In general, you should install apps outside of your phone's app store only if you have a very good reason to.

Need helping installing an APK file on your Android phone? We'll show you how to properly install third-party apps and stores without Google Play.

If you want to know how to sideload apps on your Android phone, here's a handy guide. We'll also explain some safety tips.

If you’ve got a shiny new phone or tablet running Android 14, it’s true that you can’t download and install these older apps on your device itself.

Does the Google Play Store not offer the app you want? We explain how to install apps/APK files from outside the Play Store.