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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Installing apk Files Offline on Android Devices


The DROIDS nowadays happens to be the most happening device. The rate at which the number of applications that is increasing in the Android market speaks for itself. But there are people who don’t go for an Internet connection and thus cannot enjoy these applications, which takes your DROID to a different level. Don’t worry; there is a work around here to install these applications offline. In this post I will discuss how to install .apk (Android Application installation file) files in your DROID offline. I dont take any responsibility if you brick your phone in the process.

There are two cases:

CASE 1: If you already have a file manager then the task is very simple.




Maneuver to Settings->Applications and check the unknown source. This basically will allow you to install applications offline from 3rd party websites (mind you these applications are not authorized by Google, so there is no guarantee of its behavior). Then browse from your file manager to the specified folder and long press the .apk file. Voila your application is installed. A file manager is something like an explorer in windows, which allows you to browse through your files/folders in the SD card.

CASE 2:You have just now brought a brand new DROID and it doesn’t have a file manager.

In this method we will be using the Android SDK (Software Development Kit) to install files in your DROID. Follow the steps below one by one:

Note: Do not connect your phone to the PC unless it is specified in the following steps.

Step 1:

Download the Android SDK and install it in your PC. You can follow this link, which clearly explains all the steps including the download link of the SDK. You may however need to follow just the first 3 steps provided in the link.

Step 2:

Next you have to install the drivers of your Phone in the PC. Most of the manufacturers provide a CD with applications along with the Phone, which contains the drivers for the phones. Follow the instructions provided in the CD and install the drivers.

Step 3:




Now in your Phone (DROID), traverse to Settings->Applications->Development and enable (check) the USB debugging options. Once done, connect your phone via USB to the PC. If all the drivers were successfully installed then your device should be identified as a Android USB Composite device.

Step 4:

Open a Command prompt. Just issue the following command in the prompt:


adb install path/application


Where path is the path where your application is stored in the PC and application is the name of the application. Note: there is a space after adb and install. Issuing this command should start the installation procedure. And if all went successful you will get a message stating the application was successfully installed to your DROID.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can you Plz review HTC TATTOO?

Anonymous said...

Very helpful.
Thank you so much.

remolon said...

Thank you Anonymous :)

Anonymous said...

it worked!

maybe useful to know that you have to change directory to the android SDK before to run adb install:

cd c:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools

adb install

SFNPRD said...

my device (Samsung galaxy Spica GT i5700) wasn't identified as "Android USB Composite device" but as "Samsung USB Composite device" so the adb install command returns with this error '' error: device Not found '' what shall i do ?? thanks so much for the post $$

remolon said...

@LFRANET: Make sure that USB debugging is enabled in your device!That should be the cause to this!
If the problem still persists try re-installing SPica's drivers by installing NPS or KIES! That should solve.

kaB said...

pls help..
after i enter the command, it will say "adb is not recognized as an internal or external command"
or
"windows cannot find adb....."

what do i do?

The Tech Enrepot said...

@kAB:

You either:
1)go to the specific directory where the adb.exe exist by typing in the command "cd " where Path is the path where your adb is located within the sdk folder i.e ..\android-sdk\tools to be precise.

or
2)register the sdk path to the environment variable. ie copy your sdk tools path, for example c:\android-sdk\tools(assuming my sdk folder is within C drive);
===>Right click My Computer
===>Select Properties->Advanced TAB->Environment variables
===>Select Path from "System Variables"
==> click edit
==>Go to the end of the line, add a semicolon followed by your path.

You may enter both sdk path and the tools path followed by semicolon.
Close the terminal and open a new one hit adb and thats it!!!!!

elliee said...

when i go to http://code.google.com/android/download.html
,different package was shown..as well as the size..

instead of android-sdk-windows-1.0_r1.zip with 94040470 bytes (which was on the example on the link on step 1).. it was

android-sdk_r10-windows.zip with only 32832260 bytes

kaB said...

thank you^^

The Tech Enrepot said...

@ ELLIE

The link i posted is of older revision. The one that you had seen is a newer one,just go ahead with the steps. Its just enough if you download the sdk, then register the sdk path as said in the comments section and then adb should work!!!

@KAB

You are welcome :)

Anonymous said...

Hey! I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy Fit GT- S5670. I've managed to download some apps but they didn't install automatically like I expected. Everyone I open market and try again to install those apps, it just takes ages to load till I get tired of it. So how AM I supposed to install them? Thanks in advance!!