Hi everyone, Kevin here. Today, we're going to look at how you can both install and also run the
new Threads app by Instagram on your Windows PC. Currently, Threads only works on Android and iOS,
but through the magic of emulation, we can also run the app on your PC.
Let's check out how to do this. Here I am on my Windows PC and I have the Microsoft
Store app open, and first off, we're going to install something called the Windows Subsystem
for Android. That's what allows us to run Android apps on a Windows PC. Right up on
top in the search field, let's search for the Amazon App Store and then click on this result.
Now, you might be wondering, well, we want to run the Windows Subsystem for Android,
so why are we getting the Amazon App Store? Well, it turns out that they come bundled together. So,
when we install this app, we also get the Windows Subsystem for Android. It's a little bit janky,
but this is the way that Microsoft designed the flow. On this page, let's click on install. This
opens up a prompt telling us that it wants to get our PC ready for the Amazon App Store. Down below,
let's click on download. It'll now go through and download the Windows Subsystem for Android. Once
that's all done, let's click on open Amazon App Store. This now opens up the Amazon App Store,
and again, we don't really need this. We just wanted the Windows Subsystem for Android. So,
in the top right-hand corner, let's close out of this window. On the desktop now, let's press
Windows together with Q, and this opens up search. Type in the Windows Subsystem for Android. We just
installed this, so you should see it as one of the best match options. When I click on that, that
opens up all of the settings related to WSA. Over on the left-hand side, let's click into advanced
settings. And at the very top, there's an option for developer mode. Over on the right-hand side,
let's toggle this to on, and then we can close out of this. Now that we have the ability to
run Android apps, next, we have to download the Threads app, and to do that, we're going to get
an APK file. That stands for Android Package Kit. It's basically like an EXE on a Windows computer
or an executable file. I'm on the website APK Mirror, and you can use this to download APKs
for various Android apps. In the top right-hand corner in the search field, let's type in Threads
Instagram, and then click on enter. And here we see a few different results. At the very top,
this shows us the most recent version of this app. Let's click on this download icon. On this page,
we can scroll down a little bit, and as we go right down to about midway through the page,
here you'll see two different APK files that you can download. One of them is an ARM file, and
the other is x86. Now, I have a Windows PC with an Intel processor, so I'll use the x86 architecture.
Over here, I'll click on download. On this next page, I'll scroll down just a little bit, and
here's another download button. I'll now download the APK. Now that we have the APK file, and
we also have the Windows Subsystem for Android, next, we need to install the APK, and to do that,
we're going to get one more lightweight app to help us out. And I promise, we're almost there.
I'm back in the Microsoft Store, and let's go back up to the search field up on top, but this time,
let's search for the WSA Sideloader, and then click on this result. This app will allow us to
install the APK file. Right here, let's click on install. Once the download and install finishes,
let's click on open. This launches the WSA Sideloader, and we're now ready to install the
Threads APK. On the right-hand side, let's click on this button that says browse. Next, navigate to
where you downloaded the Threads APK. Here's my file. I'll select that, and then click on open.
Within this window, let's now click on install. You'll see a message asking you whether you should
allow ADB debugging. Click on allow, and then click on OK. Then click on install once again.
And check that out. It looks like Threads has now successfully been installed. Let's
click on open app. And check that out. I now have Threads installed on my Windows PC. Down below,
I'll log in with my credentials. And here, I'm now signed into the Threads app,
and I have all of the full functionality directly on my desktop. And because this is a Windows app,
I could also pin it to my taskbar, or I could add a shortcut directly to my desktop. All right,
well, hopefully, you could do some good threading now.
The great thing about this flow is not only does this work for Threads, but you can also use it for
any other Android application. You simply have to download the APK, and then you can install it. So
really, any Android app out there, you can now run it on your Windows PC. That's pretty magical. To
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