Want to know how to clone an app in Android? you are in the right place. Assuming you’re browsing your favorite social network when your friend asks you to use your smartphone to check their Facebook. After logging out of your account, you lend him your phone and meanwhile think it would be nice if there was a way to duplicate apps to have a copy available just in case.
What if I told you it can be done? Yes, you heard right. Today I want to explain just that. By reading my guide, in fact, you will learn how to clone an app on your smartphone, in order to have two or more copies to use with different profiles and settings. Interesting, right?
You don’t have to be tech savvy to clone any Android app. It’s easier than you think. Just follow the instructions on this post to get it done.
Preliminary Information
Before getting to the heart of the guide and explaining exactly how to clone an app, let me tell you a few words about the limitations provided for this activity.
While there is nothing illegal about cloning apps, intended as making a copy of apps to use for personal purposes on your own device, you may unknowingly break the TOS of the cloned application, i.e. its Terms of Service.
When you install and use an app, in fact, you implicitly or explicitly accept a user agreement, which regulates the use and conditions of the app itself. Before using a cloned app, therefore, be sure to read the TOS related to the latter (which are always available on the manufacturer’s website or within the application menu).
SEE ALSO: App Cloner Premium App
Also, know that not all smartphone (and tablet) operating systems make this easy – I’ll tell you more about it shortly – and that some applications, if cloned, may not work perfectly. All clear? All right, then let’s proceed.
How to Clone Apps
Having made the necessary clarifications above, let’s see how to clone applications for smartphones and tablets running Android OS.
How to Clone an App on Android
If you’re using a smartphone or tablet based on Android, the solution that’s right for you is Parallel Space Lite , available free on the Play Store, or if you use a device without Google services, also downloadable from alternative store. It is a solution designed specifically for cloning and using multiple instances of the same application.
Parallel Space Lite is free but has in-app purchases (up to 10.99 Euros) to remove ads and unlock some extra features. That said, the free version is fully functional and suitable for your purpose. There is, to tell the truth, also an alternative version of the app, called Parallel Space Pro, which however seems less stable to me and therefore I do not recommend it.
So to clone an app on Android, follow these steps;
- Install Parallel Space Lite app (install here)
- Open the app and accept all permissions
- Select Apps you want to clone and add them to parallel space
- Accept app permissions again.
- Now just tap on any app to login to duplicate account.
For example, you can use two WhatsApp accounts in same Smartphone with this trick. You can also use two different gmail apps in one device. Thanks to Parallel Space app.
More Comprehensive Explanation
At the first start, Parallel Space Lite will ask you for some permissions, so that it can perform its functions. After granting them, tap the Start button to enter the main screen, where you will find some of the most popular applications to clone: by scrolling the screen down you can still choose any of the apps on your phone.
To get started, choose at least one of the proposed apps and hit the Add to Parallel Space button, so you can move on. After a few seconds, the software will ask for permission to send some data to improve its operation: I suggest you click on Reject.
SEE ALSO: How to Create Virtual Number on WhatsApp
You should now see the list of selected apps added previously. By tapping the + button you can add new apps from the Parallel Space list.
In any case, just tap on the cloned app you want to start to start using it. In some cases, however, Parallel Space will show an error message about using 64bit apps .
In these situations, all you need to do is hit the Install button to add 64bit support. In any case, if you find it difficult to install it from the app, you can download and install it for free from the Play Store and then start Parallel Space again. Don’t worry though: 64bit support is very light and is part of the free version of Parallel Space.
Another operation I recommend you do is to enable access to Parallel Space notifications. In this way, you will be able to receive notifications of cloned apps directly from Parallel Space, without having to log into each of them every time you want to check their status. To do this, press the Enable Notifications button in the center of the app’s main screen and tap the check mark next to Parallel Space .
Now that everything is ready, you can try to start a cloned app by tapping on it. At the first start, Parallel Space will inform you of the request for permissions from the application once again which, being just installed, will need to be granted the same permissions as the original. Then tap on the Allow button , to continue, and grant the required permissions.
After about ten seconds, the cloned app will open and you can use it as an exact copy of the original. Remember that since the clone is a new installation of the original application, no previously saved preferences will be stored. You will therefore have to re-enter your data, for example your login.
Now that you’ve learned how to clone your apps, let me tell you about some additional Parallel Space features. First of all, as I told you, this software is free but shows advertisements and reserves some functions for users who decide to buy or subscribe. You can buy Parallel Space by pressing the button with a crossed-out circle icon at the top right of the main screen, choosing the subscription or purchase you prefer. In addition to having no ads, the paid version allows you to create shortcuts for the cloned apps.
Another interesting feature present in Parallel Space is the Private Installation . In fact, when you add an app to clone, you can tap on the Private Installation top menu item to install an application in this mode. By doing so, you will not clone the app in question but will only install it on Parallel Space , in order to run it in private mode without it having information on your phone.
Parallel Space also allows running a leaner version of cloned applications. You can activate this mode from the main screen of the software, by tapping on the three dots located at the top right. Now press the Quick Mode menu item and then on the switch to activate it. You can use this mode in all apps that do not use Google services , so I recommend that you try it and disable it in case of access or use problems.
Continuing with the functions of this software, I point out that you can also check the occupied space and possibly clean up the space of Parallel Space. You can check how much space the cloned apps take up, by tapping on the three dots at the top right of the main screen and then selecting the Settings and Storage items .
Once you have identified, in the proposed list, the app whose data you want to clean up, tap on it. You can now choose whether to Remove data , an operation that allows you to completely reinitialize the cloned app, or to Empty the Cache, in order to delete only the temporary files stored. Finally, you can Delete the app completely to uninstall it from Parallel Space.
Password-Protecting Your Cloned App
Finally, I want to tell you about the possibility of protecting your cloned apps with a password. From the main Parallel Space screen, tap on the three dots located at the top right and click on Password.
In the screen that opens you can choose to activate a Lock Pattern or, if your phone supports it, to activate the Fingerprint Lock.
Convenient, isn’t it?
That’s how to easily clone apps on Android without any special tech knowledge.
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