iPhone mirroring is one of my favorite Continuity features on Mac and iPhone. It lets me quickly access iOS apps on Mac without reaching for my iPhone. But what if you have an Android device? Well, PocketBar is an app that has a solution for this predicament. It lets you run Android apps on your Mac.
How is PocketBar different?
PocketBar does rely on an emulator, but it keeps the emulator out of sight. Every app you launch gets its own window and sits right next to your Mac apps like it belongs there. Just click the menu bar icon or press ⌥ Space, choose an app, and you’re good to go.
The app supports Android 11 through 16. You can grab apps from F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, and Aurora Store, or sideload an APK you already have. If you need Google Play, there’s an optional image for that, but it will eat up roughly 2GB of storage.
PocketBar also has some handy extras. Private apps can be locked behind Touch ID, your favorite app can get its own menu bar shortcut, and you can flip one switch in Settings to keep ads and trackers out of your Android apps.
Will your favorite apps work?
The developer says YouTube, Instagram, Signal, and Telegram run without problems. However, signing in to X and WhatsApp doesn’t work right now, since both apps don’t play nicely with emulators. Apps that handle your money, like banking and payment apps, may not work at all. Gamers should look elsewhere too.
How much does it cost?
PocketBar is free to try on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 or later. If you want screen recording, app backups, and unlimited menu bar pins, you can pay €9.99 once for PocketBar Pro. There’s no subscription, and you get every update in the 1.x series.
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