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Editors’ Review

Download.com staff

APKMirror Installer is a utility program that simplifies the process of installing APKs, XAPKs, and split APK bundles. For users who frequently sideload apps outside traditional app stores, this application offers a safe and user-friendly environment to verify and install packages. The program appeals to tech-savvy users who value control and transparency in how apps are installed.

APKMirror Installer stands out for its security and compatibility, providing a straightforward interface to install APK files while verifying their cryptographic signatures. This process ensures app authenticity, reduces the risk of malware, and gives users confidence and control over software installations.

Helps install APKs and bundles safely

APKMirror Installer’s main strength lies in its ability to handle modern app bundle formats, such as .apkm and .xapk, which traditional mobile operating systems can’t install on their own. The program parses split APKs and offers step-by-step guidance, making it accessible even for those less experienced. Its minimal interface is clean, although the learning curve may be steeper for users unfamiliar with sideloading processes.

One of the program’s core benefits is that it verifies APK signatures before installation, adding an extra layer of security. It doesn’t host pirated apps, and its use is aligned with APKMirror’s policy of distributing legitimate APKs. However, users still need to be cautious when sourcing files, as the app does not scan for malware itself. Its reliability hinges on the user’s discretion.

The app offers a straightforward process once you're familiar with how mobile phone packages work. For casual users, the terminology and multiple file types may feel overwhelming at first. That said, APKMirror Installer performs well on a wide range of devices, and its lightweight build ensures smooth performance. Its lack of extensive help documentation is a downside, but overall, the app keeps things functional and focused.

Enlarged image for APKMirror Installer (Offi…
APKMirror Installer (Official) 0/4
  • Pros

    • Supports modern APK bundles
    • Verifies digital signatures
    • Lightweight and efficient
    • No bundled bloatware
  • Cons

    • Learning curve for beginners
    • Lacks built-in malware scanning
    • Limited help documentation
    • Dependent on user-sourced files

Bottom Line

A solid tool for manual installs

APKMirror Installer (Official) delivers exactly what it promises: a secure and efficient method for installing app bundles outside the Play Store. While beginners may need time to learn its workflow, the tool’s focus on signature verification and broad compatibility make it a standout option. It's a good pick for users who value control, transparency, and lightweight performance in their installation process.

What’s new in version varies-with-device

  • Added support for Android 14 install APIs to ensure compatibility with newer devices
  • Improved support for .xapk file parsing, reducing errors during multi-APK installs
  • Fixed issue where installation failed when using “Install unknown apps” permission toggle
  • Updated interface layout for better readability on small screens


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Full Specifications

GENERAL
Release
Latest update
Version
varies-with-device
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Platform
Android
Operating System
Android 13.0
POPULARITY
Total Downloads
4,416
Downloads Last Week
149

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Program available in other languages


Last Updated


Developer’s Description

What does this app do...

What does this app do?

APKMirror Installer is a helper app that lets you install .apkm app bundle files from APK Mirror as well as regular APK files.

We've also added a highly requested bonus feature for regular APK files: if sideloading an APK fails and you want to know why, you can now see the exact failure reason by initiating the installation from APKMirror Installer.

Split APKs - huh?

In mid-2018 at Google I/O, Google announced a new dynamic app delivery format called App Bundles. We highly recommend reading this AndroidPolice post as the illustrations will make the concept a lot easier to understand.

Otherwise, here is a quick explainer. Before app bundles, developers either created a single "fat" APK with all the libraries and resources in them or manually managed multiple APK variants (for example, arm64 320dpi, x86 320dpi, arm64 640dpi, etc.).

The new App Bundles allow developers to transfer the burden of dealing with variants to Google, which then splits the app release into multiple chunks - hence the term split APKs. Each release then consists of a base APK and one or more APK splits.

For example, a single release may now arrive as 5 files: base.apk + arm64.split.apk + 320dpi.split.apk + en-us.lang.split.apk + es-es.lang.split.apk.

Unfortunately, you can't install all these APK splits by just tapping them on your device - you can only install the base APK, which will then crash due to missing resources.

This is where APK Mirror Installer comes in.

Alright, so what are these .apkm files?

As many apps are migrating to the split APK format that cannot be easily shared and installed without a companion app, APKMirror has developed a solution to adapt to these changes and continue to allow easy and safe sideloading options.

Each .apkm file is comprised of a base APK and a number of split APKs. Once you've installed APK Mirror Installer and downloaded the .apkm file you'd like to install, simply tap on it or use APKMirror Installer to find the download location. You will be able to see the exact contents of each .apkm file and select only the splits you want to install to save space on your device.

APK Mirror Installer and the underlying apkmirror.com infrastructure took many months to develop at a considerable cost, so we hope you understand why the app and site are ad-supported. For those who prefer to avoid in-app ads, there are various subscription options to go ad-free and unlock additional features.

Issues and bugs

Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco MIUI users

Unfortunately, Xiaomi modified MIUI and specifically the part of Android that APKMirror Installer uses for installing split APKs.

There is a workaround that should work - disabling MIUI optimizations in developer settings. Please try that, and the installation should succeed.

Further discussion of the issue can be found here: https://github.com/android-police/apkmirror-public/issues/116.

Other issues/bugs

Please report any issues to our Github bug tracker.

Note: This app is a file manager utility and does not have any direct app store features, such as browsing apkmirror.com or updating applications directly from the site, as that would be against the Play Store ToS.


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