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Want to run Android apps on your laptop or desktop, but you don’t have a Chromebook? Don’t worry, you can still do it. You might not know this, but Chrome has a tool that lets you test out Android apps in-browser.

Certainly, it makes sense to put some Android apps on your laptop. We’re talking about those that have no web equivalent like Snapchat or Evernote. Not to mention games. Any app that’s frustrating to use on a smaller screen, will probably work a lot better on the laptop or desktop.

The Google Chrome browser is now available as an Apple M1 native application, for those of you lucky enough to have M1 Mac Mini, Macbook Air, or Macbook Pro systems.(If you've been living under a. I find Edge on Mac to actually be a very capable and FAST browser, faster than Chromium (the open source build) and Chrome. Edge is now my #2 browser behind Firefox (you can't beat FF for the huge library of add-ons).

The tool you need to use in order to be able to run Android apps on your device is called ARC Welder. Originally ARC, which stands for App Runtime for Chrome was an experiment specifically designed for app developers, but now almost anyone can take advantage of it.

However, keep in mind that ARC Welder is based on Android 4.4 and comes with a few limitations including:

Chrome appears and disappears in this list when it’s open and when sound is playing, so if it’s not there, go to a page you know will have sound (system sounds should be there for reference) then app vol + device pref, and switch the Output selection to whatever screen or audio device for whichever screen/speakers you want the sound to come. Set Chrome app and extension policies (Mac) Applies to Mac users who sign in to a managed account on Chrome Browser. As an administrator, you can automatically install Chrome apps and extensions on users' computers.

• You can only load one app at the time
• You need to select whether you want the app to launch in Portrait or Landscape mode
• You have to opt for tablet- or phone-mode

With that being said, let’s see how you can install the tool.

Install ARC Welder

Open the Chrome browser on your laptop or desktop computer, head on to the Chrome Web Page for ARC Welder and add the extension to your browser. After the short installation process, you should be able to start using Android apps on your desktop.

All desktop systems are supported including Windows 10, MacOS, and Linux. So the extension should work regardless of whether you’re using a Windows laptop or a Macbook.

However, we need to note that ARC Welder has been specifically designed for Chrome OS. The tool will highlight that saying that “You are using ARC Welder on a non-Chrome OS device. Platform-specific bugs exist.” This is a warning that not everything will work smoothly.

Find and download APK files

ARC Welder works with APK files, so in order to get Android apps to run on your PC, you will have to find and download the APK files of the apps you want to get on desktop.

We recommend you give a try one of these APK databases which offer a large selection of apps and games:

Use ARC Welder to run them

Once you’ve downloaded an APK, simply click on the “Add your APK” button to start testing. It will take a few seconds for it to load, but once it does, you’ll need to do a few additional things. Like select the orientation, form factor or whether the app should the resized.

Next, press test and wait for the app to load. It will do so in a separate window. We have to warn you that some of the apps will probably fail to load, as we found out in our testing. Some simply crash for inexplicable reasons.

For example, Instagram did not load for us, while Messenger Lite and Twitter worked just fine. Although the animations were a bit slow to load, the overall experience was pretty decent.

The majority of the games we tried to test didn’t work. Some did load the first screen, but then crashed afterwards, so this is a hit-and-miss kind of deal. Unfortunately, those who would like to test out games that are frustrating to play on a small smartphone screen, won’t have too much luck to do so.

Airpod Apps For Mac Chrome Browser Settings

Nevertheless, some app will work just fine, so if you’re patient enough you’ll find some that do.

If you tried out ARC Welder before, let us know in the comment section below which apps or games worked for you.

AirPods by Apple are one of the coolest accessories that music lovers can own. Time Magazine has also featured them in their list of best inventions of 2016. Unlike traditional Bluetooth headphones, Airpods feature built-in microphones and other advanced sensors that enable automatic ear detection. In addition, one can conveniently pair the Airpods with an iPhone by just placing them next to the phone. However, the process is different when connecting Airpods with non-iOS devices such as Android smartphone or Chromebook. Let’s find out how you can pair Airpods with a Chromebook.

Pairing AirPods with a Chromebook

1. Click on your profile picture at the bottom right corner of the desktop.
2. Turn on the Bluetooth.
3. Make sure your Airpods are inside the case and charged.
4. While the lid is open, press and hold the setup button located at the back of the Airpods case.
5. A white LED will start blinking on the case, notifying that the Airpods are now discoverable.
6. Move back to your Chromebook and find the Airpods listed under “Unpaired devices”.
7. Click the Airpods in the list and wait for it to connect.

Once they’re paired, you will get a notification saying that Airpods has been paired and is now available to all users. That’s it! You have successfully connected the Airpods with your Chromebook. Make sure the Chromebook and Airpods are within 10 meters or 33 feet range to get the best connectivity.

Tip: Are you unable to hear any audio on Airpods while they’re connected to Chromebook via Bluetooth? In that case, try switching off the Bluetooth on your iPhone as Airpods might mistake it as the last connected device.

Unpairing Airpods from Chromebook

Follow the steps below in case you wish to disconnect the Airpods from Chromebook.

1. Open the Settings menu on Chromebook and select Bluetooth.
2. Click the 3 dots next to the paired device, i.e. Airpods.
3. Select Disconnect or Remove device.

RELATED: Where You Should Double Tap on AirPods

Airpod Apps For Mac Chrome Browser Extension

Via [Reddit]