How do you install an APK file in the Android emulator?

You can simply drag and drop the .apk file of your application to the emulator and it will automatically start installing.

Another option:

Windows:

1. Execute the emulator (SDK Manager.exe->Tools->Manage AVDs...->New then Start)
2. Start the console (Windows XP), Run -> type cmd, and move to the platform-tools folder of SDK directory.
3. Paste the APK file in the 'android-sdk\tools' or 'platform-tools' folder.
4. Then type the following command.

adb install [.apk path]

Example:

adb install C:\Users\Name\MyProject\build\Jorgesys.apk

Linux:

1. Copy the apk file to platform-tools in the android-sdk linux folder.
2. Open Terminal and navigate to platform-tools folder in android-sdk.
3. Then Execute this command -

./adb install FileName.apk

4. If the operation is successful (the result is displayed on the screen), then you will find your file in the launcher of your emulator.

Mac:

PATH=$PATH:~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

Example : PATH=$PATH:/users/jorgesys/eclipse/android-sdk-mac_64/tools

Then run adb.

Mac:

1.Run the emulator,

2.then copy your .apk file and paste into /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools,
if you are not able to find sdk path in your mac system, do the following steps: Open finder->select Go option on top menu -> select Go to Folder option -> it will popup a window with a textfield: /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/ -> now open platform-tools folder and paste your copied .apk file,

3. Now open the terminal and type the following: cd Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

4. execute the following in your terminal: ./adb install yourapkfilename.apk if you get the following error message: error: no devices found - waiting for device, follow step 5.

5. Run your emulator from Android Studio, once emulator active then repeat step 4, you will see the success message on your terminal.

If you've created more than one emulators or if you have an Android device plugged in, adb will complain with

error: more than one device and emulator

adb help is not extremely clear on what to do:

-d                        - directs command to the only connected USB device...
-e                        - directs command to the only running emulator...
-s <serial number>        ...
-p <product name or path> ...

The flag you decide to use has to come before the actual adb command:

adb -e install path/to/app.apk

Nowadays, you can simply drag and drop the Android apk to the emulator and it will automatically starts installing.