If you are unable to install the Private Internet Access (PIA) app from the Google Play Store, you can manually download and install the APK (Android Package Kit) app from the web directly to your Android phone. This guide shows you how to do this.
Jump To…
- How to Install the PIA APK App
- How to Manually Open the PIA APK App
- How to Enable the Install unknown apps Permission
How to Install the PIA APK App
Important: For safety reasons, PIA does not recommend downloading its APK app from third-party sources.
To install the PIA APK app, follow these steps:
- Open your PIA account in the browser. Use your username and password to sign in if prompted.
- Tap the three-line menu icon (☰) in the top left.
- Tap Downloads.
- Scroll down until you see the Mobile apps section and tap Download APK (advanced).
- Wait for the file to download, then tap Open.
- If you see a prompt that says you cannot install unknown apps from this source, tap Settings.
- Toggle Allow permissions on. This will allow your phone to install the APK app you just downloaded.
- After you toggle the permissions on, you will see an installation prompt. Tap Install to continue.
- Wait for the APK app to install. This may take a few seconds.
- When the installation finishes, tap Open to launch the APK app.
If the installation has been successful, the PIA Android app should open.
To start using the VPN, log into your PIA account, grant any requested permissions, and decide whether you want to allow the PIA app to send you notifications.
How to Manually Open the PIA APK App
If the APK app installation window does not appear or you accidentally close it, you can manually start the installation process by navigating to your files folder. Once there:
- Tap Downloads since the APK app should show up under recent downloads.
- Tap the PIA APK app to open it, then follow the instructions above.
Note: The guide above uses a Samsung phone and its My Files app, so steps may vary if you use a different type of phone or file manager. But you should still be able to find the PIA APK app in your downloads folder.
How to Enable the Install Unknown Apps Permission
If the unknown sources prompt does not appear or you accidentally close the window, follow these steps to manually toggle on the permission:
- Navigate to Settings > Apps.
- Tap the three-dot menu icon (⋮) in the top right.
- Tap Special access.
- Scroll down and tap Install unknown apps.
- Find the browser you used to download the PIA APK app and set the toggle to the on position.
When done, find the APK app and open it to proceed with the installation.