Sometimes it’s impossible to download an app through the Google Play Store because of various reasons. Therefore, the best solution is to download and install the apk file of this app instead. However, how to check whether this apk file is safe or not?
When should we download an apk file?
Downloading an app from the Google Play Store is the fastest and maybe the safest way for your Android phones, but not everyone can successfully install apps from this market, especially when Android users encounter these cases:
- Google Play doesn’t work.
- To download apps which are limited by countries or regions. For example, YouTube Music is available on Google Play in some countries, except for Vietnam or Korea… So, the best way for Vietnamese or Korean to use YouTube Music is downloading its APK file.
- The Android version does not meet the requirements of the app.
- To use apps on PC with the support of an Android emulator software such as KO Player, Memu, BlueStacks or Nox Player.
How to enable APK on Android
Sideloading APK files on Android devices is not difficult. The first thing that you need to do is to enable Unknown Sources to make sure that your phone can accept sources that are not from the Google Play Store. After that, you can install any apps which came packaged in the APK file.
How to check whether an apk file is safe or not?
Your Android phone is vulnerable to viruses and malware if you download apk files from untrusted websites. Therefore, it’s important to find a reliable source such as apktovi.com to download. If you still don’t believe in the security of an apk file, we will show you some tools to help you scan and check it.
Checking the hash
Using Hash Droid and APKTOVI CHECKER TOOL
A good way to check an APK file is by checking its hash. The SHA of a file is a kind of digital fingerprint which ensures that data is not modified or tampered with.
You should use Hash Droid- a useful app to check the hash on your phone. When you input the apk file into the check bar, HashDroid will show you everything about MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 of this app.
– Download and install HashDroid from Google Play.
– Choose Hash a File, then select a Hash function such as MD5, SHA-1 or SHA-256.
– Select “Click here to select the file to hash” to upload your apk file.
– Tap Calculate to get the result.
The app only shows information about the hash. So, how could you know if this apk file is original or not? After checking an apk file on HashDroid, you access APKTOVI Checker Tool, hit “Click Upload APK File” and upload the apk file that you have checked by HashDroid. Then, let’s wait for the file to be uploaded and scanned.
You will see the result of SHA1 of this APK file and a notification about whether your file is unmodified or not. If the checksum is similar to the result on HashDroid, it can be said that your apk file is original and safe.
Scanning the apk files
1. VirusTotal
VirusTotal is an extremely famous website which helps people to check for viruses and other issues of an apk file. However, the file size limited is under 128MB.
To scan files in VirusTotal, you need to:
– Access the website of VirusTotal
– Click on Choose File, then choose the file you want to scan in the browser dialogue box and then wait a minute to get the result.
There are many online comments praising the effectiveness of VirusTotal. Therefore, you can believe in this tool. Besides, your work will be more convenient as the VirusTotal app is also available on Android phones.
2. NViso APKScan
NViso APKScan is also a good choice to scan your APK file. This tool also provides you with a detailed report on the APK file that you have checked. One advantage of NViso APKScan is that it doesn’t limit the file size. So, to use it, do the following steps:
– Access the website of NVISO APKScan.
– Click Choose File and then choose the file you want to scan in the browser dialogue box. Wait for your apk file to be uploaded and then click on Scan Package. The process can take a while, depending on your position in the queue. Therefore, it would be better to tick the box “Email me the results when the scan has finished” and enter your email address. The result will be sent to your email and you can safely close this window after hitting “Scan Package” to save your time.
The bottom line
Hopefully, this post helps you discover some useful tools to check your APK files. If you still encounter any problems during your scanning process, feel free to contact us!
For Android users, one of the best things about the OS is the amount of control Android gives them. Unlike Apple, Android lets you do much more to your phone when it comes to installing apps. For iPhone, the only way to install apps is via the App Store or by Jailbreaking your iPhone. But Android lets users either install apps from the Google Play store or by using an APK file to side load them.
The only problem is that there is an amount of risk to using APK files. Since they are not authorized by Google Play, you can end up with a harmful file on your phone or device. So how can you make sure the APK files you are using are safe and won’t harm your phone or gadget? There are several precautions you can take.
Enabling APK On Android
Side loading an app using APK files is very easy to do on Android device. The only thing you have to do is enable Unknown Sources from the privacy settings. Once you do so, you then launch the APK file you want to side load. The next step is simply installing the app which came packaged in the APK file.
You may also be interested in reading Why You Should Always Backup Your Computer Files
While those steps are very easy, there are some concerns you need to be aware of. If you download any apps using Google Play, then you never really have to worry about hacks or viruses. That’s because using Google Play is by far the safest option available. Recent research shows that Android users are more likely to install harmful applications on their devices when using other sources. In fact, the Android security team found that the chances of installing harmful apps outside Google Play increases by 10 times.
Checking APK Files For Safety & Security
Hackers always take advantage of free software offered to users to install virus and malware on it. This is why some APK files can be harmful. Still, that does not stop many people from using APK files anyway. The only way to protect yourself from any APK harmful files is by making sure you take these precautions.
VirusTotal
One of the best ways to make sure the APK file you want to install on your Android device is safe is via the VirusTotal website. This site lets you check the APK files for any issues it may have, including viruses. All you do is upload the APK file to the site. The only setback from using VirusTotal is that the APK file cannot be larger than 128MB. Since most games these days are usually bigger than this, the site may not work for those APK files. Nonetheless, it is still a very useful tool if you have an APK file smaller than 128MB.
Hash Droid
Another application that can help you check the security and safety of an APK file is the Hash Droid app. Hash Droid lets you check the hash of an APK file. This is very important when it comes to APK files. The reason for that is that the SHA in any file is considered the digital fingerprint. By checking the SHA, you can find out if the app’s digital fingerprint corresponds to the APK file. If they do not match, then the APK file is not safe.
Here is another important article to check out – Dangers Of Downloading Free Files From The Internet
NViso ApkScan
The name of this application says it all since it is an APK scanning app. NViso ApkScan can help you check how safe the APK file you want to side load is. Once you install the app on your Android device and use it to check the APK file, NViso offers you a very detailed report about it. The best thing about NViso is that app has no size limit when it comes to checking APK files. Plus, it is very fast and easy to use.
Having freedom comes with a price and the same goes for your Android devices. Before installing any APK files on your devices, make sure you check them with one of these very useful tools.
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