Installing Android apps directly via sideloading is a great way to get apps without relying on the Google Play Store. Sideloading boosts your privacy because you can install apps without tying them to your Google account. Sideloading also helps you circumvent Google censorship because you can often sideload apps that have been banned from the Google Play Store or sideload versions of apps that aren't subject to Google's in-app censorship rules.
Keep reading to discover how to find apps that can be sideloaded and how to install them on your Android device.
There are two main file formats that can be sideloaded – Android Packages (APKs) and Android App Bundles (AABs).
APKs are the oldest and most common format. They're easy to install and can be sideloaded directly. They use the ".apk" file extension.
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