Installing Phone Apps on the Google Nexus 7

Posted 27th Jul 2012

So you’ve got a shiny new Nexus 7, but you’ve just found out that your favourite app doesn’t support the tablet. Normally this would be a disaster, but given the small size of the Nexus 7 the tablet can run phone apps just fine. I’ll show you a technique to move an app from your phone and install it onto your Nexus 7.

Before we begin I ask you not to do this as it is pirating and screws up the download statistics for the app. And for the sake of the app developers, never share paid-for apps.

What you’ll need

A rooted Android device capable of running your app
A tablet (doesn’t have to be rooted)
Titanium Backup Pro
ES File Explorer on both devices

Copy the app

On your phone open Titanium Backup, tap ‘Backup/Restore’, tap your chosen app and click ‘Backup!’. This will not only make a copy of the app, but all of it’s associated data, so you may want to tap ‘Wipe data’ first, but you can wipe it when it’s installed on your tablet.

Transfer

The Titanium backups are stored in /sdcard/TitaniumBackup/. Titanium generates 3 files, you’re looking for the one with the extension ‘apk.gz’. You can either connect your phone via USB and transfer it, but I find it’s easier to do it directly via Bluetooth.

Installing

On your tablet open ES File Explorer, navigate to the app you just transferred. You don’t need to extract it, just tap on the file and again on the .apk file to install it.

And it’s as simple as that! Leave a comment if you’ve had successes or problems.

hatietz

Does it mean with this trick i can turn nexus 7 into a smart phone without using the internet?
cking24343

Titanium Backup requires your device to be rooted. This is necessary. You can use this link: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.infolife.appbackup&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsIm1vYmkuaW5mb2xpZmUuYXBwYmFja3VwIl0)
instead to backup apps on your phone. You don’t need to have a rooted device.