Showbox is a popular Android-based entertainment app that offers access to the latest movies, TV shows, games, and music. The entertainment hub is available on multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices.
Since it’s now possible to run Android apps on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS using Google Chrome, PC users can enjoy free content from Showbox. This means that Chromebook users can also download and install Showbox APK on their devices.
While the method is unofficial and has a few bugs, Android apps compatibility with Chrome OS has improved greatly thanks to APK packaging tools.
To get Showbox on your Chromebook, you need to install a browser extension that will run Android APKs. Then, generate the Showbox APK on your Chromebook using twerk or on an Android device using ArChon Packager. From there, you can install and run the Showbox APK on Chrome.
In this article, we’ll discuss the steps on how to get the Showbox app for Chromebook using the ArChon Runtime extension and an APK packager (twerk or ArChon packager).
Note: Showbox is different to Showtime. If you are having problems with the latter and arrived here instead, we have an article on what to do if the Showtime app is not working.
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Is Showbox on Chromebook worth it?
Installing the Showbox app on Chromebook is a bit tricky for some people. It requires more steps compared to getting the app on your smartphone or tablet.
Nevertheless, there are countless advantages to installing the app on your Chromebook:
- Free download and streaming of a wide range of the latest movies and TV shows
- Offers content in full HD
- Users can cast Showbox content onto a TV or projector using a streaming device like Roku or Chromecast
Watching videos on your smartphone doesn’t exactly spell out a memorable movie night. If you’d like to take your home entertainment experience to the next level, follow the steps in the next section.
How to install Showbox on Chromebook
While most Chromebooks support Android apps and Google Play Store, there are a few older Chrome devices that don’t have this feature.
Before getting started, make sure that your Chromebook supports Android apps.
Step 1: Install ArChon Runtime
To run Showbox on your Chromebook, you need to install ARChon Runtime, a browser extension that lets users run Android APKs on Chrome.
- Download the compatible ARChon Runtime version (32-bit or 64-bit) compatible with your Chromebook. Unzip the file once it’s downloaded.
- Navigate to Menu > More Tools > Extensions on Chrome. Enable Developer Mode.
- Click Load unpacked extension, then select the folder containing ARChon Runtime.
ARChon Runtime will now appear as an extension on Chrome.
Step 2: Generate Showbox APK
There are two ways to get Android apps on your Chromebook. Keep in mind that these are unofficial methods and may not work on all Android apps on your Chrome OS.
One way is to download an APK from the web and convert it using twerk. Note that there are piracy and legality issues concerning paid apps APKs on the web.
Another method is to use the application on your Android device with the help of an APK packager like ARChon Packager.
Option 1: Use twerk on your Chromebook
Twerk is a Chrome-based conversion tool for APK files. This method is the most convenient for Chromebook users.
Use twerk to unpackage APKs on your Chromebook:
- Download twerk from the Google Chrome Web Store on your Chromebook.
- Launch the app and drop your downloaded Showbox APK package. Enter an app name and a package name. Make sure not to include ‘.apk’ in the package file name extension.
- Set your app preferences using the sliders (layout, landscape or portrait mode, toggle scaling, SD support, offline functionality).
- Tap the pink Android icon to get the unpackaged extension.
Option 2: Use ArChon Packager on your Android
ARChon Packager is an Android-based conversion tool.
You can use your Android tablet or smartphone to unpackage APKs and save it to your device storage. After downloading the Showbox app on your phone or tablet, use ARChon Packager to generate the APK from the installed app:
- Download ARChon Packager from the Google Play Store on your Android device.
- Launch ARChon Packager, then tap next. Select your desired application then tap Next.
- Select your desired preferences and settings then tap Next.
- Plug in your Android device to your Chromebook and copy the ZIP file from the ChromeAPKS folder from your Android. Paste the file onto your Chromebook. Extract the ZIP file on your Chromebook. Alternatively, you can save the ZIP file on Google Drive or send it via Email. Download the file on your Chromebook.
Step 3: Install Showbox APK
Now that you have the unpackaged Showbox APK on your Chromebook, you can install it the same way that you installed ARChon Runtime in Step 1.
- Launch Chromeo and navigate to Menu > More Tools > Extensions.
- Click Load unpackaged extensions and select the folder with your downloaded app extension.
- Click Open –– you can now run Showbox app on your Chromebook
Step 4: Run Showbox APK
To easily run the Showbox app on your Chromebook, navigate to the Chrome apps shortcut on your bookmarks bar. If it’s not yet enabled, right-click on the bookmarks bar and select Show apps shortcut.
You can also run the Showbox app by typing chrome://apps on Chrome.
Conclusion
Since Showbox is not officially supported on Chrome OS, you will need to follow comprehensive steps to run the Showbox APK on Chromebook. While the instructions may seem complicated, follow our step-by-step guide and you’ll successfully get the app on your Chromebook.
To run Showbox on Chrome OS, you need to install an APK runner. ARChon Runtime is a popular and reliable platform that allows users to run unlimited Android APKs on Chrome.
Once ARChon Runtime is installed, generate the Showbox APK using twerk, a Chrome-based APK packager, or ARChon Packager, an Android-based APK packager. Use these packagers with caution as some paid app APKs have piracy issues.
Once you have the unpackaged extension, extract the file on your Chromebook and install the extension on Chrome.
You can now enjoy the latest movies, TV shows, games, and music on Showbox APK on Chromebook.