This step-by-step guide will show you how to install and run the Android operating system (and Android apps) on your Windows PC – using nothing but free software.
Background
Although you can run Android Apps in Windows 11, there are a slew of limitations, and the system requirements are significantly higher than they need to be. With the solution provided in this guide you can run Android on your computer whether it’s running Windows 11 or Windows 7, and you’ll have full access to the Google App Store and all of the other goodies that come with Android. Plus, Android will be running inside of a ‘virtual machine’ – which means it will never touch your Windows files or cause any problems with Windows itself. If you want to remove or reinstall Android at any point in time it’s as simple as clicking a “delete” button.
It’s also worth mentioning up front that this entire process will work on computers running macOS or Linux – the screenshots will just look a bit different. So technically yes, this guide could be called “How to run Android on Your Computer” :)
The installation and initial setup involves quite a few steps and can take upwards of 30 minutes (give or take). It may also seem like it’s a “bit much” but we really have broken it down into a step-by-step guide that absolutely anyone can follow along. After that, running Android is as easy as opening an app and clicking a button. So grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee (or water) and let’s jump in!
1. Configure VirtualBox for Android
2. Installing Android in VirtualBox
3. Setting Up Android
Configure VirtualBox for Android
- To get started you’ll need to download VirtualBox and the Android image file. When both files have finished downloading, locate the VirtualBox installer run it. Once VirtualBox has finished installing, open it up and click the New button.
- In the Name: field enter something descriptive like Android, leave the Machine Folder: as the default, select Other as the Type:, and finally, select Other/Unknown (64-bit) as the Version:. Click Next after you’ve made your selections.
- Use the ‘slider’ (see screenshot below) to set the Memory size to 2048 or higher. This means you’ll be allocating 2GB of RAM to Android. If you’re going to be playing games or doing other resource intensive things inside of Android, you may want to bump this up to 4096 (which is 4GB of RAM). Click the Next button to continue.
- Choose Create a virtual hard disk now and then click the Next button.
- Select VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) from the list of options and then click the Next button.
- Select Dynamically allocated and then click the Next button.
- This time use the ‘slider’ to set a hard disk size. I went for just over 16GB, but that’s on the small side. Also, the way this “virtual hard drive” works is that even if you set it to something large, it doesn’t actually allocate that much hard drive space right away – it increases in size as needed. So it won’t create a 128GB file (virtual hard drive) right away – 128GB is the maximum size it can grow to. Once you’ve made your selection, click the Create button.
- Back at the main VirtualBox screen you’ll see a new ‘machine’ listed in the column on the left side of the window. Select that machine and then click the Start button located in the top toolbar.
- Click the “folder” icon (see screenshot below) in the Select start-up disk panel.
- Click the Add button.
- Navigate to the Android image file that you downloaded back in step #1, select it and then click the Open button.
- With your Android image file highlighted, click the Choose button.
- This time on the Select start-up disk panel click the Start button.
- Before you boot your new Android virtual machine for the first time you’ll receive a notification from the VirtualBox app that explains how your mouse cursor will interact with the guest OS, which in this case is Android. Review this message carefully so you really understand it, but what it comes down to is that once you click inside of the guest operating system (Android), it will ‘take control’ of your keyboard and mouse – so that you can interact with it. But when you want to use Windows again, you have to hit a specific key on your keyboard first, and then the keyboard and ouse will be accessible in Windows again (but not Android, until you click inside of its window again). Click Capture to enter into Android.
Installing Android in VirtualBox
- Use the “down arrow” key on your keyboard to navigate down to the Installation – Install Android-x86 to harddisk and then hit the Enter key to select it.
- Tap the letter “c” on your keyboard to select Create/Modify partitions and then use the down arrow key to select OK
click to enlarge - Choose Yes when prompted to use GPT
click to enlarge - Press any key on your keyboard to continue.
click to enlarge - Now use the arrow keys to navigate to the New option, and then hit enter to select it.
click to enlarge - Hit the enter key on your keyboard to accept the default value.
click to enlarge - Hit the enter key on your keyboard to accept the default value, again.
click to enlarge - For a third and final time, hit the enter key on your keyboard to accept the default value.
click to enlarge - Use the arrow keys to navigate to the Write option and then hit the enter key to select it.
click to enlarge - Type out the word yes and then hit enter.
click to enlarge - Select Fat32 from the list of options, and then OK
click to enlarge - Select Yes
click to enlarge - Select Skip when prompted to install the GRUB loader.
click to enlarge - Choose No when you’re asked about making the /system directory read-write.
- The installer will now do its thing and begin installing Android.
click to enlarge - Choose Yes when prompted to create a disk image.
click to enlarge - Type in 2048 and then hit the Enter/return key on your keyboard.
click to enlarge - Finally, select Run Android-x86
click to enlarge
Setting Up Android On Your Computer
- At this point Android will boot up for the first time.
click to enlarge - The initial ‘Welcome’ will ask you to select your language/region (the default is English/United States). Click the START button after you’ve made your selection.
click to enlarge - The Connect to Wi-Fi screen may take a few minutes to update – just be patient. You don’t actually need to connect Android to a wireless network – it’s going to use the connection provided to it by Windows (or macOS/Linux if that’s what you’re using). When the See all Wi-Fi networks link appears, select it.
click to enlarge - Choose VirtWiFi
click to enlarge - Android will now check for updates. As indicated by the on-screen message, this can take a few minutes. Patience is key.
click to enlarge - Select DON’T COPY on the Copy apps & data screen.
click to enlarge - Enter your Google Account username or phone number in the space provided and then click the Next button.
click to enlarge - Now enter your Google Account password in the space provided and then – you guessed it – click the Next button.
click to enlarge - Click the I agree button after reading every word in the Google Terms of Service. /li>
click to enlarge - If you want to back up your Apps and App data to Google Drive, toggle the Back up to Google Drive switch to ON and then click the MORE button. If you don’t, leave that switch toggled OFF and then click the MORE button.
click to enlarge - Now decide if you want to Allow scanning and to Send usage and diagnostic data – make your selections based on personal preference and then click the ACCEPT button.
click to enlarge - Decide if you want to secure your instance of Android using a Pattern, PIN, Password or you can chooseNot now and set one later, if at all.
click to enlarge - On the Anything else screen just select the NO THANKS link in the bottom left corner of the panel. Each of those activities can be done later if you wish, once the setup is complete.
click to enlarge - Now you’ll need to select an app to use as when the Home button is selected.
click to enlarge - Ta-da! Android! From here you can start installing Apps via the Google Play Store (or your favourite other market), customize your Android environment, play games – whatever your little heart desires :)
click to enlarge - That’s it! You’re all done. When you want to use Android again in the future just start up VirtualBox, select Android and then click the Start button. You’ll boot right into your Android desktop and can pick up where you left off.
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