Setup Android Emulator on Mac OS X. The purpose of this section is to guide you to create in your development environment an Android emulator. Android emulators are managed through a UI called AVD Manager. AVD Manager has a nice interface when started from Android Studio. Start Android Studio app, then create a blank project. Android Studio is a free Android emulator from Google that is primarily designed for developers. Andy Android Emulator for Mac lets its users install. Want to run Android apps or games on Windows or Mac computers? Here are the 14 best free Android emulators for PC and Mac recommended to you. However the emulator suddenly get killed and showed this: The emulator process for AVD XXXX was. This error occured because android studio could not.
Emulators are a good way to test the Android OS on your computer. With an Android emulator, you can test apps, features and tweaks without the worry of messing up your smartphone’s software.
Android Studio Mac Emulator Free
Developers use Android emulators on both Mac and Windows to ensure that their apps do not have bugs or glitches before sending them to the Google Play Store. There are the best Android emulators for both Mac & Windows.
Best Android Emulators For PC/Windows
Android Studio Emulator
Google recommends Android Studio Emulator as one of the best emulators for app development. That is, if you want to run Android apps on your PC, this is a good start.
- Choose from multiple APIs.
- Easy setup and low learning curve.
- The emulator is free.
- Google officially supports it.
But, if you’re not a developer, then there are other Android emulators for Windows that caters to the regular folk like you and I.
Android Emulator Mac Android Studio
Bluestacks 3
Bluestacks 3 let’s you run Android on your PC and it one the oldest and most reliable emulators available.
- Simple interface.
- Easy to use.
- Bluestacks 3 supports most apps on Google Play Store or otherwise.
- Run multiple instances of apps.
- Adjust keys to suit your needs.
It’s user friendly. Hence, even if you are not tech savvy, you can get by. There is a free version and a paid version.
I use Bluestacks mostly for playing games. I can access all the games on the Play Store and play them on my Windows 10 PC. There’s even a nice selection of games that don t need WiFi.
Andy
Andy is an emulator for Windows that can run any and all Android apps. Moreover, it has support for root access. So, for apps that need it, it’s as simple as a click.
Remix OS Player
As one of the first Android simulators for Windows that ran Android Marshmallow, Remix OS Player is great for both testing apps and for casual gaming.
But, the only drawback is that it does not support AMD Chipsets. It works with Windows 7 (64-bit) and above.
AMIDuOS
AMIDuOS claims to be the fastest Android emulator to run Android on Windows.
There claim isn’t far off. AMIDuOS really is fast. For now, it runs Lollipop or JellyBean (both paid). But, there is a free trial.
- Test your apps for bugs (developers).
- Unlimited installation of Android applications.
- Light on system resources.
As of writing, AMIDuOS has been discontinued. As, I had already purchased the software, I still have access. However, for new users, please use an alternative.
Virtual Box
If you ever wanted to build your very own emulator from scratch, then Virtual Box lets you do just that.
The learning curve is high. And, if you are not already accustomed to building your own OS, then, this software is not for you.
However, there are lots of guides online and if you’re determined to learn to code and build your own OS on the emulator, then you can give it a try.
MEmu
This emulator allows you to play Android games on PC with ease. It’s easy to install. Easy to set up. And, best of all, it’s free.
Genymotion
This emulator emulates the Android OS from 4.1 to 6.0. For most common fold, this may seem trivial. But, for a developer, it’s always good to know how your apps work on different versions of Android.
Xamarin
Xamarin now belongs to Microsoft. And it is a cross-platform emulator that can emulate the Android OS. It’s good for developers and gamers alike and is free for personal use.
Nox Player
This is another free emulator that prioritize games. It even goes a step forward and lets you use a gaming controller to play your favorite Android games.
Windroy
Windroy is an emulator that works just as well on older PCs as well as new PCs. It’s not so good for gaming. Better to use an alternative on the list for that.
But, for productivity, it checks out. It can run most of the office apps without an issue.
Also, in Windroy, you won’t find Google Play, the Android’s app store. To run applications, you have to download the APK file, and put it
Droid4X
Droid4X focuses mainly on Android games. Hence, it’s not the best option for other purposes. On the bright side, the emulator is free to use. There are a few glitches here and there so don’t expect a smooth ride.
Best Android Emulators For Mac
ARChon
ARChon is a web-based emulator and thus works on Mac and other platforms. It comes in the form of a Google Chrome extension.
It’s free to use and has instructions on how to use it readily available. All you need is the APK file for your app or game.
Droid4X
Droid4X is also a good Android emulator for Mac. However, as mentioned, it’s more for people wanting to play Android games on their MacBooks.
Android Studio Mac Emulator
Conclusion
These are some of the best Android emulators for both Windows PC and Mac. Feel free to try them out or try out the free trials for the paid ones.
Most work great. And, some are better at gaming than others. There are also emulators that work best for developers. There’s one for every need.
The purpose of this section is to guide you to create in your development environment an Android emulator.
Android emulators are managed through a UI called AVD Manager
AVD Manager has a nice interface when started from Android Studio.
Start Android Studio app, then create a blank project.
Go to the Tools menu -> :Android -> AVD Manager:
If no emulator has been created you should start with this screen:
Click the Create Virtual Device button.
In the Select Hardware window , select Nexus 5 as shown in the following snapshot:
Click the Next button.
In the System Image, select the system image Nougat, API Level 25 , ABI x86 :
Click on the download link to download the selected System Image. This download process is done through SDK Manager.
Once the download is complete, click on the Next button.
In the Verify Configuration window, check any parameter :
Then click on the Finish button.
AVD Manager shows you the newly created device:
Click on the launch button to launch the newly created AVD in the emulator.
Notice in the Run Window of Android Studio the command line used to start the device:
which can be shortened to :
How to start Android Emulator from Terminal?
Stop the emulator started by Android Studio. Open the Terminal app and type the following command:
This should start the emulator with the selected AVD.