NetShort
Top pickOur starting recommendation. A larger install at ~104MB, and the catalogue is broad enough that most people find something on the first evening.
v2.2.7103.93MB
How to Install an APK on Android
The permission prompt, the install, and what to do if it fails
Android will not install an APK from your browser or file manager until you allow that specific app to do so. This is a per-app permission, not a global switch, and modern Android prompts for it at the moment you need it.
The sequence
Download the APK, then open it. Android will say the source is not allowed and offer a link to settings. Grant install permission to whichever app you opened the file from — usually your browser or your file manager — then return and confirm the install.
- Download the APK file.
- Open it from your browser downloads or file manager.
- When Android blocks it, follow the prompt to settings and allow that app to install unknown apps.
- Go back and confirm the install.
Grant the permission to the right app
The permission attaches to the app doing the opening, not to the APK. If you downloaded in Chrome but opened the file in a file manager, it is the file manager that needs permission. This trips up more installs than anything else.
Turn it back off if you like
The permission stays granted until you revoke it. If you only install occasionally, revoking it afterwards costs you nothing and keeps the surface small.
Frequently asked
Common questions
Does installing an APK need root?
No. Root is a separate thing entirely. Installing an APK needs only the install-unknown-apps permission for the app you open the file with.
Will the app update itself afterwards?
Not through the Play Store. A sideloaded build does not receive Play Store updates, so you update it by installing a newer build the same way.
Where to start
Apps that unlock episodes
Our pick first, then one of each unlock method.
Premium Unlocked
Premium Unlocked
One of the lighter installs at ~71MB, from Storymatrix. Quick to try if you are on a metered connection and not sure yet what you like.
v6.3.171.40MB
Premium Unlocked
From HaloFun, mid-sized at ~78MB. A reasonable second app once you have exhausted a first one.
v2.6378.44MB