How to install Google Play app in Android Studio emulator?

Question

I am completely new to using Android Studio and I am trying to install the Google Play app on the emulator. I have installed the Google Repository and Google Play Services as well as a Google APIs x86 Atom System Image from the SDK manager and I am able to set up Google Play Services for my sample application.

I would now like to install the Google Play application on my emulator. How can this be done ? Any suggestions or a solution itself would be most appreciated. Also, thank you very much for your time.

Sonorous

google play? you mean playstore? – Wolgast

This worked for me. #34292402 – Runck

Answer 1

Starting with Android Studio 3.0 Canary 1, you have now some options of devices that come with the Play Store app built-in (like Nexus 5X and Nexus 5 on image below).

Also, you should use a system-image which targets "Google Play" (instead of Google APIs), as said images come with "Google Play" pre-installed, and you can just like a real device open "Google play" and update it.

Update 2022; but even with above, you cannot use the Emulator to test Google Play Billing:

• You must install your application on a real device to test Google Play Billing,
• Or, ask Google for "closed testing" permission.

see How to test In-app Billing on an emulator?

Cray

Great! And what if I want to test my app on a emulator with Play Store, but in Tablet mode? – Billiton

I've been searching for a few hours and finally ran across this! Thank you! – Tranquilizer

I don't see this option. Are you sure it is there? – Unconventional

@Unconventional I checked today and it is still there, need to scroll down a bit – Supervene

Answer 2

After a long while of testing, everything seems to be outdated. I can't find necessary APK's like GoogleLoginService.apk, etc.

I got it to work by installing two virtual devices.

1. My Device (a Samsung Galaxy Tab A with custom skin and sizes)
2. A device, which had the "Play Store Available" icon in your AVD-Manager on the site where you can create a new profile.

I installed the first device and the second device with the same Android version, and used one profile from Samsung (because my tablet is a Samsung).

After that step, I compared the config.ini file located in:

C:\Users\USER\.android\avd\DEVICE_ID

On Ubuntu/Linux it'll be in

~/.android/avd/DEVICE_ID

Change the following variables to:

PlayStore.enabled = true
image.sysdir.1=system-images\android-27\google_apis_playstore\x86\
tag.display=Google Play
tag.id=google_apis_playstore

Here's an example diff of what fields will be changed:

After that you'll probably have to re-download the system image for the device, which you can do from Tools > AVD Manager.

Here's an example screenshot of what that'd look like:

Once done, restart the device, and Play store will be installed and ready to use.

Stonecutter

Please be careful with your formatting, and be sure to preview your answer before posting. Your entire answer was indented by four spaces which made it appear as a code block, and made it difficult to read. I've reformatted it for you; please review to make sure everything is correct, but also to evaluate how the formatting was achieved for future posts. – Peevish

You may also have to download the system image for the device again if the API version is different or the image doesn't already exist. I had to re-download the system image when i was moving from API 29 on Google Pixel 3a to API 30 on Google Pixel 3 XL. If the system image is missing, you'll get PANIC: Cannot find AVD system path. Please define ANDROID_SDK_ROOT when you try to run the emulator. You can download system image from Tools > AVD Manager – Towardly

Working in 2021! Thank you! – Windy

When I touch on download I get this error "All packages are not available for download !, The following packages are not available: - Package id system-images; android-23; google_apis_playstore; x86 " – Weslee

The best solution until 2021! – Bacterium

Heroic. I have a working emulator for API 30 finally – Zillion

The real question is why isn't AVD showing emulator images with Google Play??? – Umpteen

you are smart one!! – Ideography

Pixel C API 31 works fine now after changing ini – Bourdon

this solution not working on sdk level 22 in android studio emulator using nexus s – Zoilazoilla

It looks like it is working only for those versions, which have google play enabled versions in the list, 9 and higher. – Certification

Tested on API 33 (Android Studio Flamingo 2022.2.1) - works like a charm. – Wynny

2023 update - following the direction from @Unconventional from this answer https://mcmap.net/q/196611/-how-can-i-get-google-play-to-work-on-android-emulator-in-android-studio-bumblebee and then updating the config.ini file as described above worked like a charm for API 31! – Moonscape

Why is the most crowbar-like solution is always the most reliable and time-resistant?! API 33 AS 4.1.2 MacOS 14+ works! – Pyelonephritis

Answer 3

Start by installing the Play Store package in SDK Manager. You can follow the steps on this video.

After that step, edit the config.ini file located in:

C:\Users\USER\.android\avd\DEVICE_ID

Or you can also click on Show on Disk in the device options.

Change the following variables to:

PlayStore.enabled = true
image.sysdir.1=system-images\android-27\google_apis_playstore\x86\
tag.display=Google Play
tag.id=google_apis_playstore

Once done, restart the device, and Play store will be installed and ready to use.

Kilbride

Answer 4

Download Google apps (GoogleLoginService.apk , GoogleServicesFramework.apk , Phonesky.apk) from http://wiki.rootzwiki.com/Google_Apps#Universal_Packages_2

Start your emulator:

emulator -avd VM_NAME_HERE -partition-size 500 -no-audio -no-boot-anim

Then use the following commands:

Remount in rw mode

adb shell mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock0 /system

Allow writing to app directory on system partition

adb shell chmod 777 /system/app

Install following apk

adb push GoogleLoginService.apk /system/app/.
adb push GoogleServicesFramework.apk /system/app/.
adb push Phonesky.apk /system/app/. # Vending.apk in older versions
adb shell rm /system/app/SdkSetup*

Refer: to this SO Post

Wolgast

/system not in /proc/mounts – Cockneyism

in the emulator, with whatever tools are the latest as of Feb, 2017, the emulator needs to be launched from the command line with: -writable-system https://mcmap.net/q/109100/-read-only-file-system-on-android – Klein

Answer 5

1. Choose device that support play market

2. Choose your android version ( I I recommend the "R" version )

3. Choose x86 image ( Target- GOOGLE PLAY, NOT Google APIs! )

Monoploid

While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review – Poplin

Not available for Android versions earlier than 9 – Certification

Answer 6

On new version of sdk, you could browse:

C:\Users\{$User}\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\tools

Create avd from command line:

android create avd --name bphone --package "system-images;android-23;google_apis;x86_64"

There will be a question asking you to custom profile, say yes, then an asking to install CH Play or not, just type yes.

Then, open AVD Manager inside Android Studio to reconfig. Notes: Remember to change CPU/ABI to x86

Espagnole

Answer 7

All this is not necessary on the latest MM API images.

All that was needed for me was to:

adb remount
adb push Phonesky.apk /system/priv-app/.
adb stop && adb restart

Stress

I do not think this is how to install Google Play Store. – Runck