Mac.apk is an early-stage, open source project that runs Android apps natively on Apple Silicon Macs. It uses no emulator, virtual machine or Linux layer. Instead, apps launch as ordinary macOS processes, draw through the Mac's GPU, and execute on the CPU at native speed. They appear in the Dock, get their own windows with a back button beside the traffic lights, and follow the Mac's light and dark appearance.
Mac.apk is still in alpha. Some apps run beautifully, some run partially, and some do not run yet. The project implements the Android application environment directly on top of macOS, and it improves with each build. A compatibility list shows every app tested by hand.
The system requires macOS 26.4 (Tahoe) or newer, with macOS 27 supported from version 1.0.1702. Intel Macs are not supported. Mac.apk itself takes about 280 MB, and each installed app takes roughly 1.5 to 3 times its APK size. Installation involves downloading the disk image, launching the runtime, and setting Mac.apk as the default handler for .apk files. The first launch of a large app can take up to a minute while Mac.apk prepares it.
Users should note that an app's saved data lives inside its own bundle, so dragging an app to the Trash deletes its saves. Uninstalling through the Mac.apk control panel is the safer route. Mac.apk serves no ads and supports no in-app purchases. The core software is open source under the GNU AGPL v3.0, with a commercial license available, and the project is provided with no warranty. Users are responsible for the third-party APKs they load.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing