Is APKMirror Safe?

If you’ve ever searched the Internet for an APK of an app that isn’t available on Google PlayStore or another pre-installed app downloader on your device, you’ve probably come across APKMirror.

If you’ve never used the website before, you’re probably wondering, “Is APKMirror safe?”

If you don’t get your APK or Android Application Package from a safe and trusted application or website, it might be a risky and overwhelming procedure. In this article, we’ll look at whether or not APKMirror is safe, as well as a lot more about APKs and APK Downloaders in general.

What exactly is APKMirror?

APKMirror is a free service that allows you to download APK files (Android Application Package Files) for a variety of apps. APKMirror has a large collection of APK files, some of which aren’t available on the Google PlayStore or other official app download sites.

APKMirror, which was launched in 2014, was created by the same guys that worked on AndroidPolice, hugely famous android news and help portal. Illogical Robot LLC, the parent business for both APKMirror and Android Police, is the owner of both apps.

On APKMirror, you may search for an app by its name and developer name. When you open the app, you will find extensive information about it. You may also see the application’s DPI, as well as the version’s size, prerequisites, and upload date.

APKMirror also displays the signature that matches the original application. The user can scan the QR code to download the app to their computer or mobile device. That is how simple and convenient APKMirror makes the process of downloading an application.

When you download an app using APKMirror (the APK file) and the app later receives an update from the Google Play Store, the most recent version of the app is immediately downloaded.

Is the APKMirror a secure tool?

Yes, APKMirror is a fairly safe and dependable application website, if we answer the question simply and briefly.

However, because APKMirror is a user-uploaded program website, there is always the possibility of a security breach. APKMirror promises that every application submitted to their website is manually verified by a team of professionals that vet the application against specified standards to avoid and reduce this risk of safety and security. This determines whether or not the application is safe to use on your device.

To prevent resource hogs from pirating a purchased software, APKMirror has a “no privacy policy,” which means it does not host commercial apps on its website (which is certainly illegal). It also has a provision for free apps, which, in turn,

When you sideload an app upgrade from APKMirror (an upgrade that isn’t accessible on the Play Store), the apps are matched with existing versions of the same type. The improvements are only released on APKMirror if they match. If not, APKMirror contacts the app’s creator for verification, and if the app’s validity is not established, APKMirror does not publish the upgrade in the first place.

This means that all upgrades are reviewed by APKMirror before being released (especially those that aren’t available on the Play Store). This is another clear indication of APKMirror’s security.

Any beta versions of applications that you see on APKMirror have also been tested for safety. APKMirror also examines the developer’s license and, if necessary, the reliability of the description of the beta version of the application.

Finally, the most reassuring option for determining if a service or program is excellent or not (safe, in this context) is to look at real customer evaluations. In the case of APKMirror, we looked at a lot of user evaluations and found that it has a great reputation among the APK-downloading community, which translates to it being quite safe.

How does APKMirror ensure that the APKS are safe?

How does APKMirror verify that the APKs that are uploaded to their website is safe? The following is a list of steps taken by APKMirror to ensure that the APKs on its website are safe to download and credible:

APKMirror ensures that new versions of old programs have the same cryptographic signatures as the originals, allowing us to determine if the files we’ve uploaded are legitimate or not.

APKMirror.com has been secured against the ‘Janus vulnerability’ since the day it was launched.

For new apps that haven’t been posted to the web, the site tries to match signatures from existing apps to new ones. If there is a match, it signifies the key was previously used to sign a recognized legal program and is thus safe.

If they don’t find any matches to the APK submitted, they try to download and compare a version of the same software from the Play Store or another verified place. They’ll try to get into it if it’s a beta. If the team is unable to access the beta version of the application, APKMirror tries to contact the developer.

Simply put, APKMirror will not publish a new application if they are unable to verify it.

Is APKMirror able to divide APK files?

At this time, APKMirror does not enable APK splitting. This is done because APKMirror recognizes the importance of ensuring that all data is captured appropriately and that the installation process is simple for all users. All of the application’s components, including the foundation, are thus guaranteed to be present at APKMirror.

If you enjoy the newer version, you can find updates and upgrades here, as well as earlier versions to let you remove the newer version if you don’t.

Another benefit of not supporting APK splitting is that the app’s functionality will not be harmed if the apk file is destroyed because the APK file is installed in the system.

What is the best way to tell if an APK file is safe?

One of the things that makes Android such a terrific operating system is the amount of control it gives users. If you want to install apps on an iPhone or any other iOS device, however, you must either download them through the App Store, use a tool to change the phone, or jailbreak it.

This may be accomplished by copying the program to your phone, activating unknown sources in the privacy settings, then installing the APK file. However, one drawback of this level of simplicity and accessibility to sideload software is that you are always in danger of downloading potentially harmful applications to your phone.

Users of the Android operating system should download through the Google Play store because it is the safest alternative. According to research from the Android security team, if you don’t utilize Play Store, you’re more likely to have a potentially hazardous app on your smartphone.

Understanding which APKs are safe is at the heart of all precautionary procedures. There are two tests you may conduct to determine which APKs are safe:

Hash Check for Viruses

Here are a few easy ways to do the duties listed above:

1. Virus Check:

 Before extracting and installing the contents of the package onto your device, you must first check the APK file for viruses. There are a lot of third-party tools and websites that allow you to scan an APK file for viruses and other concerns.

We’ve provided two trustworthy programs below that may efficiently scan your APK file:

VirusTotal

On the VirusTotal website, you may examine your software files for viruses and other concerns.

The effectiveness of VirusTotal is often praised on the internet. It is a non-profit organization that was recently bought by Google. Data is collected from a variety of technologies and users and summarised as aggregated data.

The only limitation is that all APKs you want to scan must be under 128MB in size, therefore if you downloaded an APK for a game that has a large APK file, this utility will not be able to scan it.

To utilize VirusTotal, follow the steps below:

Go to the website.

ApkScan by NViso

NViso works similarly to VirusTotal, but the main distinction is that there is no file size limit, and you can get a full report on the file you’re working with. This puts it ahead of VirusTotal. Many forums endorse this tool, and it works rapidly and effortlessly.

Follow the steps below to use NViso:

To use ApkScan, go to the NViso website

.A drag-and-drop interface is used to navigate the site. Drag and drop the file you want to scan into the site.

Select ‘Scan package’ from the drop-down menu.

You can exit the site by entering your email address and checking the e-mail box. The findings will be sent to you through email. The results are comprehensive, beginning with a risk assessment and displaying the rights that the app requests, as well as general information like the MD5 and SHA256 hashes and file size, which can be used to verify the app’s validity.

2. Hash Check

You can double-check the app’s hash to be sure it’s the right one. You can compare the SHA of the software you have with the SHA of the app you’re looking for if the developers have made it public. If the two matches are close, you’re safe.

From Google Play, get Hash Droid.

Select ‘Hash a File’ after the software is launched.

Now choose SHA-256 from the ‘Select a hash’ menu.

Finally, click ‘Calculate’ after selecting the APK file you wish to examine.

Conclusion

Users uploaded their applications to APKMirror, which means the files might be tampered with or corrupted. However, every APK on their website has been reviewed by APKMirror to eliminate this risk. They have software that scans for dangerous activities, as well as personnel that physically inspect the app to ensure it is safe to use on your smartphone. As a result, it’s safe to state that APKMirror is one of the safest and most dependable third-party software download sites.