King Installer

Install packages "as Google Play Store", to work around restrictions!
Useful for Android Auto.

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Installation

1. Download and install the latest King Installer release
2. Settings => Apps
   • Special app access => All files access => KingInstaller => Check Allow access to manage all files
   • See all apps => KingInstaller => Install unknown apps => Check Allow from this source

Usage

1. If the .apk is already installed => Uninstall it first
2. KingInstaller
   • Click Select file ... => Select .apk to install
   • Optional, use maximum 1 check:
     • Check Enable if you use Oppo, Realme or OnePlus phone
     • Check Enable if you use rooted (LineageOS) phone
   • Click Install as king
     • Optional:
       • If checked Enable if you use Oppo, Realme or OnePlus phone => Select Default Package installer => Install
       • If checked Enable if you use rooted (LineageOS) phone => Grant Root access
     • Wait for text-field with .apk file-path to clear
3. Validate if package installed "as Google Play Store"

Verify app installation

To verify if the process of installing an app "as Google Play Store" went correctly, check as following:

• Settings => Apps => See all apps => Name of installed App => Store (at the bottom)
• There you should see either of following, App installed from ... messages:
  • Google Play Store - On devices with Google Play Store enabled
  • FakeStore - On devices with MicroG (Google Play Store stub)
  • license checker - On AVDs without Google Play

Notes

Make sure to enable Unknown Sources in Android Auto's Developer Settings.

King Installer only installs .apks "as Google Play Store".
So it overcomes only 1 of multiple restrictions put into place by Google.

You might still need to patch your phenotype.db with AA-Tweaker for the apps to show up in Android Auto.

If you're on MicroG, then you likely are still missing the actual phenotype.db + a .pb file,
see this fork of aa4mg for that.

Telegram - Discuss the program in the chat room

Video - Example usage

Restriction applies only to Android 11 and above.

It works in 8 out of 10 cases.
If it didn't work for you, here's a video for you about an alternative variant.

Android Auto still won't show some apps.

Some apps have additional restrictions applied on them by AA,
which leads to them still not showing up, even if "installed as Google Play Store".

To unlock these apps use the Xposed module provided by Android Auto - XLauncher Unlocked

Google Pixel Phone

For this phone you need to reinstall\update the current Google PackageInstaller, you can download the same version from ApkMirror or similar site, or you can get the apk directly from your phone using a file manager with that feature (I'm use mixplorer) then install the apk as normal and now you can use kinginstaller to install the app and will work!

ChangeLog

Rikj000 Added the root trick needed for (rooted) LineageOS phones.
Updated documentation.

fcaronte Added the oppo trick needed for Oppo/Realme/OnePlus phones.
Updated dependencies.

jen94 Corrected the paths to the files.

annexhack Initial releases