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How To Run Free Android Apps On the Kindle Fire

Even though you don't get Google Play, the Amazon Kindle Fire can run a wide range of Android apps. Here's how to load apps not sold by Amazon onto the tablet.

Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets are some of the best, most affordable Android tablets out there. Whether you're buying the budget $139 Kindle Fire HD($139.99 at Amazon), the faster $229 Kindle Fire HDX($139.99 at Amazon), or the big-screen, $379 Kindle Fire HDX 8.9($139.99 at Amazon), you're getting a tremendous value for your money. But there's one thing you must give up: access to the million apps in the Google Play Store. The Kindle Fire tablets use Amazon's Appstore instead, which has many, but not all of those Google Play Apps.

But that's OK. If you have any other Android device and a PC or Mac around, you can use free tools to load almost any free Android app onto the Kindle Fire. You don't need to hack, alter, or root your phone or tablet to do this, and Amazon doesn't oppose sideloading apps.

The Kindle Fire can install any app in the standard Android APK format, but I strongly suggest only installing apps you've moved over from a phone or downloaded from a major app store. You can find APKs downloadable from many pirate sites on the Internet, but I don't recommend that, even for free apps.

Why not? Developers can't track APKs that are just floating around the Net, so they don't know their apps are being used. That discourages developers, especially small developers, from upgrading and making new apps. Peer-to-peer app piracy sites are also sinks of malware, as they have none of the safeguards you'll find on an app store.

If you're interested in the full Google Play experience on your Kindle Fire, you can root it and install Google services. That will void your warranty, Amazon's Mayday support system won't help you any more, and it takes some technical knowledge. The brave or geeky should check out this XDA-Developers forum thread for the instructions.

Otherwise, here's how to move your app from another Android device to a Kindle Fire. (If you're interested in great Kindle Fire apps overall, read The 30 Best Kindle Fire Apps.)

Continue Reading: Installing the Apps, Step by Step>

How To Install Apps

Installing Apps on Kindle Fire, Step by Step

On your Android device, go to Google Play and download ES File Explorer. It's free.
Open ES File Explorer and tap on the little icon at the upper left that looks like a globe and a phone.
On the menu that appears, choose App Manager.
Hold down your finger on one app you want to copy. Don't just tap on it. Checkboxes will appear all over the list of apps, like in the image at right.
Check every app you want to copy, and then tap Backup at the bottom of the screen.
Wait for the "Backup Application Successfully" message.
Now hook your phone up to your PC using a USB cable. Open the drive which appears on your PC, and look for the "backups" folder. Open the "apps" folder within backups. Copy all the APK files from there onto your PC.
Now pick up your Kindle Fire. Go to the Amazon Appstore and download "Easy Installer." It's free.
Plug your Kindle Fire into your PC using a USB cable.
When the Kindle Fire drive appears on your PC, dump the APK files into it.
Disconnect the Fire from the PC.
On the Kindle Fire pick Apps, then Easy Installer. A window will open like the one shown below.

Easy Installer - Kindle Fire

Pick an app and choose Install Selected Apps.
Your app will now appear on the Kindle Fire's App bookshelf! Enjoy!
If you don't see your app, make sure to tap "On Device" rather than "Cloud" at the top of the app bookshelf, as seen below.

Kindle Fire "On Device" Header

What's Compatible With Kindle Fire?
I tried more than a dozen apps on the Fire and found some general rules.

Amazon isn't blocking anything. There's no problem with apps that compete with Amazon's own services. Nook runs really well on the Kindle Fire. So does the Dolphin HD browser.
You generally can't back up paid apps. On older versions of Android, paid apps often weren't protected from the backup process. But on more current Android phones, paid apps are protected and can't be backed up without rooting or otherwise hacking your phone.
"Bloatware" or device-specific apps probably won't work. The copy of Blockbuster specifically for Motorola phones didn't install.
Official Google apps that require logins won't work. That means no Market, no Gmail, no Books. Translate, YouTube, and Maps work, because they don't require logins.

Have you tried sideloading apps onto the Kindle Fire? If so, tell us in the comments below.

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