Downloading the Latest APK File
The APK file is the core format that Android uses to distribute apps. It’s mostly invisible to you, but it powers every app download you’ve ever done on your phone. While it’s not as widely used for desktop computers as PDFs or MP4 files, you can open APKs on a computer using a free file extraction program (like one from our Best Free Zip & Unzip Programs list).
Most people use Google Play to update their apps on their Android devices at www.apkarena.org. However, if you’ve sideloaded apps from other sources (like APKMirror), or if you have a phone that doesn’t use Google Play, you might need to update an app manually. This is also the case if you want to be able to roll back an app’s updates, for example if they cause problems.
The simplest way to update an app is to head to the Play Store and follow the on-screen instructions. Just tap the Update button next to the app you wish to update, or the three-dot menu and select Update all. It’s important to note that the only time you can’t update an app this way is if the developer has disabled updates through the Play Store.
How to Update an Android App by Downloading the Latest APK File
You can also manually update an app by downloading the latest APK from a third-party website. Just make sure that the website is reputable and has good security measures in place. You should also be wary of downloading APKs from sites that offer them for free, as these may contain malware.
If you don’t have access to the Internet or prefer not to use a third-party website, you can also update apps through your Android phone itself. Open the Play Store, tap your profile portrait in the top-right corner of the screen, and then tap Manage apps & device. This will display a list of all the apps on your phone or tablet, and any available updates will be displayed with an Update icon. You can also tap See details to see more information about the update and to install it if you’re ready.
Another reason to update an app by downloading its latest APK file is if you want to try out a new version of an existing app before it officially releases through the Play Store. For example, the popular YouTube Vanced app lets you bypass ads and sponsors on videos on the video platform, but it’s not listed on the Play Store yet because it isn’t official. You can download the APK from YouTube Vanced’s site and other repositories like APKMirror to get it before it hits the official Play Store.
You can even use this method to update system apps on your phone. This is useful if you want to test an experimental version of an app before committing to installing it on your phone or if you don’t have enough storage on your phone for the full app. Just be aware that rolling back to an older version of a system app can cause serious issues with your phone’s functionality, so do this at your own risk.
