not in Google Play or App Store? Step by step guide

Download apps from Google Play It is a custom of all Android users, although it may happen to us, that one day we will not be able to download more through this App Store, and from there the big question arises What will we do?

The answer may be a bit simple, although sometimes not highly recommended, because they do not give a certification that gives us assurance that what we acquire is legal, and clean of viruses.

Below we will be treating this topic in more depth, where we will answer many questions, and also We will leave you some alternatives to the Play Store.

What are the risks of installing applications that do not appear in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store?

When we download an application from Google Play, we have the broad security that does not have virus, and that its developer is reliable, but above all, that we are acquiring the latest version, and without no negative details.

On the other hand, downloading an application from any platform other than the Play Store does not give us the total security of being or being clean of viruses. Today many of the applications offer app or APK, which allow us to enjoy free apps. But although it may be viable or profitable, in some respects, it is not entirely recommended.

One of the risks that we can face when downloading applications from another platform is to download, in turn, viruses that damage or steal personal information, or in the most complicated cases it can damage the device software.

Steps to install applications that are not available in the official Android or iOS stores

Before you continue, thanks to our professional and ethical level, we feel obliged to warn you that applications outside of Google PlayThey are not guaranteed, to be free of viruses or failures, and can damage the operation of our phone. For something, Google Play and iTunes are the official stores.

Taking this into account, Well, let’s start with the steps to download:

On Android

First we must activate the “Installation from unknown sources”, because without this we will not be able to download anything from Google or any other browser, because they are not certified by formal stores.

Follow the instructions:

  • To activate the function, we go to “Settings” or “Configuration”, then to the section “Lock and Security” and we look to mark the “Installation from unknown sources or origins.”
  • When we do this, we will see a confirmation box, where we will have to click on “To accept” to be able to confirm that we want the activation of the function.
  • This is very delicate, for this reason we recommend that you use a trusted platform to download the APKs. We personally use Uptodown, which so far it is a bit reliable.
  • Android has an excellent file and package organizer, so the APK downloads will go directly to the folder. “Downloads”.
  • We look for the APK package in the download folder and select it to run. When pressing on it, a dialog box will open, demanding that we give permission to install.

After we do each download, we will have to go to the settings again and deactivate “The Unknown Sources”. This is most of all to be careful against any incident.

On iOS

We must understand that the iOS system is a little more complicated than the Android system, which in a certain way is very advantageous in terms of security. However, it limits us on some occasions.

For that reason, To install one or more apps outside of iTunes, we must first Jailbreak our iPhone:

  • When we do the Jailbreak, our iPhone will stop syncing with iTunes. But let’s not worry, because for this we can download the App Sync from the great Cydia, and the synchronization returns as before.
  • One of the apps that we can find in Cydia is iTools. With this we can install any program that has the .IPA extension, without the consent of iTunes. After just installing this app, we go to “Menu”And we choose the application we want to install.
  • We will find in the lower left a button called “Install”, then a window will open, where we will have to certify that we do want the installation of the file with .IPA extension.
  • The moment we press “Open”, will start an installation process, where we can see in the form of a timeline, the time necessary for it.

When the installation is complete, we verify that it has been done successfully, and we close the app.

Where can I find applications that are not in the Google Play Store or App Store? 5 stores to do it

Just by searching Google, we can find many alternatives to the Play Store, however not all of them are very reliable. For this reason here, We will leave you five of the most recommended stores for this case, although if you want a more extensive list you can see more:

Aptoide.com

This is one of the stores Most recognized app after Play Store. It has approximately 600,000 applications among its large extensive list of APKs, serving mostly in games and tools.

It has the latest updates for each application, so in this part we will have to stop worrying, however it is still risky.

Uptodown.com

Uptodown

As we already mentioned, personally, we believe this is a store reliable to download APK and install on our phone. In itself it is one of the most popular stores, and offers many programs legally, although many do not consider this to be real.

Through this platform we can install any type of application, regardless of what or what restrictions they have. One of its virtues is that we can obtain for free the APK of the app that is paid in the Play Store.

We know that we are mentioning the wonders of this store, however you cannot completely trust it, because when downloading an APK we are acquiring packages that go through unknown third parties.

APKMirror.com

 APKMirror

Maybe you have already heard about this store, and it is usually the alternative of many when they do not find a good app, or in other places they are paid. This is a community created by Android Police, allowing developers to upload applications without depending on Google Play.

This store is said to offer totally virus-free apps. Although we are personally not entirely sure of that, we have yet to hear a case to the contrary.

SlideMe.org

 SlideMe

SlideMe is one of the sites that offers free apps more comfortable and practical, because thanks to its structure and platform we won’t have to go around or click too many times to download an APK.

It has a catalog with more than 4500 applications, of all kinds and forms, where their strength is games. We can find many positive details, although with a negative one, and that is that for Spanish speakers it can be a bit confusing, because everything is in English.

ApkPure.com

APK PURE

The latter, although not widely recognized, is quite useful. It has a wide range of content, offering games, tools and many more.

This is one of the least heavy stores, if we want to download it on our Android, highly recommended for users whose phone memory is low. This platform offers a beta and a stable version, where in the beta version new features are constantly being tested.