Simply save APKs in your Linux folder, then open Terminal and enter the “adb install filename.apk” command. Once you have ADB on your Chromebook, you can install any APK on your Chromebook. For this, you’ll need to set up ADB functionality on your Chromebook (ADB = Android Debug Bridge). Thankfully, it’s now possible to install APKs on your Chromebook without Developer mode.

While it’s possible to install APKs on your Chromebook using the Developer mode, it’s not an ideal method since it compromises your laptop’s security and files. The good news is that you can now install APKs on your Chromebook. However, there are some Android app APKs that aren’t available via the Google Play Store.

My idea: the Chromebook would need to provide an emulated USB device to the Linux VM or I could somehow setup the Chromebook Android stuff so that I could connect over a local port (TCP/IP) with adb.With the Google Play Store, downloading Android apps on your Chromebook is surprisingly easy! Thus I would be able to run my build script to run, install and launch on the Chromebook Android layer itself. What I would like to do (if it's even possible) is to access the Chromebook's Android layer via adb in the local Linux (Beta) VM.

From this shell I can install and run APK's directly on the Chromebook itself through its Android emulation layer. Parallel to this I have Android enabled on the Chromebook and set it into developer mode which lets me access adb via CROSH. From there I can install and run my test application as part of a build script. Plugging my phone into the Chromebook pops up a 'Connect to Linux' dialog which then makes it accessible via adb running in the Linux VM. Backstory: I'm developing an app on a Chromebook using the Linux (Beta) feature whereby I have VS Code, GIT and everything else installed.

Install adb on chromebook