Install Chrome for Android in Android emulator

Question

I want to install the Chrome for Android on the Android emulator (running Windows 7 64bits). I tried accessing the google play market from the emulator, but it won't let me install.

I tried installing the chrome for android APK from here, but when I launch chrome it says the minimum supported OS is ice cream sanwdich 4.0

With FireFox it was very easy, I just grabbed the APK from their FTP server & run the adb install command, one would think it should be even easier with chrome, but it's really not!

Any advice please?

Hilbert

And you're using android >= 4.0 on your emulator, right? – Tigre

Yes, I am (I'm using device Test-1) – Hilbert

Google Play is now officially supported on some AVDs - https://mcmap.net/q/117298/-is-google-play-store-supported-in-avd-emulators – Cowan

Answer 1

Android 5.1, Chrome 57:

• Create emulator.
• Run emulator.
• Wait for emulator to boot.
• Download chrome-android.apk to your PC.
• Drag-drop apk to emulator screen.

Should install. Takes a long time.

Boarer

In case anyone is having trouble finding the correct target: I figured that I had to use the x86 build. (on Mac) – Drugstore

You can find the Google Chrome APK for x86 on apkpure or apkmirror website. – Cattle

The APK failed to install. Error: INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS – Greasewood

@Greasewood please check architecture of your system, your emulator and app. Should match. – Boarer

Answer 2

You can install Chromium using the instructions on this blog post

It even provides a script for automating installing the latest apk

#! /bin/sh

LATEST=`curl -s http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/chromium-browser-continuous/Android/LAST_CHANGE`

echo Latest Chromium Android at $LATEST

TMP_DL=`mktemp -t chrome-android.XXXX`
TMP_APK=`mktemp -t chrome-android.XXXX`
REMOTE_APK=http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/chromium-browser-continuous/Android/$LATEST/chrome-android.zip

echo Downlaoding $REMOTE_APK to $TMP_DL
curl $REMOTE_APK -o $TMP_DL

echo Extracting ChromiumTestShell.apk to $TMP_APK
unzip -p $TMP_DL chrome-android/apks/ChromiumTestShell.apk >> $TMP_APK
adb install $TMP_APK 

Pierrepierrepont

this solution is not working , unzipping you can see 2 files namely ChromePublic.apk and ContentShell.apk. Trying to install 1st one is failing – Zoophilous

The link is dead – Gambrinus

Answer 3

The easiest solution for me was to select a different emulator image that already had both chrome and play installed as per this question.

Billfish

Answer 4

Chrome needs Google Play Services installed as a system application. This solution involves setting up a Genymotion emulator, flashing Google Play Services, then installing Google Chrome through Google Play.

You'll need a Google account and a Genymotion account (free for non-commercial use). It will take about 30-40 minutes, most of which will be spent downloading/updating.

1. Download the Google Play Services update zip for whatever version you're using here: https://goo.im/gapps/. I wanted to use 4.4.4, so I chose gapps-kk-20140606-signed.zip

2. Download and install Genymotion (free for non-commercial use): https://www.genymotion.com/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#!/download

3. Open it up, sign in with your Genymotion account, set up whatever emulator you want. Start the emulator.

4. When it starts, drag 'n' drop the gapps zip you downloaded earlier into the emulator. It'll copy across, then ask if you want to flash it. Click yes. When it's done, close the emulator and start it up again.

   For the rest of this you might get frequent popups saying that Google Plus or whatever didn't install correctly. Just hit okay and soldier on.

5. Now you need to sign into your Google account. Go Settings -> Accounts -> Add Account -> Google. Follow the prompts.

6. Open up Google Play. Open the left menu -> Settings. Tap the 'Build Version' cell a few times. It will say that the new version will be downloaded and installed.

7. Wait (you don't have to stay on the settings page). After all the apps have updated (you might have to accept new permissions) the Build Version will have changed and taping it again will show a prompt that says it is at the newest version.

8. Open up Google Play Store and download and install Chrome.

Carrelli

But Chrome and Genymotion Emulator will keep on crashing when you try work on it. – Idonah

Answer 5

Pls. check if your emulator is on android 4.0 or above. The chrome app is not supported for earlier versions. Also, to install from the play store, you need to have configured an account. If you have both these then you should be able to install.

You could refer to these :

http://piotrbuda.eu/2012/05/installing-google-play-on-android-emulator.html How to install Android Market App on the emulator?

Winnie

I do have android 4+, whenever I try to install from the google play website (using the emulator of course), I get this message You haven't accessed the Google Play Store app (the white shopping bag app icon) on your device with this email account. I checked the FAQ & waited enough time, but all I got is an endless Loading devices compatibility... message – Hilbert

Have you added the google play - services ? that would be a part of your sdk manager – Winnie

I'm still reading / applying the instructions...I'll update you when I'm done (thanks for the help!) – Hilbert

Sorry for the late reply, I tried countless times, fisrt first Vending.apk doesn't exist, I replaced it wit Phonesky.apk in the script (can't remember where I read this), but then I always end up with an Out of memory error, even though I increased storage & RAM to be high enough. Any other idea? – Hilbert

Also, if I enable snapshots, neither firefox nor the android built-in browser would work (browser crash, start won't help), so I can't even go to google play store to get the chrome for android – Hilbert