Google's Play Protect security system will scan any apps you sideload, but the sites you download them from should thoroughly vet all APKs and have a history of security and reliability, too.ĪPKMirror is probably the best Android APK download site. Thus, if you're downloading APKs from outside the Play Store, you need to ensure that the site you use is reliable. A person with malicious intentions could modify the APK before you install it, then use it as a digital Trojan horse to install and run malware. When you download an app from Google Play, you're downloading and running an APK file in the background, but you have no access to the APK itself.īecause the APK files install apps on your system, they can pose a serious security threat. Short for Android Package Kit, it's the primary way Android apps are distributed and installed. The Importance of Choosing a Safe APK SiteĪPK is the Android file format. Some are better than others, so keep reading if you want to discover the best sites for downloading APKs safely.

Several sites specialize in offering APK files for download.

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