How to install AndroidSevenFull.apk as a new VM to supplant the provided Android OS?

Discussion in 'Other Virtual machines' started by JustinPS, Mar 3, 2014.

  1. JustinPS

    JustinPS Bit poster

    Messages:
    3
    I recently bought an android OS (AndroidSevenFull.apk) and would like to install it to supplant the restrictive free Android VM that can be dlownloaded in the Parallels 9 setup. This file is not a disk image so I can't use the usual new VM wizard. I would appreciate any suggestions as I have not been able to find this question addressed in the forum archives or in the knowledgebase.
    Thank you,
    Justin
     
  2. Maheesh@Parallels

    Maheesh@Parallels Parallels Support Parallels Support

    Messages:
    377
    Hello JustinPS,

    Android Operating System is not completely compatible in Parallels Desktop and also it is not possible to convert .APK to .PVM formt.

    The download which is provided along with Parallels Desktop 9 is an Experimental VM, which is for testing purpose

    Thanks,
    Maheeshwar
     
  3. DanielB112

    DanielB112 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    Interesting setup, but there's a key limitation here you can't install an .apk file as a full operating system or VM. APK files are just Android app packages, not disk images or bootable systems. That's why Parallels (or any VM software) won't recognize it in the "new VM" wizard.

    If your goal is to replace the default Android VM, you'll need a proper Android OS image (like .iso, .img, or .ova). Options like Android-x86 or similar builds are usually what people install in VMs.

    A few suggestions:

    • Look for a full Android OS build (ISO/IMG), not APK
    • Use Parallels' custom VM setup and load that image
    • If the APK is part of a larger package, check if there's a system image included
    • Alternatively, use an Android emulator instead of replacing the VM
    So basically, the issue isn't your method it's the file type itself.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 30, 2026 at 5:11 PM

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