Downloading Google Play applications directly to your PC [updated]

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4 min. reading

Yes, it seems, that with a little bit help from Vietnameese developers, there is a fairly easy way to download Google Play applications to your PC. Why you would like to do this? There are at least few reasons.

It is a faster way, that does not require Internet connection. You copy a bunch of *.apk files from your PC to your Android-based device, and install them directly from there, without touching Google Play.

If you have ever read this article before then read it again and notice extremely important security update.

There is of course an obstacle. You’ll most likely be installing outdated version of most applications (unless you’re a geek/maniac that far, that you keep your PC repository of APK files up-to-date). And, of course, you need to enable your device to install applications from “unsafe sources” (like Google Play would be safer then your own PC, right! :]). But, since you get up here, I assume, you understand this and agrees to that.

Here you’ll find a detailed document on how to do it. It is full of unnecessary blah-blah-blah with a lot of unnecessary screenshots. Since it is written with ugly small font and nasty formatting, which makes quick reading even further hard, I decided to write a short version of it. Very short:

  1. Get a piece of softeare called Real APK Leecher from here or here.
  2. Get your device’s unique Device ID. Lazy way — install DeviceID. Quicker way — type code *#*#8255#*#* on your phone’s dialpad and “call” it to get to GTalk Service Monitor, scroll down to ### Main Endpoint ### section and locate it somewhere there. Omit android- part, when writing down your Device ID. Do not confuse it with Device UUID — it’s not the same.
  3. Launch Real APK Leecher. Notice: it’s written in Java — it’s deadly slow!. Provide your: Google Account’s login and password and your Device ID (omit android- part) in Option window. Set other options, as you like. When running software first time, Option window should be displayed automatically. If not, or if you need to access it anytime later, press Ctrl+O or select Edit > Option from menu in main application window.
  4. Save settings. Type something to Search Android Market by field and hit Enter. Once application has been found, click it with right mouse button and select Download this app from the context menu.

This software has been tested (by me) and works fine.

If you ever get Error while connecting to the server error, you can ignore it, because it is related to (probably not working) Real APK Leecher‘s update server, not to Google Play itself.

On the other hand, if you’re getting any troubles browsing Google Play or downloading applications, check ten times your Device ID (and Google Account’s data), as this is most likely source of your problem.

Update: It seems that at least in one area Real APK Leecher’s author is a complete moron! It turned out that this program is saving your UNENCRYPTED Google Play password in the end of configuration file!

Thus, if you want to store installation version of this program anywhere or share it with anyone, always triple check that you have removed configuration file from the archive you want to share or store!

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