BlueStacks is one of the most popular Android emulators for PC , if not the most. It is something like having a virtual mobile or tablet on the PC, so that you can play mobile games from the PC, using the keyboard and mouse .
BlueStacks specializes in games, including several added advantages such as the ability to open several games at the same time , as well as a complete configuration of the controls. Here we will see how you can start using and get the most out of this Android emulator for Windows and Mac.
Download BlueStacks
The easiest and safest way to download BlueStacks is from its official website . A green Download BlueStacks button is prominently displayed there , which without intermediate steps or stories begins the download of the appropriate file for your operating system.
The minimum requirements for BlueStacks are not high . In Windows it requires Windows 7 or higher, 4 GB of RAM and 5 GB of hard disk. Mac requires Mac OS Sierra (10.12) or higher, 4 GB of RAM and 4 GB of hard disk. Obviously, the more powerful your PC is, the better, because you will get a better performance in games and, therefore, a smoother experience in them.
Install BlueStacks
From the BlueStacks website you will get the installer, which you can start just like any other application: with a double click. The installer is very simple and does not have a trap or cardboard. Press Install Now and the download will begin first, approximately 500 MB, to continue the installation.
A big advantage of BlueStacks is that it comes with Google Play out of the box , so you can download games and applications directly from the Google store. To use it you need to log in with a Google account. This step is optional, as there are other ways to install applications, as we will see below.
Install apps and games
From the factory BlueStacks comes empty except for the browser, the application to view the files and little else. There is no game installed, but you can fix that quickly. There are basically three ways to install apps and games on BlueStacks.
The traditional one is the same as on an Android mobile: from Google Play . To do this you need to be logged in with your Google account, but otherwise it is just as easy as always: you search for an application and install it. This mode has the advantage that Google Play will only show you compatible applications and that, a priori, should work well in the emulator.
BlueStacks also includes its own Application Center , which is something like a directory, list and top-ten of the applications and games on BlueStacks. Accessible from the Home tab (at the bottom), it is another way to find and install applications and games, although keep in mind that in some cases the download will take you to Google Play. That is, you will also need to log in with a Google account.
Finally, you can also install applications from APK files . In fact, after installing BlueStacks on PC, APK files will be automatically associated with BlueStacks. This means that starting the installation is as easy as double-clicking on one of these files.
Keep in mind, of course, that the APK files must be compatible with the emulator . They need to be x86 architecture and compatible with the background Android version used by BlueStacks. BlueStacks 4.0 is based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat.
Adjust the controls
After installing games and applications, opening them is as simple as clicking their corresponding icons on the Home tab. The main problem with playing mobile games on PC is that, normally, you cannot use the touch controls like on mobile. The good news is that BlueStacks ships with preconfigured controls for many popular games.
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If you plan to play PUBG or any other minimally popular game on BlueStacks, its controls are more than likely already preconfigured. You will know it because the light bulb icon is clickable and when you press it a window appears that summarizes the controls .
The preconfigured controls are usually more than enough, but you are always free to customize or adjust them. Also, you may come across games that are not pre-configured. Then you will have to create the configuration .
Setting up the game controls is not terribly difficult , although it will require a lot of trial and error. Basically, BlueStacks provides you with ten controls that you can place on the screen so that they touch or do different actions with the press of a key (or with the mouse).
That is, if in a game you need to click on a specific part of the screen to shoot, you drag the Touch point control to that place and assign it a keyboard key or a mouse click. BlueStacks is also compatible with controllers connected to the PC.
Open multiple games at the same time
One of the advantages of BlueStacks is the possibility of creating several instances, thus being able to open several games at the same time. For this you must use the Multiple Instances Manager button and create “another BlueStacks”. By having several BlueStacks, you can open different games and applications in each one.
Creating a new instance is pretty easy. You can create it from scratch or by cloning an instance that already exists (that is, with the same games and data inside). You can allocate a specified number of cores and memory to each of these instances.
Translate texts in games
If you are fond of games in languages that you do not know, this interests you. BlueStacks includes a text translator for games. To use it you must press Control + Shift + L to open a screenshot of the current game.
This screenshot includes the translated texts superimposed on the originals, trying to imitate their format. The result is not perfect, but it can help you get an idea of what is happening in the game.
Record your games
How could it be otherwise, it is possible to record your gaming sessions directly with BlueStacks. It is done with the push of a button on the toolbar, although the recorder does not come pre-installed with BlueStacks. That is, the first time you press the button, you must install the function (although it installs in a matter of seconds).
Advanced Options
BlueStacks works perfectly as is installed, but you are always free to go to the options to configure some additional aspects. For example, if you have a particularly powerful PC, you can go to the Engine section to increase the FPS or assign more cores and memory to the emulator.
BlueStacks uses a heavily modified – and trimmed – version of Android, but it’s still Android. As such, it has the entire Android settings menu for life, which you can access from the Home tab, clicking More Apps, and then the Settings icon.
From the Android settings you can check installed applications, accounts and languages or modify the system date and time, among other settings. It is not the complete list of settings that you would find in a current mobile or tablet, but something is something.
