The good news is that there is life beyond the Play Store, but abandoning it requires accepting some compromises. One of them is manually downloading and updating APK files. While it is possible to simplify the process with something like APKGrabber, sometimes we need extra technical information about an app. In other words, we need to know how to open APK files on Windows before transferring them to the smartphone. That is when APK-Info comes to the rescue.
Mobile devices are supposed to provide safe and well-structured experiences, but that translates into limits and conditions not all users are willing to accept. For example, one of my tablets is a Kindle Fire, and the best way to escape the wasteland of the Amazon store is to download and install APK files manually, even without root access.
So... let's say you have an app in sight. APKPure and APKMirror are two relatively safe sources to get an individual copy, and we should not forget the benefits of F-Droid. But if you want extra technical details without checking after installation, the best thing to do is open APK files on Windows with APK-Info.
How to open APK files on Windows with APK-Info
Its use is very simple: download the latest build from the Releases section on its GitHub profile, double-click the executable, and indicate the path of the APK to analyze. The APK-Info interface will explode with data, including minimum and maximum supported Android versions, compatible architecture, screen sizes, video acceleration, available languages, and of course, the list of permissions the app requests.
But that's not all. On the right side of the interface you'll see a column with icons. The first one is for selecting another APK file, followed by shortcuts to the Google Store and APKPure, an update check on both platforms (a good option if you want the latest APK), access to VirusTotal results courtesy of Sandbox Droidy, a tool that renames the file, opening ADB (if already installed), and a dump of all APK properties to text for export.
https://old.neoteo.com/microg-android-sin-google-apps/
Now, if the plan is to go deep into exploring the APK, nothing better than unzipping with 7-Zip. Yes, beyond the differences in extension, APK files behave as if they were zips, so 7-Zip can export their contents without problems. Remember: When in doubt, APK-Info.
Official site and download: Click here
