Unofficially it’s now possible to run almost any Android app in Chrome on Windows, Mac and Linux and on Chromethedrawback for most being that it is little fiddly to get set up.
Developers, ever an enterprising and problem-solving bunch, have been remedying this, creating a set of tools that simplify the process of packaging apps into a Chrome-compatible format.
If you read this article on the Chrome APK Packager and thought: “Hey! That looks great…but I don’t use Android…” don’t fret: there’s a solution at hand.
Twerk is a desktop Chrome App that converts an Android .apk file for use on Chrome through the ARChon or official Google runtime plugin. Using it couldn’t be easier.
Using Twerk
First, drag and drop an Android .apk file from your desktop into the main Twerk window.
Next, enter an app name, choose an icon from your hard drive and set your preferences for how the app should run (portrait mode, tablet mode, etc.) using the sliders.
Finally, tap the pink Android button and a neat, runtime-ready bundle is spat out at the other end, ready to be installed as an unpacked extension.
The settings on offer are suitably comprehensive too, letting you:
- Set custom name and icon
- Package for ‘Archon’ or official runtime
- Set tablet or mobile layout
- Set landscape or portrait mode
- Toggle scaling (may prevent some apps working)
- Toggle SD Card support
- Set offline functionality
Download Twerk for Chrome
Twerk is also one of the first Chrome Apps that makes such heavy use of Google’s Material Design language and Polymer web elements.
Want it? You can have it! Twerk is available from the the Chrome Web Store, where it’ll cost you zilch but save you plenty of time.
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