Greetings, dear lovers of tablet computers. In today's article, I made a selection of the best, in my opinion, emulators of the Android operating system for Windows. Also, based on all the material received, I will try to highlight the best Android emulator.

The Android app store has several hundred thousand different software products, both paid and free. Such an abundance of applications makes this operating system, along with iOS, one of the most popular and sought-after mobile operating systems in the world.

It is quite logical that with such, I'm not afraid of the word, huge popularity, various emulators appear on the PC, allowing you to open applications developed for Android on a regular platform. Below you can find a list of the brightest and highest quality emulators for Android.

Genymotion

This emulator is perfect for testing your applications created for the Android operating system, all this is available thanks to the built-in OpenGL hardware acceleration. In the past, this project (emulator) was called Android VM, gradually it grew into a full-fledged, and in my opinion, one of the highest quality products of this kind available.

The Genymotoin software tool is a multi-platform emulator, which means that it is available for most operating systems, such as: Windows, MacOS, Linux.

Of the large number of advantages and capabilities of this software tool, I would like to note the following:

• Quite an impressive base of supported, for emulation, devices. At the same time, the database is constantly updated, which, of course, cannot but rejoice;
• Allows you to emulate a connection over a Wi-Fi network;
• Emulation of the rear and front video cameras on the device;
• Ability to create screencasts.

This, of course, is not a complete list of all the advantages of this tool. I specifically did not touch on some of the possibilities. they are unlikely to be understood by the average PC user.

Despite all the features and advantages of this emulator, of course, there are also disadvantages, where without them.

• Applications created with Adobe Air Mobile are not supported by this emulator.

If you do not know which tool to choose, then I recommend starting your search with this emulator.

Windroy

Emulator website - socketeq.com

The emulator is a creation of Chinese developers. Of course, this program does not reach the level of the previous one, but it can still be used as an alternative tool. There were no special features or benefits.

I would like to note the speed of this emulator, it is really somewhat higher than the speed of other tools. But, coupled with the number of “brakes” and “glitches”, this seemingly tangible plus fades. Perhaps by the time you are reading this article, the developers have eliminated the most obvious flaws and bugs. Suitable for Windows XP, 7, 8.

BlueStacks

Not quite an emulator, in the usual sense of the word. This product is rather an environment for running Android games on a personal computer running the Windows operating system. If you are looking for an emulator only for running games, then you will not find a better tool than this one.

Of the advantages that this emulator has, I would like to note a pretty good application speed.

YouWave for Android

A small, simple program to emulate the Android operating system. If you compare it with other representatives of XP, 7,8) from this list, then YouWave is one of the most used tools. All the same, simplicity and an intuitive interface are the two most important qualities of a good emulator.

In fact, this tool is not an emulator - it is rather an Android application development environment that includes, which is completely understandable and natural, tools for testing and debugging created applications.

If you need an emulator for more complex purposes than “testing a toy”, then you can choose this tool. Available for most operating systems, including PC Windows (XP, 7.8).

If none failed to run

If you were unable to run any emulator, then you can use these. Because I haven't tested them myself so I can't say anything about them. Perhaps they will work fine for you:

Andy - a new emulator, according to some users, currently works without additional dances with a tambourine. I will test.

Nox APP Player is a good option.

IMPORTANT: If you have chosen the right option for yourself, then save time for the rest - vote for the working tool.

The MEmu emulator (MEMU) of the Android operating system has become the most popular program of recent times. With the help of MEmu, you can open applications designed for gadgets on personal computers, phones, laptops, and tablets, while the performance of the emulating device in games will be several times higher than previous samples of flagship tablets and smartphones. Actually, then you can download the Android emulator in Russian for free on a PC WIndows 7, 8, 10 and install the application.

MEmu software was created on the basis of Windows and is intended for various computers. At the moment, the number of users of this application is increasing, and therefore its popularity is growing, because of which the engineers faced the task of translating the software into all the most used languages ​​of the world, including Russian.

To install the utility, you need the smallest system requirements. The program goes to any version of the operating system, starting with XP3, but the speed of work is directly proportional to the performance of your PC. It will run faster with a processor that supports virtualization. You also need at least 1 GB of RAM and at least 2 GB of free disk space.

Functional abilities of MEmu have a fairly wide spread:

• the desktop of this program is absolutely identical to that on your device;
• simple accessible setting and the ability to bind keys to a keyboard or joystick;
• the function of recording video from the MEmu screen is available;
• free access to watch TV channels;
• mode change function;
• the application has built-in macros;
• GPS simulation, and in the new update, it became possible to change the GPS speed using the keyboard and detect the coordinates of the IP address, for this you only need to download the GPS adapter;
• the ability to simultaneously clone multiple Android OS.

From this it follows that the emulator will simulate the Android OS on a personal computer. Typically, this feature is needed when trying out various programs, but this application also allows you to play your favorite games and run programs that do not open in Windows.

By default, the Android operating system is designed to be used on devices with an ARM architecture processor. The x86 computer processor from AMD or Intel simply will not understand the commands coming from the mobile operating system. Therefore, a special version of Android is installed on the PC. Or an emulator is used, as is the case with running games for very old consoles. But which one to choose? Our top Android emulators will help answer this question.

It should be noted that many of the developers' creations are tailored for use on Windows 10. Older versions may experience freezes and other problems. Although there are exceptions.

Without any doubt, this is the best emulator among those that have been developed relatively recently. It has not yet turned into a monster overloaded with functionality, while all the features that an ordinary user needs are present here. The program should also suit an application developer who needs to test their products.

An important feature is the fact that there is a built-in Play Store here. Also, this Android emulator on Windows impresses with its performance. Even when running heavy games, FPS drops are almost not felt. Another program is able to please the fact that it can be remotely controlled using a smartphone. She recognizes and connected.

To use the emulator, AMD-V or Intel VT-x virtualization technology must be enabled. Without it, the program will function noticeably slower. It should also be noted that the emulator is not yet fully optimized and tested, and therefore random slowdowns may occur from time to time.

Advantages:

• Able to work even without the inclusion of virtualization technology.
• Excellent performance.
• Clear interface.
• Support for remote control.
• The ability to use a gamepad.
• 99% of existing applications and games work.

Flaws:

• Sometimes there is instability.

We talked about installing this program in more detail in an article called. This utility is primarily intended for application developers who need to test their creations on devices with different screen resolutions. offers a huge number of virtual gadgets equipped not only with a different display, but also with a different version of the Android operating system.

You can download this emulator for free. But if you are going to use it for non-educational purposes, you will have to use one or another subscription, which costs some money. Importantly, the program is designed for weak PCs, as long as the computer supports virtualization technology. At the same time, Genymotion consistently copes with its tasks, emulating not only the operating system, but also the operation of the front cameras, as well as interaction with wireless modules. In commercial assemblies, there is also a screencast and a remote control function.

Advantages:

• Huge selection of virtual devices.
• Virtually nothing needs to be configured.
• There are versions for Mac OS X and Linux.
• The work of the front and main cameras is emulated.
• Shared clipboard for virtual machine and PC.
• You have access to the computer's command line.
• After subscribing, screencast and remote control are provided.
• Even wireless modules are emulated.

Flaws:

• The need to register an account on the developer's website.
• Full use is possible only by subscription.

This Android emulator for a computer in Russian has one unpleasant feature. Its free version brings viruses to the PC from time to time. If you have a good antivirus, then you should not be afraid of this. And there is absolutely no need to worry if you are an application developer who wants to subscribe to a paid subscription, which costs about two dollars a month - it eliminates this shortcoming in no time.

In theory can be used on Windows 7. But it shows maximum performance on the "top ten", like many other programs reviewed today. As for the functionality of the emulator, it is very wide. The user can run 3D games, work in full screen mode, install an unlimited number of applications and perform other actions. Synchronization with an existing Android device is also available. BlueStacks comes with over a dozen pre-installed applications.

Advantages:

• Ability to run heavy games.
• There are pre-installed applications.
• Stable work.
• Synchronization with a real smartphone or tablet.
• Easy to learn interface.
• Inexpensive subscription.

Flaws:

• The free version suffers from downloading viruses.

nox

If you are considering Android emulators on PC only for the sake of games, then you should stop at nox. This program supports the largest number of inputs. You can work with this emulator using the keyboard, mouse, gamepad and other game controllers.

A unique feature of Nox is its support for multitasking. Right in the window of this emulator, you can run two games at once, thereby creating a multiplayer. Ideal for developers of multiplayer games!

The application has a clear interface. Users note that it functions equally stably on all modern versions of the Windows operating system.

Advantages:

• Stable work on most computers.
• The best option for games.
• Ability to run two identical games at the same time.
• The interface and setup are not difficult.

Flaws:

• Old version of android.

Xamarin Android Player

This is the simplest emulator of the Android operating system, distributed for free. Theoretically, application developers can try it. But such people will note the absence of any serious functionality, after which they will switch to more advanced analogues. Well, ordinary users of opportunities Xamarin Android Player will be quite enough.

This program works on all versions of Windows, starting with the "seven". But to install it, you need VirtualBox from Oracle (also distributed free of charge). Also do not forget to enable the appropriate technology in the BIOS settings.

Advantages:

• Very simple interface.
• All basic functions are in place.
• There are no installation problems.
• Compatible with different versions of Windows.
• Can be downloaded for free.

Flaws:

• There are no major features.
• No good multitasking.
• Tough games come with great difficulty.

Another fairly simple Android emulator for PC. It was created by Chinese developers, so you should not expect any serious opportunities from it. Moreover, the program regularly produces stutters, which will annoy some people. But can be installed even on Windows XP, which cannot be said about most of its competitors! Perhaps this is its main and only advantage. In addition, you can only remember the high speed of work - in those moments when sudden braking does not occur.

Advantages:

• Competent emulation of Android and most applications.
• Simplified installation.
• Complete free.
• Works even on older versions of Windows.
• Good performance.

Flaws:

• No gamepad support.
• Sudden brakes while working.
• No normal multitasking.

gameloop

Gameloop is an Android emulator from the Chinese company Tencent. The program is great for running mobile games such as Call of Duty: Mobile And PUBG Mobile. Optionally, you can install Google Play services on the emulator and use it to work with other Android applications.

First of all, Gameloop is suitable specifically for working with games, since it is convenient to configure control from the mouse and keyboard through it. Also in the settings you can specify the desired visualization parameters, change other configurations. However, compared to other emulators, Gameloop's capabilities are limited in this regard.

Advantages:

• There is access to Google Play services.
• Distributed for free.
• Great for running games.
• Clear interface.
• Customizable control.

Flaws:

• Not suitable for testing Android applications.
• Limited settings.

Summarizing

There are actually other Android emulators out there. But they often work even less stably, and therefore their installation is not recommended. Well, the developers of the programs we have reviewed deserve praise. Their creations function perfectly on most computers, while offering a fairly wide range of functionality.

It would seem, why emulate the Android mobile operating system on a computer if you are not a developer? There are many reasons for this, and one of them is a huge ecosystem of applications and games that are created specifically for Android, but are not present on Windows, Linux or OS X. What if you want to continue playing Clash of Clans on a computer or upload a high-quality photo to Instagram from PC? Of course, it is worth resorting to the help of emulators. The best of them are presented in this article.

Bluestacks - all in one

One of the most popular and fastest growing Android emulators for Windows and OS X. With update 2.0, the emulator has literally changed - a fresh, but sometimes overloaded interface has appeared, the developers have begun to position Bluestacks more as an opportunity to play Android games and have added several useful features for this.

Most programs and games are compatible with Bluestacks - this is what the developers themselves say, and in general, the software library for the emulator is quite extensive. It is worth noting that all games and applications are specially optimized in the Bluestacks internal catalog, that is, they will definitely work on a computer. If you install a third-party APK file, then, of course, its correct operation is not guaranteed. Some programs are completely built into the emulator and work almost like out of the box, for example, Instagram. All the features typical of an emulator are present: changing the screen orientation, shaking simulation, creating screenshots, GPS emulation, convenient work with files - dragging and dropping from Windows Explorer or Finder OS X into the program, copy / paste, and sound control.

You can easily switch between open applications and games using tabs, just like in a browser. Among other things, gamepads are supported for games. If Bluestacks has any drawbacks, then they probably only include poor performance and sometimes too cumbersome interface. You can download Bluestacks for Windows and OS X on the Treshbox or on the official website of the emulator.

Nox App Player - convenient and functional

It is a more minimalistic, convenient and functional solution. Compared to the same Bluestacks, Nox does not have any cumbersome menus with recommendations, various synchronizations with your own account, and other functionality that will be superfluous for most users. When you start Nox App Player, the user will see the familiar Android desktop with a sidebar where there are buttons for quick functions, as well as the usual "Home", "Back" and "Recent". The developers decided to remove the bottom bar with control buttons to save space.

One distinctive feature is immediately noticeable - when launching applications that only work in portrait orientation, the emulator screen and window are adjusted. That is, there will be no such situations as in Bluestacks, where portrait programs take up ¼ of the screen, and the rest is empty space. By the way, in the settings you can adjust the window size and orientation, as well as performance by allocating processor cores and memory.

Geeks in Nox App Player will appreciate the function of getting by switching one toggle switch in the settings. You can also set custom keyboard shortcuts here. Even without rooting, Nox App Player can record screen video. This could not even be mentioned if the emulator used a fresh version of Android (video recording is available from 5.0), but, unfortunately, the Nox developers are still stuck on 4.4.2 KitKat.

For games, Nox App Player is not suitable in the best way - in many the graphics are displayed incorrectly. The emulator is more focused on applications and working with them. For example, to create videos and beautiful screenshots without top and bottom bars. Also, the emulator is integrated with the Windows 10 notification system. You can download the Nox App Player emulator for Windows on the Treshbox and the official website of the project.

Genymotion - for developers

Genymotion is an emulator designed specifically for developers of Android games and apps, but it can also be used by ordinary people. Unlike the previous two emulators, Genymotion is available on all three popular desktop platforms - Windows, OS X and Linux.

Since Genymotion is an alternative emulator built into the Android SDK, templates for a wide variety of Android devices are available in it - from Nexus smartphones and tablets to some little-known state employees. The emulator of each device has a set of relevant characteristics: screen size and resolution, processor and video chip, battery, GPS and support for cellular networks, as well as some others. When launching an application or game in the emulator, it is possible to call a special panel to control all these device parameters. For example, you can find out how the program will behave when GPS or the Internet is turned off. Device parameters can also be freely edited.

For ordinary users who would like to play and use mobile applications on a computer, Genymotion is not very suitable, but for geeks it is quite. You can download the Genymotion emulator for Windows, Linux and OS X on the official website of the project.

MEMU - for games

It is another emulator focused mainly on mobile games. Here, they have a special key layout on the keyboard and even gamepad emulation. For example, for on-screen buttons, you can bind keys on the keyboard. Such functions are often lacking in the same Bluestacks, which is also positioned as a platform for mobile games for PC. Otherwise, MEmu is a standard emulator with a good set of features.

At the time of writing this article, MEmu does not use the latest version of Android - 4.4.2 KitKat, but Lollipop or even Marshmallow are not particularly needed in emulators, because most software is optimized specifically for KitKat. Among the interesting additional features of MEmu are: sending applications from a computer to a smartphone or tablet for quick installation, convenient screen orientation change, as well as a full-screen mode for games. The quality of the picture in the latter often leaves much to be desired, but still. Surprisingly, most of the "heavy" games in MEmu are emulated well - there are no problems with graphics.

Android is one of the most popular mobile platforms, running millions of smartphones and tablets around the world. Not surprisingly, hundreds of thousands of applications, both paid and free, have been developed for such a widespread system.

All these applications can be easily run on a regular computer. All that is needed for this is the installation file of the application and an Android emulator. Launching mobile applications can come in handy in different situations - to check their work in the development process or just to look before downloading to a phone or tablet.

There are many ways to run an Android application on a PC, but using an emulator is the easiest and 100% working method. You just need to decide which emulator you should use - after all, there are a lot of such programs today. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, which we will try to understand.

Consider eight free emulators, for each program there is a link to the official website of the developer:

Important Note: Emulators may require Intel VT-x or AMD-v virtualization, which runs in the BIOS, to work. Usually it is started by default, but if the programs do not work, it is worth checking this point.

Nox App Player

This emulator, according to many users, is the best option of all possible.

The program is compatible with all common versions of Windows - 7, 8.1 and 10. In addition, the emulator is very undemanding to computer resources and can work without brakes even on not very powerful laptops running a modern operating system.

After starting the program, it will take a couple of minutes to fully load. Then the user will see the standard Android screen - emulating system version 4.4.2 on a device with 30 GB of internal memory.

The system interface is no different from that on any mobile device - there are all the usual keys for control; among pre-installed programs you can find a standard browser and file manager.

Initially, the program is in English, but in the settings you can enable the Russian version of the interface.

In the emulator settings, you can adjust the display mode and performance. By default, the program has a screen resolution of 1280x720, but if this size of the workspace does not suit you, you can choose one of three other options, including Full HD mode.

You can also switch the screen orientation between tablet and phone. Depending on the resources of the computer, the performance mode is selected; a low level allows you to run the emulator on weak PCs. If necessary, you can manually allocate a certain amount of RAM and processor power to the program.

System management does not differ from that on any device - the physical keyboard of the computer is initially connected, but you can also use its standard on-screen version. Sound and webcam are also connected automatically, without any additional configuration. The Play Market is fully functional - after logging into your Google account, you can freely download and install any applications.

The functionality of the emulator extends the capabilities of the Android system. On the right side of the program window, you can see a series of icons with which you can perform the following actions:

• launching third-party .apk files from the computer's hard drive;
• simulation of any location that will be perceived by the system as a GPS-coordination;
• loading any files into the internal memory of the emulated device;
• taking screenshots;
• running multiple emulations at the same time.

In general, the emulator allows you to run almost any Android application on Windows without brakes - simple games, Instagram and others. The emulator is optimized almost perfectly, and nothing should hang. However, resource-intensive 3D games may not run if the machine's resources are insufficient.

Important: if the emulator does not work, check that the path to it is in English - there should not be Cyrillic in the names of files and folders.

You can download the best Android emulator Nox App Player from the official website: bignox.com.

BlueStacks is a Russian-language emulator that does not completely recreate the Android shell, but simply allows you to run applications designed for this platform. The program is aimed at games, and in them it shows better performance than its counterparts.

After launching the program, you will need to sign in to your Google account or create one. The emulator will then list the most popular games available for download.

The functionality is not limited to this - you can also launch third-party applications, either through the button in the emulator menu, or simply by dragging the file onto the program window.

If you have an Android mobile device, you can install the BlueStacks Cloud Connect program on it, which allows you to synchronize games between your smartphone or tablet and a Windows emulator.

You can download BlueStacks from the official website: bluestacks.com/en/

Koplayer is a free and very simple emulator that has only the most basic features to run Android games on a Windows computer.

Settings, interface and performance are almost the same as other emulators; you can also use .apk files downloaded not from the official store, and manual allocation of memory to applications is available.

A distinctive feature of this emulator is the ability to fine-tune the gaming keyboard. You can assign a variety of actions to the keys: pressing the screen and touchscreen gestures, simulating the operation of the accelerometer, and much more.

All settings can be made individual for each individual game.

You can download Koplayer from the official website.

Droid4x is an emulator that stands out from other similar programs with its quality of performance, pleasant interface and high speed. Refers to a group of emulators that completely imitate the shell of the Android system.

Droid4x is well optimized and generally tailored for running games - the ability to fine-tune the controls also helps with a convenient gameplay. So, you can bind individual points of the emulated screen to the keys on the physical keyboard of the computer.

The program's arsenal includes a fully functional Play Market, the ability to launch third-party applications from any folders in the Windows file system.

Like Nox App Player, the program can simulate any GPS coordinates. The program has an English-language interface, but the Android system can be configured to any convenient language.

The performance of the emulator in games is tied to the resources of the computer; thanks to good optimization, you can run heavy 3D games (such as Asphalt) on weak laptops and old desktop computers. Graphics and speed of work will differ slightly from this when you run the application on a modern mobile device.

You can download the Droid4x Android emulator from the developer portal.

One of the main features of the Genymotion emulator (formerly known as Android VM) is multiplatform, that is, it can be run on computers running not only Windows 7, 8.1 and 10, but also Linux with macOS.

In addition, the program has built-in hardware graphics acceleration. The emulator allows you to run the simulation of mobile devices on the Android platform of many versions, up to the latest - 6.0, and the base of available devices is constantly expanding.

It is worth noting that the functionality of the emulator is tailored not for ordinary users who want to run Android applications and games on a computer, but for software developers for mobile devices. The following advantages of Genymotion will help programmers:

• simulation of calls, SMS, battery consumption and other functions typical of smartphones and tablets;
  integration with many popular application development environments;
• Wi-Fi connection emulation;
• imitation of the work of both the rear and front cameras;
• the ability to create screencasts.

After registering on the official website, you will be offered several links to download the emulator. It is advisable to download the version with the built-in virtual machine so as not to run it separately; in addition, this option will automatically select the necessary settings.

After starting the program, you will need to create a new virtual device. To do this, you need to enter your registration data and select the appropriate device from the list of available ones. In addition to the Android version, you can choose the screen resolution, the number of cores, and allocate RAM manually. Then the emulator will download all the software components for the simulation from the site, after which the desktop will open, which is familiar to the user of mobile devices.

The main functions are available immediately and their additional parsing is not required. You can learn more about advanced features for the application developer in the help for the emulator; Please note that some of the functions are available only in the paid version of the program.

Important: so that the emulator does not give errors during operation, it should be run as an administrator.

You can download the Genymotion Android emulator from the official website:.

Chinese program available for Windows XP, 7 and 8.1. It differs from analogues by a significantly higher speed of work, which is achieved due to the fact that Windroy does not emulate Android in the literal sense of the word, but ports the main components of the system to a computer, during which all its resources go into work.

In addition to accelerated work, this also leads to a large number of bugs; however, the program is under development, so some of the errors will be corrected over time.

Unlike other emulators, you need to install Windroy in the root directory on your computer's hard drive.

You can download Windroy here:.

A very easy to understand and use program, which is one of the most used Android emulators among users.

Nothing special stands out, but it works quickly and has good compatibility with Windows of different versions. Suitable if none of the analogs starts.

This program is downloaded from the official website for Android application developers and is not an emulator, but rather a development environment. But applications can be run - this is important for checking and debugging programs written by a programmer.

In general, this is the official way to run Android applications on a personal computer, which can be difficult to master for an inexperienced user.

If none of the emulators starts, you can use other ways to run Android applications on your computer. For example, install a mobile system on a PC hard drive by creating a separate partition for this. It is also possible to launch Android from a flash drive or install the system in a virtual machine. If you are interested, write in the comments, we will tell you how to do it.

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