How to get Android 14 on Windows and macOS today? System requirements, detailed steps, and more

Android 14 is now available in developer preview mode. Later this year, the operating system will enter multiple beta phases before a final rollout in the fall. However, it can only be accessed officially via Google Pixel devices, which is disappointing for those with Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, or Motorola phones.

However, to allow developers to optimize apps for all devices, Google lets users emulate the upcoming operating system on Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, and macOS operating systems. Hence, those willing to get their hands on Android 14 can try this method on a PC powered by any of these operating software.

In this article, we will go over how to set up the emulation to check out Android 14 on these devices.

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Emulating Android 14 on Windows, macOS, and Linux might be easier than you think

Google's upcoming smartphone OS is currently available to developers to allow them to optimize their apps and integrate support for Android 14. Some apps running on older APIs from Android 6.0 or earlier need to be rewritten to be allowed on Android 14 devices. Thus, devs have a ton of work to do.

Since the company has made the developer version of the app publicly available on the PC, enthusiasts can download and check it out early without much hassle.

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System requirements

Android Studio does not require a demanding system to run. The following are the official system requirements for the software:

Microsoft Windows

• OS: 64-bit Microsoft Windows 8/10
• CPU: x86-64 CPU architecture; 2nd generation Intel Core or newer, or AMD CPU with support for a Windows Hypervisor.Framework
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Storage: Minimum 8 GB of available disk space for IDE, Android SDK, and Android Emulator
• Monitor resolution: 1280 x 800 minimum

macOS

• OS: MacOS 10.14 (Mojave) or higher
• CPU: ARM-based chips, or Intel Core 2nd generation or newer with support for Hypervisor.Framework
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Storage: Minimum 8 GB of available disk space for IDE, Android SDK, and Android Emulator
• Monitor resolution: 1280 x 800 minimum

Linux

• OS: Any 64-bit Linux distribution that supports Gnome, KDE, or Unity DE; GNU C Library (glibc) 2.31 or later
• CPU: x86-64 CPU architecture; 2nd generation Intel Core or newer, or AMD processor with support for AMD Virtualization (AMD-V) and SSSE3
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Storage: Minimum 8 GB of available disk space for IDE, Android SDK, and Android Emulator
• Monitor resolution: 1280 x 800 minimum

Users with even the most modest PCs should be able to run Android Studio without hiccups.

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How to set up an AVD using Android Studio?

The detailed steps to do so are listed below:

Step 1. Download the latest preview build of Android Studio from the official downloads website. Ensure you opt for the Flamingo beta release.

Step 2. Install Android Studio, then launch it. Head over to Tools, then click on SDK Manager.

Step 3. The SDK Tools tab will pop up. From there, select the latest Android Emulator version (you can verify it with a quick Google search), and after reviewing the settings, hit OK.

Step 4. If the latest Android Emulator version isn't installed, the IDE will do the hard work for you. Sit back and let the download complete.

Step 5. We would like to emulate an Android device. To achieve this, we must create an Android Virtual Device (AVD) in the IDE. First, head over to Tools, then go to AVD Manager. Next, follow the on-screen prompts to finish setting up a new virtual Android device. Keep the following points in mind during this process:

1. The virtual Android device must be a compatible 64-bit Google Pixel device (Pixel 4a 5G or above).
2. Ensure you set up the device with the latest Android 14 emulator system image. If the latest version isn't installed, you can download it by clicking the button adjacent to the apt entry in the Release Name column.

Step 6. The virtual Android 14 device will now pop up in the AVD Manager. Double-click to run it. You can now check out the operating system — even install some apps and check stability — and perform basic tasks.

Android Studio is a robust development platform. Thus, users who successfully set up an AVD can do some tinkering with the upcoming Android 14 smartphone operating system. Although Google launched the service primarily to help devs get a better idea of how their app will look and perform, it doesn't hurt to use it to check out the OS.