Buzz
Sideloading apps on Android devices is used as a solution to bypass restrictions (such as when you want to install an app not available in your region), or to get quick updates. Sometimes, it's the only option to install an app not available in the Google Play Store.
However, sideloading apps still has some limitations. By default, sideloading is not enabled on Android devices, so you'll need to enable the Allow installation from Unknown sources option in the Settings app to sideload.
Additionally, sideloaded apps won't update automatically; you'll have to update them manually as you would with traditional updates.
Furthermore, a more serious limitation is the security risks. Since APK files are not available on the Play Store, sometimes the ones you download may be infected with malware, compromising the security of your Android device.
One solution to prevent virus attacks on your device is to only download APK files from trustworthy sources. APK Mirror is one of the reliable sources for downloading APK files, chosen by the Android community. Additionally, you can learn how to download apk files on google play Apk here.
Before installation, it's advisable to scan to check if the APK file contains malware and to prevent malware from infiltrating your device through the APK file. There are many services you can use to scan and check if the APK file contains malware before installing it on your Android device. Below are some of the most popular and effective services.
Metadefender
Homepage: metadefender.com
Metadefender allows you to upload APK files up to 140 MB and scan them with multiple antivirus tools to check if the APK files contain malware. All compressed APK files will be unpacked and scanned individually. Below is an example of the results you'll receive after scanning a safe APK file:
NVISIO APK Scan
Homepage: apkscan.nviso.be
Similar to Metadefender, NVISIO APK Scan allows you to upload APK files via the web browser to scan these unlimited size files. All you need to do is select the APK file through the operating system's file selection window and then click Scan. Patiently wait until the scanning process finishes, and a report will be displayed on the screen for you to check if the APK file contains malware. Additionally, if desired, you can also send the scan results via email after the scanning process is complete.
VirusTotal
Homepage: virustotal.com
VirusTotal is a free service, operating similarly to the above 2 services. This service checks if APK files contain malware with robust analysis and inspection capabilities. The only limitation of this service is the maximum APK file size limit of 128 MB - while this limit is sufficient for most apps, for some games, it may not be enough.
Hopefully, after reading this article by Mytour, readers have learned about some useful tools to check if APK files contain malware and to protect their Android devices safely in case of installing APK files to download and install apps outside the Play Store.
However, in many cases, Mytour still recommends users to download and install apps from the Play Store for better and safer experience. If you encounter errors while using IDM to download APK files, you can refer to how to fix IDM APK download errors here.
