There are several reasons for emulating Android on a PC or Mac. It's often easier to test apps on a desktop than a mobile device, and for everyone else there's the appeal of being able to play mobile games on a much larger screen. Indeed, gaming is the most common reason for emulating Android on a desktop computer, though you can also use an emulator to run any app from the Google Play Store. For example, running the Instagram app in an emulator makes it possible to – something that's otherwise impossible. With that in mind, here are the best emulators to bring Android to your desktop 1.

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A superb emulator that brings Android games to your desktop is perhaps the best-known Android emulator, and it's hardly surprising given its quality and reliability. BlueStacks has been designed with ease of use in mind, and looks and feels just like Android on a tablet or smartphone. There are free and paid-for versions available. The free one includes some ads and the occasional sponsored app, but these are pretty discreet. BlueStacks is primarily about games and the interface is essentially a front end for downloading and installing them, but it's also possible to visit the Google Play Store and search for other apps.

If you want to add apps and games from other sources, you have the option of using standalone APK files. Performance is decent assuming your hardware is reasonably powerful, making this a great way to bring Android to the big screen. A free emulator that lets you sideload apps from outside Google Play Like BlueStacks App Player, is a fast, slick Android emulator for PC and Mac.

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If you're planning to use Nox for gaming, you'll be pleased to learn that you can use your favorite gamepad, and you have the option of mapping keys or buttons to perform various Android gestures. The emulator is based on Android 4.4.2, which is rather old, but this shouldn't be a problem for most apps. Nox gives you a stock version of Android, and while it's designed with gamers in mind, you can install other apps from the Google Play Store too. Nox is completely free, but it includes a number of great extras accessible from a vertical toolbar on the right-hand side of the window. Here you'll find screenshot and video recording shortcut, a link to a macro record, and the option to install software from APKs obtained from outside of Google Play. An older Android emulator, but one that lets you run multiple instances Another Android emulator designed with gaming in mind, has two modes: Speed and Compatibility. It makes sense to try the Speed option first to maximize game performance, but if you run into problems, you still have Compatibility option to fall back on.

KOPLAYER also has a rather neat Multi Manager tool that lets you run two or more instances of the emulator at once. Unfortunately, KOPLAYER is a bit hit and miss, and sometimes crashes even in Compatibility mode. It hasn't been updated for a year, but if you do get it running on your hardware, you're in for a treat.