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Android emulators

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'{{Infobox console|title = Android|logo = Android.png|developer = Google<br/> Open Handset Alliance|release = 2008|emulated = {{✓}}}}:''This page is about emulating software that emulates Android apps and games on PC as it is slowly building off an important library of exclusivesother hardware, and emulation coupled with CheatEngine is certainly interestinglike desktops. If you're interested in '{{for|emulators for your that run on Android|Emulators on Android phone, check [[:Category:Consoles]] and see individual console page.'''}}
'''[[wikipedia:Android(operating system)|Android]]''' is a mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and currently developed by Googleand the Open Handset Alliance. Unlike It was originally developed in secret before launching in 2008 as a competitor against Apple's [[iOS emulators|iPhone]]. While other mobile operating systems have been made throughout the years, none have emerged in terms of market share nearly as well much as older cell-phone models and older Japanese Galapagos mobile phones, emulating Android software on PC is more developed, though no open source emulator with a high degree of game compatibility exists yet.
Like Android is like a Linux distribution in that it uses the Linux kernel to facilitate communication with the hardware and manage processes on the system. Unfortunately, the similarities end there, as Android uses an entirely different toolset from standard Linux distributions and no support is given for running it on PCs. (Software development on Android is also nothing like Linux development as apps are compiled into architecture-specific <code>APK</code>s via Java which, like IPA files on [[Nintendo DS iOS emulators|iOS]], the computer mouse is used to emulate touchscreen presses (which can are specially designed Zip files. They may be less than ideal in many casesoccasionally coupled with <code>OBB</code> files). While Android can technically run Linux binaries, and the keyboard emulates the button controller add-onsdoing so requires superuser privileges that Android does not provide by default. Some emulators support X360 controllers For many devices, you can expect to see a custom ROM that has an integrated su binary (or a means to install it easily, such as well with some more tweaksa custom recovery), but not all devices have one.
Android apps come in However, the Linux kernel is flexible enough that it can be emulated well, unlike iOS, older cell phone models, and older Japanese Galapagos mobile phones.apk file format (occasionally coupled with While Android natively supports mice<ref group=N>If you have an Android device, you can confirm this by connecting a Bluetooth or USB mouse via a USB adapter.obb files). Just </ref>, most apps expect users to have a touchscreen, so Android emulators will usually default to emulating touchscreen presses like its [[IOS Nintendo DS emulators|iOSDS emulation]] equivalent (IPA filesthough it can be less than ideal in many cases). The host's keyboard may often emulate the button controller add-ons, their innards can be opened as a regular ZIP fileand some emulators support [[Xbox 360 emulators|Xbox 360]] controllers with some more tweaks<references group=N/>
==Emulators==
'''Important Note:''' These ;Before diving in,;*To run Android apps on your computer, most of these emulators are usually closed source employ a two-step approach. First, they set up a virtual environment using [[Hypervisors|hypervisor]] (and while they're distributed of course support for free, their devs look for roundabout ways to monetize them. One [[Wikipedia:X86_virtualization#Hardware-assisted_virtualization|hardware assisting virtualization]] such high profile case was BlueStacks. Make sure to check if there are preas vt-x/amd-installed apps on your emulator (v and disable themvirtual gpu adapter such as [https://docs.mesa3d.org/drivers/virgl.html VirGL]). Then, monitor your Internet connection download caps they use [[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|custom Android-x86 images]] and processor activity translation layer such as "[[Compatibility_layer|libhoudini or libndk or Intel BT]]" to detect any abnormal activity convert instructions from ARM processors (and block domains accordingly if the need arisesused in phones) and avoid as much as possible giving sensitive account data (just in case itto work on your computer's keyx86 architecture. See [[#Hardware features]] supported ABI, API sections and [[#Enhancements]] built-logged)in translation layer and VM columns for more information. Besides basic safety, ;*[[Hypervisors|Hardware-assisted virtualization]] feature must be turned from your BIOS for most of these precautions often make impacted methods due to performance reasons.;*You need to turn off Hyper-V from Windows Feature panel if [[Hypervisors|Type-2 hypervisor]] used by the emulator due to [[Hypervisors#Hyper-V_feature_conflict_issue|conflict issue]]. Having said that some emulators like BlueStacks provide special Hyper-V build for prevent this issue. Recently, with [https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/22561951043981-BlueStacks-5-20-Release-Notes#01HMGBJDK8G7J7S9C0G5R9SBVR BlueStacks 5 version 5.20, you can now run much faster when the adware services BlueStacks with Hyper-V enabled] including all instances such as Nougat 32-bit, which will run as intended and apps no additional changes required. ;*There are turned offalso [[compatibility layers]] such as Waydroid and [[Anbox]] for running android applications on ARM and x86 devices but these projects kinda negligible due to their compatibility levels.;*Tons of bloated, obsolete or non-active Android "emulator" exists there but we're not gonna list them, see [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php?title=Android_emulators&diff=66635&oldid=66634#Emulators this page] for that.<div style="overflow-x:auto;width:100%">{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|-
! scope="col"|Name
! scope="col"|Platform(s)
! scope="col"|Version
! scope="col"|Free[[#Hardware_features|Hardware features]]! scope="col"|[[#Enhancements|Enhancements]]! scope="col"|VMCompatibility! scope="col"|[[Emulation Accuracy<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>! scope="col"|Accuracy]]Active
! scope="col"|[[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
|-
! colspan="710"|PC / x86
|-
|[[Genymotion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.genymotion.com/download/ {{GenymotionVer}}]
|{{~}}|{{~}}|?|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}|-|[https://play.google.com/googleplaygames Google Play Games]|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}|[https://play.google.com/googleplaygames#section-system-requirements Beta]<br/>[https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/emulator Developer]|{{~}}|{{~}}|<small>[https://play.google.com/googleplaygames/exploregames Only for selected titles] (NonBeta build)<br/>? (Developer build)</small>|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}|-|[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/android/wsa/release-Dev Versions)notes WSA]<br/><small>This shouldn't be confused with WSL or WSL2.<br/>See [[Hypervisor]] page for WSL2 and [[Compatibility layer]] page for WSL.</small>|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}|Comes with Windows store<br/>[https://github.com/cinit/WSAPatch WSA patch for Windows 10]|{{~}}|{{~}}||[https://github.com/riverar/wsa-app-compatibility#support-tables 66%<br/><small>368 out of 558 reported titles</small>]|?|{{~}}[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/android/wsa/ *] ||{{~}}|-|[https://trinityemulator.github.io/ Trinity]|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}|[https://github.com/TrinityEmulator/TrinityEmulator/releases git]|{{~}}|{{~}}|?|{{✓}} ||{{~}} ||{{~}}|-|Android Studio<br/><small>It's an IDE and it includes [https://developer.android.com/studio/intro/update#sdk-manager built-in Android Emulator]</small>|VirtualBoxalign=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}|High[https://developer.android.com/studio/archive Beta and Canary builds]<br/>[https://developer.android.com/studio/ 4.0]
|{{✓}}
|{{~}}
|?
|<span title="Source-available"><sup>{{~}}</sup></span> ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
|-
|[[BlueStacks]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS}}
|[httphttps://wwwsupport.bluestacks.com/ hc/en-us/sections/360012290292-Release-Notes {{BlueStacksVer}}]|{{~}}|{{~}}|[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413818315789-Games-playable-on-different-Android-versions-on-BlueStacks-5 ?]|{{✗}} ||{{✓}}|QEMU |{{✗}}<ref group=N2 name=Bloatware>These emulators are closed-source, and while they're distributed for free, their devs look for roundabout ways to monetize them. '''Since these emulators closed-source and comes with adware and bloatware applications, it's important to research the developers background before using them to ensure their trustworthiness and avoid potential privacy risks before using them'''. MuMu, LDPlayer, NoxPlayer and MEmu developed by the various Chinese software companies and BlueStacks App Player developed by American technology company called "[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4928776 BlueStacks]". Despite data security regulations existing in various regions (before v2e.g., [[Wikipedia:General_Data_Protection_Regulation|GDPR]] in the "EU", [[Wikipedia:California_Consumer_Privacy_Act|CCPA]] in "California", and [[Wikipedia:Cybersecurity_Law_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China|Cybersecurity Law]] in "PRC"), concerns regarding government surveillance in certain countries like the "PRC" remain significant. Therefore, we recommend exercising caution when relying on closed-source software developed within such jurisdictions. Make sure to check if there are pre-installed '''extra''' apps comes with these emulators and disable or uninstall them (e.g. BlueStacks X, BlueStacks Services etc.5) , monitor your internet traffic and processor activity to detect any abnormal activity and block domains accordingly if the need arises or use tools like 'simplewall'. Also avoid giving sensitive account data as much as is possible due to potential security reasons. Besides basic safety, these precautions often make impacted emulators run faster and more responsive when the adware services and apps are turned off.</ VirtualBox ref>|-|MuMu|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS}}|[https://mumu.163.com/global/download/en/index.html 1.1.0.2]<br /><small>[https://mumu.163.com 1.1.0.5 (after v2.53.17) (Chinese Ver)]</small>|High?|?|?|{{✗}} ||{{✓}}||{{✗}}<ref group=N2 name=Bloatware></ref>
|-
|MEmuLDPlayer
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://wwwen.memuplayldplayer.comnet/ 74.0.850.3]|?|?|?|{{✗}} ||{{✓}}|VirtualBox|High|{{}}<ref group=N2 name=Bloatware></ref>
|-
|LDPlayerNoxPlayer
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[httphttps://enwww.ldplayerbignox.net/ 3com 7.0.2.797]|?|?|?|{{✗}} ||{{✓}}|VirtualBox|High|{{}}<ref group=N2 name=Bloatware></ref>
|-
|Nox App PlayerMEmu
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[https://www.bignoxmemuplay.com/ {{MEmuVer}}]|?|?|?|{{✗}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}<ref group=N2 name=Bloatware></ref>|}</div><references group=N2 /> ===Comparisons===;Genymotion:A closed-source Android emulator with lots of [[#Hardware_features|hardware features]], available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's not designed for gaming, but [https://support.genymotion.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003059737-Can-I-play-games-with-Genymotion it has decent software compatibility]. It's a commercial product though, aimed at software developers and QA teams and you'll need to create an account and download the free non-commercial use license. Except for the pay-to-remove "free for personal use" watermark on the screen, paid builds add features only useful for Android app developers. Unlike other closed-source emulators, Genymotion avoids pre-installing unnecessary apps. ;Google Play Games:Not to be confused with the [[Preservation_projects#Private_Platform_Servers|service of the same name]], Google Play Games is a PC application that lets you browse, download, and play '''select mobile games''' on a Windows desktop or laptop. Use developer build if you want more [[#Hardware_features|hardware feature]] support. Google Play Games is not yet available for Mac. Currently, only bunch of games are available for beta version but Google adding games on a regular basis.<ref>[https://play.google.com/googleplaygames#section-faqs Google Play Games FAQ]</ref>[[File:Android Studio built-in emulator device skin demonstration.jpeg|thumb|298px|Android Studio built-in emulator device skin demonstration, see [[#Enhancements]]]] ;Trinity:Open source Android emulator, it aims for high [https://youtu.be/tfq4MsxaHZw?t=855 performance] and it's even faster than Google Play Games emulator. See [https://github.com/TrinityEmulator/TrinityEmulator#2-detailed-instructions Guest OS image installation guide] for installation. Also see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfq4MsxaHZw OSDI '22 - Trinity: High-Performance Mobile Emulation through Graphics Projection] presentation for more information. ;Android Studio:Android Studio is an IDE software based on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA. It has built-in Android emulator with [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/managing-avds AVD (Android Virtual Device) configuration manager]. While its built-in emulator (which is literally called as [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator "Android Emulator"]) may not be the fastest or software compatible (supports lots of OS image though), Android Studio shines as a developer's toolkit, offering seamless integration with coding, debugging, and testing tools for Android smartphones, [[Smart_TV_emulators#Android_TV.2FGoogle_TV|Android TVs]], [https://developer.android.com/wear Wear OS] and other Android ecosystem hardware. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1TTzkToDyE Recent updates brings new UI] aims to reduce complexity, provide easier access to essential features etc. It has built-in plugin manager which you can get Genymotion plugin for further enhance its emulation capabilities. Also you can use [https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/pg-emulator#debug adb to debugging with developer version of "Google Play Games" emulator]. Supports lots of [[#Hardware features]] and [[#Enhancements]]. See release notes for [https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/emulator built-in "Android Emulator"] and [https://androidstudio.googleblog.com/ Android Studio] for more information. ;BlueStacks:A commercial software with a decent compatibility and performance. It has lots of [[#Enhancements|enhancement]] and [[#Hardware_features|hardware feature]] support. Newer versions bundled with "BlueStacks X" software and "BlueStacks services" which you can uninstall it afterwards, and you need to uninstall these during each update session unfortunately (BlueStacks Player do not need these apps). It includes Google Apps by default. ;MuMu Player:Another closed-source Android emulator. There are three versions of MuMu available:;MuMu Player 6::This version of MuMu uses Android 6.50 Marshmallow:;MuMu Player X::This one is based on Android 12 Snow Cone and may have more compatibility with games:;MuMu Nebula::This version runs Android 7.0Nougat and is more suitable for low-end computers ;MEmu:Another closed-source Android emulator and also with good compatibility. ;LDPlayer:Another closed-source Android emulator and also with good compatibility. When testing games alongside Nox, LDPlayer shows better performance/compatibility with games. ==Hardware features==''These are Android operating system features. This list only includes hardware features that can be possible to emulated through software or will be possible in the near future. Including everything would result in an endless list.''<div style="overflow-x:auto;width:100%">{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;width:100%"|- style="font-weight:bold;"! colspan=2 | Name! Genymotion[https://docs.genymotion.com/desktop/04_Emulating_sensors_and_features/]! Bluestacks! Google Play Games! Trinity! WSA! Android Studio! [[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|BlissOS]]! [[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|Android-x86]]|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:Android_(operating_system)#Home_screen|Home screen]]<br/><small>This shouldn't be confused with emulator frontend/GUI.</small>| {{✓}}| {{✗}}| {{?}}<ref group=N4>[https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/pg-emulator#navigation Exclusive to developer builds] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/GalaxyTab/comments/mt5ekb/in_android_12_google_is_all_about_tablets_again/ it's looking similar to Android 12 tablet home menu launcher] ([https://youtu.be/2KEaPQpfzkQ?t=408 Demonstration]). It's unclear whether this app directly emulates the native home screen or provides an alternative UI/UX with limited features.</ref>| {{✓}}| {{✗}}| {{✓}}| {{✓}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/touch-and-input/game-controllers Game controllers]| {{✓}}| {{✓}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405061625485 *]| {{✓}}[https://blog.google/products/google-play/google-play-games-beta-october-2023-update/ *]| {{N}}[https://github.com/TrinityEmulator/TrinityEmulator/issues/3*]| {{✓}}[https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/android/wsa/release-notes#build-22084000040 *]| {{?}}| {{✓}}[https://tested.blissos.org/hardware/inputs/gamepad/ *]| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/touch-and-input/keyboard-input Keyboard input]| {{?}}| {{✓}}| {{✓}}[https://youtu.be/2KEaPQpfzkQ?t=153 *]| {{✓}}| {{?}}| {{✓}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/input-mouse Mouse input]| {{✓}}| {{✓}}|{{✓}}[https://youtu.be/2KEaPQpfzkQ?t=153 *]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-|VirtualBoxcolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/jetpack/compose/touch-input/pointer-input/multi-touch Multi-touch]|High{{✓}}[https://docs.genymotion.com/desktop/03_Virtual_devices/#touchscreen]|{{✓}}[https://www.bluestacks.com/multi-touch.html][https://www.bluestacks.com/blog/bluestacks-exclusives/bluestacks-multi-touch-support-en.html]| {{?}}[https://support.google.com/googleplay/thread/249633800/lack-of-multi-touch-support-on-play-games-beta?hl=en]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/media/camera/camerax Camera]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{Y}}| {{?}}| {{?}}
|-
|MuMu App Playercolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/usb USB and USB passthrough]|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS}}|{{N}}[https://mumuold.163reddit.com/globalr/BlueStacks/comments/z54s8p/downloadusb_devices_in_bluestacks/eniy2gtgb/index.html 1.1.0.2*]|{{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|VirtualBox{{Y}}|High{{?}}|{{?}}
|-
|Peak App Playercolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/notifications Notifications]|align=left{{✓}}|{{Icon|Windows}}|{{~}}[https://wwwdeveloper.peakplayerandroid.netcom/games/playgames/ 1faq#q_can_we_use_push_notifications_for_google_play_games *]| {{✓}}| {{✓}}[https://learn.2microsoft.5com/en-us/windows/android/wsa/release-notes#build-220440000190 *]|{{✓}}|VirtualBox|High{{✓}}|{{✓}}
|-
|tiantian app playercolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-install-add-files Sideloading/Installing]|align{{?}}| {{✓}}<ref group=leftN4>If you're using latest version of BlueStacks you'll need to install a file manager to copy game cache when loading your own .apk files, or simply use .xapk containers.</ref>|{{Icon|Windows~}}<ref group=N4>Exclusive to developer builds, [https://youtu.be/2KEaPQpfzkQ?t=280 Demonstration]. For using sideloading in the developer builds you need to use adb install "AppName.apk" command in the Command Prompt.</ref>|{{✓}}<ref group=N4>[httphttps://www.ttmnqgithub.com/enTrinityEmulator/TrinityEmulator/wiki/ 3Advanced-Usages#adb-connection Use adb to connect] then use adb install command.2</ref>| {{~}}[https://github.8com/Simizfo/WSATools#requisites *]|{{✓}}|VirtualBox|Mid{{✓}}|{{}}
|-
|Andyroidcolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/wifi/wifi-scan Wi-Fi]|align=left{{✓}}| {{✓}}|{{Icon✓}}|Windows{{✓}}|macOS{{✓}}|{{✓}}[https://andyroiddeveloper.android.netcom/ 0.47.226.1076.7studio/run/emulator-wifi *]|{{✓}}|VmWare|High|{{}}
|-
|Android x86colspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/reference/android/location/Location Location]|align=left{{?}}|{{Icon?}}|Windows{{?}}|Linux{{?}}|macOS{{?}}|{{✓}}[httphttps://wwwdeveloper.android.com/studio/run/emulator-x86.org 8.1extended-rc2controls *]|{{?}}|VirtualBox, VMWare (for 3d acc)|Mid|{{?}}
|-
|Android Studiocolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/bluetooth Bluetooth]|align=left{{?}}|{{IconN}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061235612-Bluetooth-support-on-BlueStacks-5 *]|Windows{{?}}|Linux{{?}}|{{N}}[https://developer.androidxdaforums.com/studiot/ 3looking-wsa-for-windows-11-where-bluetooth-also-works.54610551/post-88829045 *]| {{Y}}[https://stackoverflow.3com/questions/22604305/how-to-use-android-emulator-for-testing-bluetooth-application *]|{{✓}}|QEMU|Low[https://tested.blissos.org/hardware/connectivity/bluetooth/ *]|{{?}}
|-
|Anboxcolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/develop/sensors-and-location/sensors/sensors_motion Motion sensors]|align=left|{{Icon|Linux?}}|{{Y}}[https://anboxsupport.iobluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/ Git360058638032-Advanced-settings-for-key-controls-in-BlueStacks-5-#%E2%80%9C9%E2%80%9D *]|{{?}}| {{?}}|Not an {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator (wine-like approach)extended-controls *]|{{?}}|{{?}}
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!colspan| rowspan="7"2 | Connectivity| [[Preservation_projects#Private_Platform_Servers|Google Play Games]]<br/>[[Preservation_projects#Private_Platform_Servers|Google Play Services]]<br/><small>Achievements, Challenges, Leaderboards etc.</small>| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360059697231-How-to-log-in-to-Google-Play-Store-on-BlueStacks-5 *]| {{Y}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{✓}}| {{?}}|Consoles{{?}}[https://groups.google.com/g/android-x86/c/BGVX_bwpibA *]
|-
|LineageOS[[Wikipedia:Google_Cloud_Messaging|Google Cloud Messaging (GCM)]]|align=left{{?}}|{{Icon?}}|Switch{{?}}|[https://switchroot.org/ 15.1]{{?}}|{{?}}|based of the Nvidia Shield TV build of LineageOS{{?}}|{{?}}|{{?}}
|-
!colspan="7"9 |Abandoned/Discontinued[[Wikipedia:Android_version_history|OS version]]
|-
|LeapDroidcolspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:Android_version_history#Android_4.4_KitKat|align=leftKitKat]] (API 19)<br/><small>Supporting [[Wikipedia:Android_version_history#Android_4.4_KitKat|{{IconAndroid 4.4 (KitKat)]] is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|Windows}}preservation]] reasons.<br/> Older applications and games often rely on the "[[Wikipedia:Dalvik_(software)|Dalvik]]", which isn't present in newer versions and there could be '''[https://web.archive.org/web/20141215220606/http://www.leapdroidandroidruntime.com:80/list compatibility issues]'''.<br/>Android 5.0 (Lollipop)(API 21) introduced the "[[Wikipedia:Android_Runtime|Android RunTime]]" (ART), [[Wikipedia:Android_Runtime#History|replacing "Dalvik" entirely]].<br/>Having said that ART is mostly backwards compatible with Dalvik. See these sources for more information: [https://xdaforums.com/t/explained-art-runtime-in-android-4-4-kitkat.2622098/ 1], [https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-dalvik-and-art-in-android/ 2], [https://developer.8android.com/guide/practices/verifying-apps-art 3].0</small>| {{N}}<ref group=N4 name=GenymotionOSsupport>[https://support.genymotion.com/hc/en-us/articles/9511224511901-Which-Android-versions-are-available Genymotion: Which Android versions are available?], Since September 2022, Genymotion no longer provide Android 4.4 and below images, see[https://support.genymotion.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002708018-I-can-t-find-Android-4-4-and-below this page].</ref>| {{N}}<ref group=N4>You need to use [[Wikipedia:BlueStacks#BlueStacks_3|BlueStacks 3 version]](not 3N), because it is the latest version supports KitKat.</ref>| {{N}}| {{N}}|{{N}}|VirtualBox{{Y}}|High{{N}}<ref group=N4 name=BlissOSsupport>[https://blissos.org/index.html#download BlissOS OS support].</ref>|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=Androidx86OSsupport>KitKat and Nougat supported with [https://sourceforge.net/projects/android-x86/files/ Android-x86].</ref>
|-
|SmartGaGacolspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:Android_version_history#Android_7.1_Nougat|7.1 Nougat]] (API 25)<br/><small>New JIT Compiler, making for 75 percent faster app installations and a 50 percent reduction in compiled code size.<br/>JIT compiler with code profiling to ART, which lets it constantly improve the performance of Android apps as they run.<br/>Vulkan 3D rendering API support.</small>|align{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=leftGenymotionOSsupport></ref>|{{Icon|WindowsY}}|<ref group=N4 name=BluestacksOSsupport>[https://wwwsupport.smartgagabluestacks.com/ 1hc/en-us/articles/360058931031-How-to-utilize-the-different-Android-versions-available-on-BlueStacks-5#%E2%80%9C1%E2%80%9D Which Android versions are available on BlueStacks?].1.523]</ref>| {{N}}| {{N}}|{{N}}|VirtualBox{{Y}}|High{{N}}<ref group=N4 name=BlissOSsupport></ref>|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=Androidx86OSsupport></ref>
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|AMI DuOScolspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:Android_version_history#Android_12|Snow Cone]] (API 31)<br/><small>Android Runtime (ART) module added to the updatable core OS components via Google Play, added functionality to existing modules.</small>|align{{Y}}<ref group=leftN4 name=GenymotionOSsupport></ref>|{{IconN}}<ref group=N4 name=BluestacksOSsupport></ref>|Windows{{Y}}|[https://ami.com/en/tech{{N}}<abbr title="It uses android-blog/farewell-amiduos/ 2x86 9.0.8.8511]64bit">*</abbr>|{{N}}|VirtualBox{{Y}}|Mid{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=BlissOSsupport></ref>|{{N}}<ref group=N4 name=Androidx86OSsupport></ref>
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|ARC Welder<br /><small>(Google Chrome)</small>|align! colspan=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}10 |[https://developer.chromeandroid.com/appsndk/getstarted_arc 50.5021.602.0guides/abis Supported ABIs]|{{✓}}|Original|Mid|{{✗}}
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|Droid4X|aligncolspan=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS}}2 |[httphttps://droid4xweb.haimawanarchive.com 0org/web/20180507120451/https://developer.10android.7com/ndk/guides/abis#sa armeabi]|{{✓}}colspan=8 |VirtualBoxarmeabi and MIPS support deprecated in [[Compatibility layer|Highlibndk translation layer]] version r16 and [https://android.googlesource.com/platform/ndk/+/master/docs/Roadmap.md#ndk-r17 removed in r17].<br/>But [[Compatibility layer|{{✗}}libhoudini translation layer]] still supports it?
|-
|KoPlayercolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/abis#v7a armeabi-v7a]<br/><small>Supporting armeabi-v7a ABI is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons.<br/> Older applications and games often rely on the [[Wikipedia:ARM_architecture_family|ARM 32-bit (Cortex)]] architecture, which isn't used in newer hardware.</small>|align=left?|{{Icon|WindowsY}}|<ref group=N4 name=BlueStacksABI>[httphttps://wwwsupport.koplayerbluestacks.com 2.0.0/hc/en-us/articles/360058929011-What-is-Application-Binary-Interface-ABI-in-BlueStacks-5 What is Application Binary Interface (ABI) in BlueStacks 5 ]</ref>|{{✓}}?|VirtualBox?|High?|{{Y}}|?|?
|-
|XePlayercolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/abis#arm64-v8a arm64-v8a]|align=left?|{{Icon|WindowsY}}<ref group=N4 name=BlueStacksABI></ref>|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=GooglePlayGamesABI>[httphttps://xeplayerdeveloper.android.com/ 6games/playgames/start#playbility-architecture Google Play Games ABI Architecture support].0.10]</ref>|?|?|{{Y}}|VirtualBox|High?|{{✓}}?
|-
|Windroycolspan=2 | [https://developer.android.com/ndk/guides/abis#x86 x86]|align=left?|{{Icon|WindowsY}}|1.2<ref group=N4 name=BlueStacksABI></ref>|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=GooglePlayGamesABI></ref>|Original?|Low?|{{Y}}|?|?
|-
|Shashlik|aligncolspan=left|{{Icon|Linux}}2 |[httphttps://wwwdeveloper.shashlikandroid.io 0.9.3com/ndk/guides/abis#86-64 x86_64]|?|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=BlueStacksABI></ref>|{{Y}}<ref group=N4 name=GooglePlayGamesABI></ref>|Original{{Y}}|Low?|{{Y}}[https://developer.android.com/games/optimize/64-bit#64-bit-emulator *]|?|?
|-
|Project Astoria|align! colspan=left|{{Icon|WindowsMobile}}|Discontinued|{{✗}}|Original|Low10 |{{✗}}[https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/graphics/opengl/about-opengl Supported APIs]
|-
|Xamarin Android Player|aligncolspan=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS}}2 |[https://developerregistry.xamarinkhronos.comorg/releasesOpenGL/android/android-playerindex_es.php#specs11 OpenGL ES 1.x]<br/ 0><small>Supporting OpenGL ES 1.6x is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons.5]</small>|?|?|?|?|?|{{Y}}|VirtualBox?
|?
|{{✗}}
|-
|Windroyecolspan=2 | [https://registry.khronos.org/OpenGL/index_es.php#specs31 OpenGL ES 3.x]<br/><small>The OpenGL ES 3.x APIs is backwards-compatible with the 2.x APIs which is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons.</small>|?|?|align=left?|{{Icon|WindowsY}}[https://youtu.be/tfq4MsxaHZw?t=923 *]|2.9.0?|{{Y}}|VirtualBox|Mid?
|?
|-
|YouWave|aligncolspan=left|{{Icon|Windows}}2 |[https://youwaveregistry.khronos.org/vulkan/#apispecs Vulkan 1.3]<br/><small>See [https://developer.android.com/ 5ndk/guides/graphics/android-baseline-profile Android Baseline 2022 profile] and also see [https://source.11android.com/docs/core/graphics/implement-vulkan#versions Vulkan API versions for several Android releases].<br/>Vulkan releases are backward compatible with each other.|?|?|?|?|{{✓}}?|VirtualBox?|Mid?|{{✗}}?
|}
The VM column describes what backend technology the emulator uses. Emulators labeled with "VirtualBox" sometimes needs the user to install [https:</div><references group=N4/www.virtualbox.org/ Oracle VM VirtualBox]. Usually, it is installed automatically.>
==Enhancements=Comparisons=<div style="overflow-x:auto;width:100%">{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;width:100%"|- style="font-weight:bold;"! colspan=2 | Name! Genymotion! Bluestacks! Google Play Games! Trinity! WSA! Android Studio! [[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|BlissOS]]! [[Recommended_linux_distros#Emulation_focused|Android-x86]]|-|rowspan=6 | Post-Processing| [[Shader_Presets|Shader Chain]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[GenymotionShaders_and_filters|Filters]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{~}}<ref group=N3>Android Studio emulator [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/managing-avds#skins supports lots of device frame and custom skin] (similar to libretro overlay/bezels). You can get additional skins from various sources (e.g. [https:A closed//github.com/mingchen/android-emulator-source skins mingchen's Android Emulator Skins], [https://sourceforge.net/projects/android-emulator with hardware-accelerated 3D graphics skins/files/ CREAL's AVD skins]), also you can use buttons on these device frames.</ref>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]]<br/><small>([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])</small>| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| [[Wikipedia:Category:Anti-aliasing_algorithms|Post-rendering AA]]<br/><small>(FXAA, TXAA and MLAA/SMAA)</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Wikipedia:Comparison_gallery_of_image_scaling_algorithms|Post-rendering scaling]]<br/><small>(Sharp bilinear, Lanczos and USB host [[Wikipedia:GPUOpen#FidelityFX_Super_Resolution|FSR 1]])</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| rowspan=5 | [https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]| [[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://www.bluestacks.com/features/macros.html *]| {{?}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Rewind| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Fast-Forward/Turbo Speed| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Savestates| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| rowspan=10 | Quality of life| [[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs#PlayStation_1|Streamable compression format]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Per-Game Profiles| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055522292-How-to-use-the-Game-controls-menu-on-BlueStacks-5 *]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Command Line Options| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://old.reddit.com/r/BlueStacks/comments/163yg7p/command_line_options/ *]| {{?}}| {{Y}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| On-Screen Display<br/><small>Showcases messages, available controller input state which is useful for Windowsspeedrunners, performance data, macOSactive settings, and Linuxvarious notifications.</small>| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Built-in On-Screen Control<br/><small>Simulating touch input on display via keyboard or gamepad. This QoL enhancement is crucial for lots of touch input exclusive games.<br/>Also you can use third party apps such as [https://github.com/Shyri/TouchMapper TouchMapper] for this.</small>| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360058928871 *]| {{?}}| {{N}}| {{?}}[https://old.reddit.com/r/WSA/comments/z62m2v/how_do_i_remap_key_to_screen_presses_for_gaming/ *]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| [[Compatibility_layer|Built-in translation layer]]| {{✗}}<ref group=N3>You need to manually install libhoudini translation layer on guest system for Genymotion. See [[Compatibility layer]] page.</ref>| {{✓}}| {{✓}}[https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/start#playbility-architecture *]| {{✓}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{Y}}<ref group=N3>BlissOS supports out-of-package translation layer [https://blissos.org/ (See 'Bliss OS Variations->Native-bridge' section)]. Also see [https://docs.blissos. In its latest versions, it has pretty good org/knowledgebase/frequently-asked-questions/hardware-compatibility this page].</ref>| {{~}}<ref group=N3>libhoudini is not bundled with commercial games. ItAndroid-x86, there's a commercial product thoughscript under /system/bin named "enable_houdini" which tries to download it and install from two different urls. So, aimed at software developers and QA teamsif these sources are offline, manual installation is necessary. See [https://groups.google.com/g/android-x86/c/tXyfFZ7xeTw this page] for more information.</ref>|-| [[Hypervisors|Built-in VM]]| {{~}}<ref group=N3>Exclusive to "with VirtualBox" builds.</ref>| {{Y}}<br/><small>Multiple<ref group=N3>BlueStacks uses QEMU (before v2.5), VirtualBox (after v2.5). YouAlso as mentioned in "Before diving in" section, BlueStacks '''supports'''ll need to create an account Hyper-V if you are using BlueStacks v4 Hyper-V builds or v5.20+ versions.</ref>| {{Y}}<br/><small>Hyper-V</small>| {{Y}}<br/><small>[https://github.com/TrinityEmulator/TrinityEmulator#4-code-organization QEMU 5.0]<ref group=N3>Also supports Hyper-V and download the free nonobsolete HAXM for hardware acceleration.</ref>| {{Y}}<br/><small>Hyper-V</small>| {{Y}}<br/><small>[https://developer.android.com/studio/intro/update#recommended QEMU]<ref group=N3>Also supports [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-acceleration#vm-windows-aehd AEHD], [https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator-acceleration#choose-windows-commercial use license availablehypervisor WHPX for Windows] and [https://developer.android. Except com/studio/run/emulator-acceleration#vm-linux KVM for Linux] for payhardware acceleration.</ref></small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| File Sharing<br/><small>Similar to"Shared Folder" enhancement for [[Hypervisors#Type_2_hypervisors|Type-remove "free 2 hypervisors]].</small>| {{?}}| {{~}}<ref group=N3>Only for personal media type files, it supports [https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360055684992-How-to-use" watermark -the-Media-Manager-on -BlueStacks-5 media file sharing via Media Manager].</ref>| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Big Picture Mode| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{N}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Multiple instances and instance manager| {{?}}| {{Y}}[https://www.bluestacks.com/features/multi-instance.html 1][https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052834092-How-to-create-and-manage-instances-using-the screen-Multi-instance-Manager-on-BlueStacks-5 2]| {{N}}[https://youtu.be/2KEaPQpfzkQ?t=422 *]| {{N}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| rowspan=2 | Misc| [[Wikipedia:Variable_refresh_rate|Variable Refresh Rate compatible]]| {{?}}| {{N}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Debug features</br><small>adb support, paid builds [https://developer.android.com/agi AGI support], integration with IDE etc.</small>| {{?}}| {{~}}[https://support.bluestacks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053245871-How-to add features only useful for Android app developers-use-the-BlueStacks-5-Settings-menu#%E2%80%9C6%E2%80%9D *]| {{Y}}[https://developer.android.com/games/playgames/pg-emulator *]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{Y}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|}</div><references group=N3/>
Setting up the emulator itself is not too hard, but a bit of tinkering is required to add the Google Play store and [http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2528952 ARM processor emulation] (what you need essentially here to play the commercial releases) as well as [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/genymotion-users/JpO8HR39PR0/NpSkrnsB8d8J Xbox 360 controller support]. Not noob-friendly, but if you're experienced enough with Android to know your way around a rooted filesystem it shouldn't be too hard.=PlayStation Mobile=={{Main|PlayStation_Mobile}}
==Android consoles==Because it'''Note s possible to fork and create your own Android-based OS, many developers have used Android to power their own commercial consoles. However, as of November 25thmentioned before, 2019''': The above paragraph is outdated and ARM Emulation has been broken in Genymotion for just because it uses Android as a base does not mean they will all work correctly on a whilestandard Android emulator, so you can't use ARM apps unless you get a really old versionas they may require specific hardware setup, extra non-standard APIs or frameworks provided by the OS of the console, or extra authentication that relies on the services bundled with the console.
'''Note: [[Smart_TV_emulators|Smart TVs and smart TV boxes/digital media players/media boxes]] (e.g. ChromeCast with Google TV, Amazon Fire TV) are not consoles, despite some of them are able to run video games. The distinction is simple: If a device is not designed with gaming as its sole or main purpose, then it's not an Android console. Please do not add [[Home_Media_Player|Home media players]] or general Android devices that can play video games, such as [[Smart_TV_emulators|Smart TVs and smart TV boxes/digital media players/media boxes]] etc. to this section.'''<div style="overflow-x:auto;width:100%">{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"! scope="col"|Name! scope="col"|[[BlueStacksMAME]]support! scope="col"|ROMs! scope="col"|Description|-|Atlantis Land Kora|None|None||-|[https:Also commercial with //www.clementoni.com/it-en/16612-clemstation-60/ Clemstation 6.0]|None|None|Released in 2018 by Clementoni, the Clemstation is a free option (requires "multimedia educational console" only sold in Italy that appears to be on a google account)running custom version of Android. ItBecause it's less good than Genymotion still being sold, it's unknown how games will be made for it and doesn't handle USB cable emulationwhen it will be discontinued. Previous versions used Information on how many units have been sold so far has not been released to come the public. |-|Diyomate X18|None|None||-|flarePlay|None|None||-|Fuze Tomahawk F1|None|None|A Chinese console with Nvidia Tegra SoC, similar to Nvidia Shield. Has some heavy-hitting exclusive Android titles such as ''Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1'' and ''Dynasty Warriors 8'', but eventually flopped.|-|GPD Mars Gamebox|None|None||-|[[XD/XD+|GPD XD / XD+]]|None|None|A foldable handheld console manufactured by Gamepad Digital (GPD).|-|LeapFrog Epic|None|None||-|LC Smart Pandora TV Box|None|None||-|Lexibook LexiBox TV|None|None||-|Lexibook Playdroid|None|None||-|Mad Catz Mojo|None|None||-|MeLE X8|None|None||-|My Clem Box|None|None|Released in 2018 by Italian toy company Clementoni and sold exclusively in Italy, My Clem Box is an installer educational console with adware comes with junk apps within the emulator and has a nonWii-intuitive uninstallerlike motion controls. Because it's still being sold, but thatit's no longer unknown how games will be made for it and when it will be discontinued. Information on how many units have been sold so far has not been released to the case todaypublic. |-|[https://www.takaratomy.co. It includes Google Apps jp/products/zukanneopad NEO Consoles]|None|None|Released in 2017 by defaultTakara Tomy. The NEO Series are educational consoles only sold in Japan and appear to use a custom version of Android. Because it's still being sold, though youit'll need to install a file manager to copy game cache s unknown how games will be made for it and when loading your own it will be discontinued.apk filesInformation on how many units have been sold so far has not been released to the public.|-|Nvidia Shield TV;MEmu|None|None|A console/media box hybrid manufactured by Nvidia. Has a lot of heavy-hitting titles such as ''Metal Gear Rising:A free Android emulator with very good accuracyRevengeance'', ''Doom 3'', ''Half-Life 2'', sometimes outperforming BlueStacksetc.|-;LDPlayer|[[Ouya emulators|Ouya]]|None|[https:An //archive.org/details/ouyalibrary?&sort=-downloads&page=2 Yes]|A failed microconsole that started from a Kickstarter project. The controller sucks and the games can be found elsewhere. Since the Ouya runs on Android, emulation is technically possible by extracting menu/application APK files and running them in an Android emulator also or VM.|-|PlayJam GameStick|None|None|A tiny console the size of a USB thumb drive. |-|Razer Forge TV|None|None||-|Phoenix One|None|None|A console/desktop computer hybrid, equipped with good accuracyQualcomm 660 SoC, running PhoenixOS which is an Android distro designed for desktop computers. When testing games along side NoxHas a "computer mode" that enables multi-window multitasking and system-wide file manager integration, LDPlayer shows such as copying & pasting files.|-|Razer Forge TV|None|None||-|miniStation|None|None|A console designed by Tencent and manufactured by multiple manufacturers such as Lenovo and Skyworth. Designed to have better performance/compatibility with run cellphone gamesand simple emulators.|-|Snail Games OBox|None|None||-|Soomax Sensory (享动体感游戏机)|None|None||-|TCL T2|None|None||-|UIS Xtreamer Multi-Console|None|None||-|UTStarcom DanDan (蛋蛋)|None|None||-|ZTE FunBox|None|None||-|}</div>
;Droid4x
Has good accuracy but forcefully uninstalls VirtualBox, so it cannot co-exist with Genymotion and Xamarin. It's not recommended because it will install hidden background services (xunlei.exe, and Thunder.exe, both by the Chinese company which developed Droid4x) that seed Chinese torrents constantly and they are a pain to uninstall or deactivate (in case you've already fallen for it, use Revo Uninstaller).
;Andyroid==GM Android-based==:Not recommended because it will install a [https://www.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/8rq4fm/reminder_that_andyroid_mines_cryptocurrency/ cryptocurrency miner] on your system without asking or informing about this to the user. Just like Genymotion, Andyroid uses VirtualBox, but Some General Motors cars are equipped with a twist: if it detects an installed VirtualBox during installation, '''it will delete it''' and will refuse to workin-car entertainment system running on Android. Beware!
;DuOS:Not to be confused with a [httphttps://ds-duosdeveloper.blogspotgm.com/ similarlyapp-named Nintendo DS emulator] by Roor, is a relative newcomer to the Android emulation market, made by American Megatrends i.e. the very same people behind the BIOS/UEFI firmware your PC may be using. Emulation is modest at best, with games and apps such as [[DraStic]gallery App Gallery] struggling on lower-end hardware. And to top it all off, it isn't free either.
;==Emulation issues=====Google Chromeapps===:Can Android is open .apk files using -source, but the ARC Welder extensionGoogle Play Store has to be licensed from Google in order to incorporate it into a build, though their emulation on PC is average at best. Here's a [http://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iIbxaftAu_ho5rv9fUlXSLTzwU6MbKOldsWXyrYiyo8/edit#gid=0 compatibility list] including Play Services and a [https://www.reddit.com/r/chromeapks dedicated subreddit]. many other Google has announced [http://arstechnicaapps.com/gadgets/2016/05/That often means developers pay a fee that can trickle back to theuser in some form (either through adware, privacy-play-store-comes-invading trackers, or by selling the emulator as a commercial product). Custom ROMs for real Android devices on Android 4 and earlier used to-chrome-os-but-not-bundle the-way-we-were-expecting/ Google Play Store for Chrome OS], but it works on this changed with newer versions. The new method is to install a different custom ROM and then install "containerGApps" technology that is embedded in the Chrome OS. In addition, Google will through another service like [httphttps://blog.chromiumopengapps.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html discontinue Google Chrome apps on PCthe Open GApps Project], so any major updates to ARC Welder for PC is unlikely.
;Windroy===Architectural differences===:(Without the 'e' suffix) is Many games often optimize and compile specifically for ARM processors, which prevents them from being executable on x86 CPUs, even when using a fast project like Android emulator that does not rely on VirtualBox or any similar technology-x86. It isn't accurate though. While Google Play store can be installed with some tinkeringSome emulators, like BlueStacks, have ARM translation layer by default; in others, like Genymotion, not many games can be installed (due it is possible to not faking device names) install an ARM translation layer manually. See [[#Hardware features]] supported ABI section and will spawn multiple harmless[[#Enhancements]] built-yet-annoying app_process.exe crashes. The official site is down since July 2016, so any updates are unlikelyin translation layer section for more information.
;Windroye===Conflict===:(With Many emulators like to uninstall each other for some reason. Droid4x, Andyroid, Genymotion, and Xamarin cannot co-exist on the 'e' suffix) uses VirtualBoxsame machine without modifying their installers, which can be a problem if one game works on only one of these emulators but still offers better performance than BlueStacksother games do not. The Play Store is installed by default and has no stability issues found Also keep in Windroy. mind that you should turn off Hyper-V windows feature if [[Hypervisors|Type-2 hypervisor]] used for emulator backend due to [[https://www.reddit.com/r/ClashOfClans/comments/31lklr/misc_windroye_for_pcfaster_than_bluestacks_262_mb/ A related Reddit topic can be found hereHypervisors#Hyper-V_feature_conflict_issue|conflict issue]], although some emulators like BlueStacks provide special Hyper-V build for this.]
;Android x86===Antitamper protection===:An open-source project In order to reduce cheating, many games refuse to run if they discover that aims to port the Android operating system to x86-based netbooksdevice has been rooted. Comes with Google Play and libhoudini (x86/ARM translation layer) installed. 3D acceleration works well both when installed directly on If the machine as a local OS and also on VMware. VMware Player 15 supports emulating OpenGL ES 3 on emulator comes rooted by default, it must be manually unrooted before the target and performance is quite good. VirtualBox 3d support is poor and probably won't work. Android x86 is continually being improved and game can be tried fairly painlessly through VMwareplayed. Genymotion The rooting method for modern devices is (or at least used to be) a closed-source fork Magisk, which installs itself in the bootloader instead of Android x86the system partition, designed exclusively which makes it harder to be run on VirtualBoxdetect.
;Anbox:A project that aims Some games take more aggressive measures to run detect the presence of Custom ROMs (unofficial firmware) or Android applications emulators (like the ones listed on Ubuntu distributions. Currentlythis page) in a variety of ways, it is on alpha state and only known such as checking for the existence or absence of system files in order to work on Ubuntu 16.04prevent the game from running in any unverified environments. Anbox requires custom kernel modules These games are very difficult or plain impossible to run because unlike other play on emulators which emulate the whole Linux kernel, this one uses without resorting to cracked versions of the host system's Linux kernel directlygames.
;Shashlik===Android-based Operating Systems===There are many [[wikipedia:A project by KDE Fork_(software_development)|forks]] of Android; some of these go beyond a custom UI and are instead entirely new OSes that aims use the Android code in addition to run writing their own code, such as Amazon's Fire OS; in some cases these come as compatibility layers on top of an otherwise unrelated OS, such as Windows Subsystem for Android applications . Depending on Linux using KDE5 how much (and Qt5 technology. The project is infancy state what) new code, features, and only known to run APIs were added, will determine the effects they will have on latest Kubuntu versions. It currently lacks ARM processor Android emulationbut if one thing is for sure, so not many games will run. It is however known these forks are (most likely) going to play [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SC6c_ih_Ac Flappy Bird] and can show [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju_R8ftiIp4 Spotify's login screen]. It uses modified [[QEMU]] to emulate the Android operating system. Last major update was March 2016 and seems abandonedcause some emulation issues.
;Xamarin Android Player:A newcomer to the Android emulation market. Not much is known about this because it required a minimum of $25/month subscription of main Xamarin products. The main Xamarin products were [https://blog.xamarin.com/xamarin-for-all made available for free] after the purchase by Microsoft, but Xamarin Android Player was discontinued. ;Project Astoria:A Microsoft-developed Android emulator for Windows 10 Mobile included in several insider previews. It could run [https://www.reddit.com/r/windowsphone/comments/3gaoct/android_apps_that_work_on_win10_right_now/ a few applications], though apps required Google Play Services did not run or had issues. This project was reportedly [http://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-project-astoria-delayed discontinued] in November 2015 and [http://www.winbeta.org/news/microsoft-confirms-the-death-of-project-astoria-focusing-on-other-bridges-instead its cancellation was confirmed] on February 2016, so the emulator is not included in more recent versions of Windows 10 Mobile. ==General Emulation issues=====Lack of Release Notes and Update History information===While some emulators such as Genymotion do have version history on their website, most other emulators do not have such history pages, making it difficult to track updates as well as regressions. ===Emulator ConflictSpecific Issues===Many emulators, such as Droid4x, Andyroid, Genymotion, and Xamarin cannot co-exist on the same machine because they will uninstall each other. This can be a problem if one game runs only on one of these emulators but the other games do not work on it. ===Google-related Libraries===Likely due to licensing issues, most Android emulators do not come with Google-related applications and related libraries preinstalled (Google Play Store, Play Services, Play Games client, etc) and requires the user to manually install them. Many games verify the existence of Google-related components at the start and refuse to work if some or any of them are missing. ===ARM Applications===Most commercial games are developed and published only for devices with ARM CPUs such as most smartphones and tablets. However, the PCs we regularly use contain x86 CPUs, so these games cannot directly run. Some emulators like BlueStacks have ARM emulation by default, and in some others like Genymotion, it is possible to install ARM emulator manually. The ARM emulator requires Intel CPUs to work correctly and not guaranteed to work with all games. ===Games with root/Custom ROMs/Emulator Detection===Many commercial games refuse to run if the device is "rooted" (hacked to allow access to the deep portion of Android OS) in order to reduce cheating and pirating. If the emulator is rooted by default, it must be unrooted manually before the game can be played. Some games are very aggressive that they detect Custom ROMs (unofficial firmware) or Android emulators (like the ones listed in this page) by the variety of ways like checking the existence and absence of system files in order to prevent the game from running in any unauthorized environments. These games are very difficult or plain impossible to play on emulators without resorting to cracked versions of the games. Solutions exist, like using MagiskSU (bundled with the Magisk flashable zip) and hiding root on anything Google Play related or installed apps that check for it. ==Emulator Specific Issues=====BlueStacks===
* '''Can't root the device:'''
The package also includes Nova Explorer and Root Launcher. You may verify the rooting status with the "Root Checker" app from Google Play. Considering some apps check for Google Play services for online checks, you can also install "Modded Google Play Store", "[https://www.luckypatchers.com/ Lucky Patcher]" and "Magisk".
====Andyroid====
* '''Unable To Launch VM Process:'''
On the taskbar, right-click Andyroid's notification icon, and choose Settings, Advanced, Set Andy Protocol. Type "tcp" and confirm, then launch Andyroid.
====Android-x86====
* '''3D Support is broken on VMWare when using newer kernels:'''
Pass in a kernel option to grub when booting. Select the boot entry and then press 'e' to edit it, and then 'e' to edit again. Add the kernel option here. For example, to use a video resolution of 1920x1080, add 'video=1920x1080'. Press return to save the changes (for this boot session only), and 'b' to boot (the keys to edit and boot may be different depending on your grub version, there are usually instructions on the grub screen for the requisite keys)
====KMRE====
* '''Installing third-party apks'''
Installing third-party apks requires a dedicated installer <code>kmre-apk-installer</code>. It could be acquired by command <code>sudo apt update && sudo apt install kmre-apk-installer</code>.
 
Notice that KMRE is still not designed with third-party apps in mind. Installing third-party apps may result in abnormal behaviors of KMRE such as unable to start & stop itself on demand due to clogged-up background processes of third-party apps.
 
Installing apks inside KMRE is specifically filtered out unless the application running is upgrading itself.
 
* '''Receiving a notice that the mobile environment is not running while trying to install third-party apps'''
Go to app store - mobile apps to trigger the startup process of KMRE. You can see a startup notice in the bottom right corner on the desktop while it's starting up.
 
* '''Accessing Android system settings'''
Execute command <code>startapp com.android.settings</code> in the terminal. Notice that changing system settings is very likely to break KMRE.
* '''Accessing files of Android'''
Files in <code>/storage/emulated/0</code> are mapped to <code>/var/lib/kmre/data/kmre-1000-${LOGNAME}</code>.
 
'''Notice that this path contains a hard link to <code>/home</code>. KMRE will filter out file deletion, but not creation and modification. Improper file management in Android could result in data loss in host machine.'''
 
As KMRE is not really an emulator/hypervisor, the <code>/</code> and other paths such as <code>/sys</code> on Android doesn't have mappings, but some paths are mapped to <code>/var/lib/kmre/kmre-1000-${LOGNAME}</code>.
==See also==
*[[Cellphone emulators]] - info Information on emulators for various feature phone/non-smartphone platforms.*[[Emulators on Android]] - Various emulators on Android OS ==External links==*[[Wikipedia:Comparison_of_mobile_operating_systems|Comparison of mobile operating systems]]*[[Wikipedia:Android_version_history|Android version history]], [https://wwwdeveloper.luckypatchersandroid.com/ topic/performance/baselineprofiles/overview Android Baseline profiles]*[https://wwwdeveloper.luckypatchersandroid.com/Android Developer] *[https://xdaforums.com/t/list-of-devices-armv7-armv6- Lucky Patcher APK's latest 8armv5.61596800/ XDAForums - List of devices: ARMv7, ARMv6, ARMv5]*[[Wikipedia:Comparison_of_high-definition_smartphone_displays#720p_by_1280_.28HD_ready.3 version29|Early Android devices with OLED and HD Ready display]] [[Category:Mobiles|*][[Category:ConsolesAndroid-based|*]][[Category:Android emulators|*]][[Category:Operating systems|*]][[Category:Mobile Operating Systems|*]][[Category:Various Emulation]]---- {{NEL}}==Notes==<references group=N />
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