
The Top Four Android Third-Party App Stores/Repositories When using the sideloading technique, you will have to find a suitable repository. The Play Store downloads and installs them automatically for you. Where to Sideload an APK fileĪn Android Package Kit (APK) is an executable file that installs an Android app.

However, updates for the app may require the option to be enabled again. NOTE: You CAN disable unknown sources after the third-party installation is complete.

If your smartphone is not protected enough, it could get infected. This option can put your device at risk since it allows all unknown sources to store files rather than on an app-by-app basis. Using the above steps, you will have access to any APKs you want to install, as long as they are compatible with your device. Instead, you have to trigger an option for downloading files from all available sources. With older Android versions (7.0 Nougat or lower), the system doesn’t split the sources. Install from Unknown Sources in Android 7.0 Nougat, 6.0 Marshmallow, or Older Android 8 controls the installation permissions through individual apps rather than all of them at once, so you need to allow the browser to perform installations. The above steps allow your browser to get apps from sources other than Google Play.

Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap on the Settings cog.Install from Unknown Sources in Android 10
