Android - Installing the PIA APK App

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. 

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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:

  1. Open your PIA account in the browser. Use your username and password to sign in if prompted.
Private Internet Access login screen on Chrome on an Android.
  1. Tap the three-line menu icon (☰) in the top left. 
Private Internet Access login screen on Chrome on an Android.
  1. Tap Downloads. 
Private Internet Access account dashboard on Android, showing the Subscription Overview menu. The "Downloads" option is highlighted
  1. Scroll down until you see the Mobile apps section and tap Download APK (advanced).
Private Internet Access account dashboard on Android, showing download options. The "Download APK (advanced" option is highlighted.
  1. Wait for the file to download, then tap Open. 
Prompt to open a downloaded APK file on Android, showing a highlighted "Open" button.
  1. If you see a prompt that says you cannot install unknown apps from this source, tap Settings. 
Prompt to enable permission to install unknown apps for the Chrome browser on Android. The "Settings" button is highlighted.
  1. Toggle Allow permissions on. This will allow your phone to install the APK app you just downloaded. 
Android page for installing unknown apps from the Chrome browser. The on and off toggle is highlighted.
  1. After you toggle the permissions on, you will see an installation prompt. Tap Install to continue. 
Android page for installing unknown apps from the Chrome browser, showing an installation prompt for an APK app. The "Install" button is highlighted.
  1. Wait for the APK app to install. This may take a few seconds. 
APK app being installed on an Android phone.
  1. When the installation finishes, tap Open to launch the APK app.
Prompt showing an APK app has been installed on Android, with a highlighted "Open" button.

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:

  1. Tap Downloads since the APK app should show up under recent downloads. 
My Files app on Android. The "Downloads" widget is highlighted.
  1. Tap the PIA APK app to open it, then follow the instructions above.
Recent downloads in the My Files app on Android. The Private Internet Access APK app is highlighted.

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:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Apps. 
Settings app on Android, showing a highlighted "Apps" option.
  1. Tap the three-dot menu icon (⋮) in the top right.
Apps page on Android, showing a highlighted three-dot menu icon.
  1. Tap Special access. 
Apps page on Android, showing additional settings and a highlighted "Special access" option.
  1. Scroll down and tap Install unknown apps. 
Special access window on Android, with a highlighted "Install unknown apps" option.
  1. Find the browser you used to download the PIA APK app and set the toggle to the on position. 
Install unknown apps window on Android. The on and off toggle for the Chrome browser is highlighted.

When done, find the APK app and open it to proceed with the installation.

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