Free tool for app development
ARC Welder is a free emulation software that lets you test and run Android applications on your desktop. ARC stands for APP Runtime Chrome. The service is specifically designed to only work with the Google Chrome web browser on multiple platforms like Apple Mac, Linux, and Microsoft Windows PC computers and laptops, or directly on a Chrome operating system.
ARC Welder does not emulate your entire Android smartphone OS onto your PC. In case you want to use an Android emulator that lets you control your Android from your PC, then BlueStacks App Player, GameLoop, MEmu and Nox App Player are ideal software to use instead of ARC.
Is ARC Welder good?
Since the main purpose of ARC Welder is to test apps, the program is good for application developers. While ARC Welder lets you use Android apps on your PC, the software does not let you install apps from the Google Play Store, and requires an APK file to run apps in the user interface.
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While ARC Welder is tailored for programmers, anyone can get value from the service since you can download files in the APK format from websites to use in the emulator. Websites like APKMirror list APK files that you can download to use like Evernote, Instagram, Snapchat, and more.
How do I get ARC Welder on Chrome?
ARC Welder is an extension that only works in the Google Chrome browser or on a Chrome OS. Since ARC is compatible with Chrome, the app will appear in the ‘Extensions’ tab after the installation. In case you want to make the service more accessible, then you can tap the pushpin image to pin the app to your icon bar at the top of the browser.
The Google Chrome extension acts as an updater since you can tap the icon to check whether you have the most recent version. ARC Welder imperatively needs to run on the latest update to work. Since the software does not get regular updates, you do not need to update the application often.
In case the time has come to get a more recent software version, then you can tap the ARC Welder extension to download the latest version. The ‘Apps’ tab is a navigator that allows you to use ARC Welder.
What is ARC Welder for Chrome?
While ARC Welder is a simple platform, the software is not lightweight in size. The user interface appears on your PC desktop screen as an elongated window that is similar to the shape of an Android screen. The commands tell you that you can test your app when you add your APK by tapping the plus sign.
ARC Welder will launch your PC directory after you click on ‘Add your APK’ to let you choose your file that you either designed yourself or got from another source like the internet. ARC Welder scans the file after you click ‘Open’ in the directory. A settings page will appear to let you customise the orientation, form factor, size, and clipboard access of your program.
ARC Welder lets you choose between ‘Download ZIP’ and ‘Test’ as the next steps in the process. The load time depends on a few factors like OS version and app size. The application that you choose to emulate will appear in the interface to let you interact with your mouse or trackpad, and keyboard keys.
The user experience is smooth and quick after you run APK files that are correctly coded. While you cannot get complete Android control with ARC Welder, you can immerse yourself into specific applications on a larger screen instead of a smaller one.
ARC Welder is the best free app for developers that want to turn APK files into a Chrome app. In case you choose the ‘Download ZIP’ option instead of ‘Test’, you can upload your program to the Chrome Web Store for people that have a Chrome OS to use.
Niche service for app developers
ARC Welder lets you test APK applications inside of a Chrome environment. ARC works with APK files that you either built or got from another resource. The service lets you download a ZIP file to upload into the Chrome store in case you want to share your project.
What’s new?
The cross-platform program has a compatibility list for a wide range of operating systems: Windows, macOS, and Linux. ARC Welder does not receive software updates on a consistent basis. The newest software release is only available for Windows device users.
