How to Manually Install an Android App APK File with ADB

If you're having trouble downloading and installing an Android app then I suggest using this simple ADB command.

~~~~~

Video Description
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In today's video I want to show you how to install an Android application APK file via the command line using ADB.

ADB is a great tool that allows you to customize Android in a number of ways. If there is a user-facing feature on Android then there is almost always a way to replicate that via the command line.

I have found using this can be helpful when the OS is trying to limit you in other ways. For example, I had difficulties downloading an app on the Chinese version of MIUI in the past, but was able to bypass this limitation by using the ADB install command.

To begin, we first need to enable USB Debugging Mode. I'll link do a dedicated tutorial that I have already uploaded to the channel that shows you how to enable this on various Android devices, as a way of preventing this video from being longer than it needs to be. But if you're having trouble with this then let me know down in the comments section below.

If you're using a recent Xiaomi devcie with MIUI, then you will also need to enable something called Install via USB. This is found in the Developer Options menu as well and it does require you to sign into your Xiaomi Mi account while also having a SIM card installed.

We're also going to need to install ADB & Fastboot tools onto a desktop or laptop PC. There are a number of ways this can be done, and I'll link to a video I've already done that highlights a tool called Tiny ADB & Fastboot tools. It's easy to install and will only put the files on your PC that are required to use both ADB and Fastboot commands.

With that done, you then need to download the APK file of the app or game you want to manually install, and it needs to be stored on your PC. Not only that, but you also need to put that APK file in the same folder as your ADB and Fastboot tools. You could avoid putting it into the same folder if you type out the full directory path of where that APK file is stored. But putting it in that same folder is the easiest option for most people.

I will be using a free game called Galaxiga in today's example, just make sure you're downloading these APK files from a source you trust.

Let's open up a command prompt, windows powershell, or a terminal window in the same folder as our ADB & Fastboot tools.

Then we'll begin by typing out the command. . .

adb install [filename]

When you finish typing it out, we simply need to press enter on the keyboard to execute the command and let ADB install this APK file for us. Look for the success message to know that it has been done correctly. . .

. . .and then look in your App Drawer for the application icon for the newly installed application or game.

There are others arguments that we can add to this command if you want to do special things when installing this APK file.

For example, we can install multiple APK files at the same time by typing out. . .

adb install-multiple [filename] [filename]

or you could use this command to replace an existing application that is already installed on your device while keeping your app data intact.

adb install -r [filename]

If you're wanting to downgrade an application you already have installed to an older version, then use the following command. . .

adb install -d [filename]

You could even install an application to your sd card by using the command. . .

adb install -s [filename]

There are many ways that we can manage the apps and games on our device using ADB. I have previously done a video showing you how to remove a system app from the default user account by using a simple ADB command. You can find that linked down below as well.

Mentioned Links
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Step by Step Tutorial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Intro [00:00]
2. Prepare the Folder [02:34]
3. Execute the ADB Install command [04:05]
4. Various install options [06:12]

As an Amazon associate, I may earn a commission on sales from the links below.

The Gear I Use
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[jamesmuchelenganga]

Heya mate. I install alot of moded apks on my phone. 2 days without Spotify was draining me. Thanks to your video i mananged to learn how to sideload apks on my redmi note 11 running android 13. You are a life saver mate. I was giving up on Xiaomi

[georgelgrama]

Hello, please, can you help me, I also have Android 14 and One UI 6.0 on my phone, I want to look for 2 applications on the play store and I can't find them, but when I search on Google, it says that your device is not compatible with this application. please, how do I proceed?

[bigdog]

worked great I used the terminal that is installed with adb. (it says adb and fastboot++ as the shortcut installed) otherwise I could follow this verbatim. 5 out of 5 for sure

[Emmaniel_raj]

I am facing issue adb failed to Stat file name : NO such file or help me

[cosmin]

i GET THIS ERROR TRYING TO INSTALL AN SYSTEM APP

[freewatchanime]

???
How do you store the apl game from your phone into your PC??
and are we supposed to plug our phone into the PC???
So many missing explanations in this video.
you ex[etc us to know everything. You might as well not have made this "tutorial"

[unmeshnandi]

i install a apk in android via usb and suddenly it’s disconnected and my phone 3gb storage is gone. Please help sir my device teae 5i 😭😭😭😭. How to get my 3gb storage.

[wiilu]

Does it work for samsung's s24 series? Cause a lot of apks are apparently "incompatible" with my s24 ultra. This is really annoying

[robertresnick]

I do all the steps, then get a message that says Failed to extract native libraries, res=-113]

[kameronhallstrom]

Does this bypass the CPU limits for the pixel 7 and 7 pro?

[CraitMerc]

Does this bypass Android 14's new restriction of downloading older apps?

[ik._]

adb: failed to stat app.apk: No such file or directory . what fix ?

[krog]

why when i enter the install command it says no device/emulator found but i already enabled all the requirements for the developer mode

edit: nvm i already fixed but the apk file wont get detected idk if its cuz the exe file got converted into a gameloop exe or something

[krusenator]

I tried this and kept getting so many errors messages and now I'm just beyond confused and frustrated so I gave up lmao fuck android for blocking APK side loading on older apps 🖕

[MuaraSirait]

My tablet can’t install a mobile apk, would this method works to force install the apk to tablet?

[mjshubham]

How to do it for Android 14? Is it safe?

[mirzamuhammed]

i didn't do adb installation on developer option.can we do these steps without that.?any alternatives for that ?

[chancex]

I recently got a new phone. I use an app for viewing my cameras at home, when trying to install it says it isn't supported. I'm thinking because it's an updated os. Would this work for me?

[mr.johnson]

So, what's the difference with pm install?

[abubakaryborry]

Hi, i want to update my app by using adb. What should i do?