Discover how to download BlueStacks to install and run Android on your Windows desktop or laptop computer. Follow this step-by-step guide and learn how to create, in a few steps, a mobile environment on your desktop operating system.
Enjoy our infographic, screenshots, and video tutorial for a straightforward yet detailed installation guide on the most popular and performing Android emulator for Windows OS.
| Size: | 5 GB |
| Genre: | Android Emulator |
| OS: | 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 and above (BlueStacks 4 for macOS) |
| Last version: | 5 or X (10) |
| Users | 500 million gamers worldwide |
| Library | Over 2 Million apps |
| Processor | Intel or AMD |
| RAM | At least 4GB |
About BlueStacks Android Simulator
Android is an open-source mobile OS by Google. It’s the most used Operating System in the world for mobile devices.
Sometimes, you may wish to run your best Android apps on your Windows PC. There can be several reasons for that.
- You may want to multitask and run a mobile app without switching to your smartphone.
- Your Smartphone doesn’t support the Android apps you want to use.
- You have just a traditional phone or a different mobile OS-based Smartphone or tablet such as an iPhone or Windows phone (discontinued since 2017).
To run Android apps on your PC, you have five options.
1) Mirror your phone with Windows through Microsoft’s Your Phone app. This app allows you to connect Windows with your Android device. But this is not the ideal solution. In fact, it works best with Samsung devices. Furthermore, some features require specific requirements and versions of Windows and Android. And when you play games, you may experience some delay and graphic blurriness.
2) Emulate the full Android experience to explore the operating system instead of the apps. But it’s been designed for developers.
3) Run Android directly on your PC as a Desktop Operating System in place of Windows. But this solution requires more work, from your end, for the installation and configuration process.
4) Install Android apps from the Amazon Appstore. But this solution requires Windows 11 with specific system requirements and built-in support for Android apps.
5) Install the most popular free Android simulator BlueStacks. After a straightforward installation, you will be able to run Android apps directly on your Windows PC. You can choose from two versions.
- BlueStacks 5 to run Android apps locally on your PC
- BlueStacks X (aka BlueStacks 10) to run and play Android games through a cross-platform hybrid cloud-based client.
How to Download BlueStacks: 6-Steps Installation Infographic
Make it quick
How to Download BlueStacks and Install it on Windows – Screenshots
Make it detailed
Search BlueStacks on Google
1 Search for BlueStacks on Google and visit the website. You should see the link as the first result on the search page.
Visit the BlueStacks website
2 Now, you have two options: BlueStacks 10, which runs the hybrid cloud client, and BlueStack 5, which downloads the app on your PC.
Download BlueStacks installer
3 Click the green button “Download BlueStacks 5” to get the installer. On the dialogue box, select the download folder and click save.
Run the BlueStacks installer
4 When the installer download is complete, click the file to start downloading BlueStacks 5 on your computer.
Install BlueStacks on Windows
5 You will be prompted to the next dialogue box. Click the “Install now” blue button.
Wait for file download and extraction and shortcuts creation
6 BlueStacks will start downloading and extracting the files. Be patient and wait for the process to complete until the installer creates the BlueStacks shortcut icons on your desktop.
Wait for BlueStacks automatic start
7 When the installation is complete, BlueStacks will start automatically. Just wait for a few minutes to access your Android emulator.
Improve BlueStacks performance by activating Virtualization
8 When you run BlueStacks the first time, if you see the performance warning, it means it’s using only one CPU core on your PC. Just read the FAQ and follow the step-by-step guide that explains how to resolve this. Follow each step carefully to activate the Virtualization on Windows 10. It’s pretty simple and fast.
Run BlueStacks and Google Play Store after Windows restart
9 Once you have changed the BIOS settings, restart your computer and run BlueStacks from your desktop icon. And here we are. BlueStacks is now using all your CPU cores and can run at full speed. Now, you have a perfect Android mobile environment on your desktop computer.
You can set everything and also access the Play Store. Search for your preferred Android games, apps, movies, and books. Then click “install” to run them directly on your desktop. And that’s it. You can enjoy your Mobile apps on Windows.
Enjoy Android Apps on your Windows PC!
BlueStacks App Main Features
Game Controls
BlueStacks allows you to play any Android game on your PC using your keyboard, mouse or gamepad. This helps you make the mobile gameplay on your desktop or laptop computer consistent and precise. You can change and customise existing controls or create new ones. To know more, read the complete game controls guide.
Multi-Instance
Thanks to this feature, you can play more games simultaneously (even 32-bit and 64-bit Android games). You can also play the same game with different accounts. This is useful when you wish to play alone a game, such as Rise of Kingdom, that requires a minimum of two players.
That means you can use one PC with different instances and users while switching between them. So, you have the fun of your mobile Android device and the comfort of your PC multitasking. We’ve already explained how to download and install PUBG for Windows. What if you can also play PUBG mobile without leaving your desktop computer?
Multi-Instance Sync
This extended feature allows you to sync the main instance action on all the other instances in real time. This makes some actions faster and effortless. To learn more, read the instructions and examples.
Smart Controls
This is handy with shooting games. An AI-based algorithm reduces screen clutters to display only the most relevant buttons. It also detects the activity on the screen and suggests when you need any weapon. The smart controls feature works best with the shooting mode.
Macros
Macros allow you to automate certain boring tasks and replicate them in real-time. You can record a sequence of actions and link it to a button on your keyboard or mouse. Then, you can replicate it with total accuracy. The macros feature is perfect for conquest games and RPGs (for example, harvesting in Rise of Kingdoms or a power attack in Mobile Legends).
Native Gamepad Support
This feature enables gamepad auto-detection. Just plug in your Logitech, Xbox One or PS4 controller (just to mention a few) and start playing with your preferred gamepad rather than your mouse.
Eco Mode
A smooth user experience is vital to making gaming and productivity easy and fast. Eco Mode optimises the system resources used to run multi-instances without slowing down your computer. Once you enable Eco Mode (one-click activation), you will use 97% less GPU and 87% less CPU.
Performance Modes
BlueStacks offers three customised modes to let you optimise your gameplay for the best experience with resource-hungry games. So, you can choose among:
- “Balanced Mode” to optimise RAM usage and performance
- “High-Performance Mode” to get the best gaming experience through the use of extra RAM
- “Low Memory Mode” to same as much RAM as possible and run apps smoothly, especially on low-end PCs.
Real-Time Translation
Let’s play and run Android games with no boundaries. BlueStacks can translate the Android App on your PC into your local language (if supported). Imagine you are playing an Asian game. Many of them show on-screen text. You will never be able to proceed and use the app if you can’t understand anything. So, you don’t need to wait for the app to be officially translated. BlueStacks does that automatically and in real time.
For additional info, read about the Utility Features such as disk cleanup and screenshots.
How to download BlueStacks – Video Tutorial
Learn how to download BlueStacks and install it on your PC while sitting on your couch.
BlueStacks Android Emulator for Windows – FAQs
Are you ready to enjoy Android mobile apps and games on your PC? Download BlueStacks now.
