Sideloading

Common card · No. 255196

Sideloading is the process of transferring files between two local devices, in particular between a personal computer and a mobile device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet, portable media player or e-reader. Sideloading typically refers to media file transfer to a mobile device via USB, Bluetooth, WiFi or by writing to a memory card for insertion into the mobile device, but also applies to the transfer of apps from web sources that may not be vendor-approved. When referring to Android apps, "sideloading" typically means installing an application package in APK format onto an Android device. Such packages are usually downloaded from websites or app stores other than the official app store Google Play. For Android users sideloading of apps is only possible if the user has allowed "Install apps from unverified developers" in their settings. However, as of March 2026 Google plans to prevent side-loading apps onto certified devices from developers not approved by the company, starting...

Read on Wikipedia