Best Android emulators for Windows laptops and MacBooks in 2024

If you are an Android user and wondered if there was a way to experience Google’s mobile operating system on your PC or MacBook then you are in luck. All you need is an emulator that brings Android to your computer. While the number of Android emulators available for PC and MacBook is smaller than before, they offer a way to bring mobile experience to the computer.

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One of the appeals of Android is its wide app ecosystem and ability to even sideload applications. While many people want to play those Android games on their PC and MacBook, some also want to use Android emulators for app development. With Microsoft set to end its native Android app support in 2025 and Android Studio being specifically tailored for app developers, here’s a list of Android emulators online that are an excellent way to experience Android on your PC and MacBook in 2024.

Best Android emulator in 2024

Here’s a list of the best Android emulators for Windows PCs and MacBooks in 2024.

1. BlueStacks

2. NoxPlayer

3. GameLoop

4. MEmu Play

5. AndY

1. BlueStacks

BlueStacks is arguably the best Android emulator out there and one of the easiest ways to bring Google’s mobile operating system to your desktop. It is also one of the most well-known Android emulators and its popularity can be owed to its quality and reliability. This Android emulator has been designed with ease of use in mind, and on a desktop, it actually feels like using Android on a tablet or a smartphone.

While BlueStacks is primarily known for experiencing Android apps on the desktop, it also includes access to the Google Play Store to search for other apps. There is also support for using standalone APK files, and if you have decent hardware then you won’t have many complaints using the BlueStacks Android emulator.

2. NoxPlayer

As one of the original Android emulators, NoxPlayer remains popular and supports Android 9 in the stable version and Android 12 in the beta version. It has an easy installation process, and once set up, all you need to do is log into Google Play and start using Android on your desktop.

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It can be dubbed as the most versatile emulator for Android on PC and MacBook. For gamers, NoxPlayer supports your favourite gamepad and also the option to map keys or buttons to perform various Android gestures. NoxPlayer offers additional features from a vertical toolbar on the right-hand side of the window.

3. GameLoop

If you want to play PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile on your PC then GameLoop is the Android emulator for you. It used to be called Tencent Gaming Buddy earlier and offers a simple installation process. However, it does come with the quirk of being available in Chinese language and you will need to perform some system-level changes to get the app to work in English. Read here on how to change the language from Chinese to English.

For playing Android games on PC, the GameLoop emulator works well but does face issues at times. However, this Android emulator is not designed for using mobile apps and it doesn’t run the latest version of Android either. At the time of writing, GameLoop is only available for Windows, so Mac users are out of luck.

4. MEmu Play

MEmu Play is one of the oldest Android emulators you can try right now and it is another Android emulator designed with gamers in mind. Active development has kept MEmu relevant and the current version is based on Android 9 with an option to run older versions like Android 7.1 or Android 5.

It is recommended that you enable the virtualisation option for your CPU to get the best performance out of MEmu Play. As a gamer-first Android emulator, it offers great support for keyboard mapping and you can install software through Google Play Store, or by dragging and dropping APKs onto the program window. It is relatively simple and easy to use with the only downside being that this too is not available on Mac.

5. Bliss OS

Bliss OS is an Android emulator that can be used in three different ways. The first method to use it is a live boot option where one can boot from a flash drive. The second option is to install it as a partition on your PC and boot it like you would boot Windows or Linux on your computer. The third option is to install it as a virtual machine.

ALSO READ: What is an APK file and how it is used?

It comes in two different versions: Android 11 and Android 12L, which makes it newer than most other emulators on this list. Bliss is free and open-source and it is a versatile option for emulating Android on your PC and Mac. It lacks gamer-centric features but offers support for Google apps. If you want a full-fledged Android experience then Bliss OS is for you.

The creed of Android emulators is slowly decaying and there are fewer quality emulators than before. However, the Android emulators mentioned above are among the best for experiencing Android games and applications on your Windows laptops or desktops or MacBook in 2024.