Linux may not be as popular an operating system as Windows is, but it’s definitely a pretty widely used one; and if you’ve ever wanted to try out an Android app on your Linux system, you must’ve wondered what the best emulator for that might be. After all, while Windows and macOS have a plethora of Android emulators that users can try, Linux has basically a dearth of those. However, there are some Android emulators that are definitely worth trying out, whether it is to check out a brand new game, try out an app, or even for testing an Android app you are developing. So, here are the 5 best Android emulators for Linux in 2020 that you can try.
Here, we have mentioned the 5 working Android emulators for Linux. While there are plenty of emulators out there, most have been abandoned and are no longer in development. So if you want the best Android emulator for Linux in 2020, go through our list below.
- Anbox
- Genymotion
- Android-x86
- Android Studio
- ARChon
List of Top Android Emulators for Linux
1. Anbox
Anbox is one of the most unique Android emulators on this list. It’s perhaps the only emulator on this list that uses the real Linux kernel of the OS instead of emulating Android’s Linux kernel.
It comes with Android 7.1, which is pretty great for an emulator, and it’s also pretty responsive. That said, keep in mind, Anbox does not come with Google services installed. However, you can sideload it using ADB. You can install APKs on Anbox using the ‘adb install <path_to_apk.apk>‘ command.
How to Install:
Check out Anbox (Free)
2. Genymotion
Genymotion is one of the most popular Android emulators available on Linux (it’s also available on Windows and macOS, by the way) that you can try, and it’s by far one of the best ones out there. Unlike most emulators, Genymotion brings a good-looking interface that will make you feel right at home.
If you’re looking for an emulator to play Android games on, Genymotion is probably not the one for you. I tried installing PUBG Mobile and Free Fire on it, but it simply says that the device isn’t compatible (probably an emulator thing). I did install Pigeon Pop on it, and that works fine, but there were visible input delays, which are not acceptable if you’re trying to play a game.
- Quick and easy way to run Android apps on Linux
- Choose your flavor: Android 4 to 11
- Choose screen resolution and form-factor
- Best for testing apps
- No time limit for personal use
Check out Genymotion (Free for personal use, paid plan starts at $136/year)
If Genymotion isn’t cutting it for you, and you’re looking to actually run Android as a virtual machine on your system, Android-x86 is probably what you’re looking for. The software is actually intended as a port of Android for x86 based systems, which is most likely what you’re gonna be using.
Installing Android-x86 on your Linux system is pretty straightforward, which is definitely great. You simply need to download the Android-x86 ISO file to your system, create a new virtual machine on Virtual Box and set the ISO to be the boot-up device. From there, you can easily install Android on your VM.
How to Install:
- Download VirtualBox (Free)
- Download Android-x86 ISO image (Free)
- Allot RAM, CPU cores and select the Android ISO image in VirtualBox.
- Now, simply run the Virtual machine and Android will boot inside VirtualBox.
Check out Android-x86 (Free)
If you’re a developer and you’re looking to use an emulator that’s officially supported by Google and lets you create multiple virtual devices running anything from Android Lollipop to Android Pie, WearOS, and even Android TV, well, the official ‘Android Virtual Device’ manager (or AVD Manager) included with Android Studio is the one for you.
However, for developers, this is definitely the most flexible option to go with. After all, it not only offers the ability to create multiple virtual devices running anything from Android 5 to Android 11, it also lets you create virtual Android TV devices, and virtual wearOS devices, so you can test your apps on all of Google’s most commonly used operating systems.
Check out Android Studio (Free)
5. ARChon
If you’re looking to run Android apps on your Linux system without having to install a separate emulator for them, ARChon might be something that interests you. ARChon basically lets you run Android apps in Chrome, so you can check out apps without having to worry about downloading emulators, creating a virtual device, or that UEFI secure boot issue that cropped up with Genymotion.
- Good for installing lightweight APKs
- Run Android app within Chrome browser
- No need to create VM or boot ISO image
Check out ARChon (Free)
Q. Can I Run Android Apps on Linux?
Absolutely, yes. There are many solutions like Anbox, Genymotion, Android-x86, etc. that lets you run Android apps on Linux. Go through our article for more information.
If you don’t want to use an emulator then you can run Android-x86 on a virtual machine. Next, you can install it as a full-fledged native operating system alongside your Linux system. Other than that, you can use Genymotion to run Android apps in a browser.
Yes, you can install APK on Linux. You need to first install an Android emulator on Linux and then you can easily install APK files on Linux. You can find the best Android emulators for Linux from our list above.
Q. Is Anbox an Emulator?
Yes, it’s popularly called an emulator, but in reality, it does not emulate or mimic the Android system on top of Linux. In fact, it uses the real Linux kernel of the OS to run Android. This way, the performance remains much better.
Yes, Ubuntu supports Android apps. You can install Anbox to run Android apps on Ubuntu seamlessly.
Well, those were the 5 best Android emulators for Linux that we think you can check out. Whether you want to test an app you are developing, or you just want to try out a new Android app on your Linux PC, these emulators should meet your expectations.
