docs/html/preview/run-app.jd

page.title=Run Your App on the N Preview
meta.keywords="preview", "android"
page.tags="preview", "developer preview"
page.image=images/cards/card-n-sdk_2x.png

@jd:body

<div id="qv-wrapper">
  <div id="qv">
  <ol>
  <li><a href="#setupAVD">Set up a Virtual Device</a></li>
  <li><a href="#setup-device">Set Up a Hardware Device</a></li>
</ol>
  </div>
</div>

<p>If you have an existing Android app and you simply want to run it on the N
Preview system image, then you need either a virtual device or a supported
hardware device configured with N Preview system image.</p>

<p>Simply installing your app onto the N Preview this way does not require
any changes to your app source code. If, however, you want to update your
app to use new APIs in the N Preview and new language features of Java 8,
then you need to download Android Studio 2.1 (preview) as described in
<a href="{@docRoot}preview/setup-sdk.html">Set Up to Develop for the
N Preview</a>.

<p>So, although Android Studio 2.1 is required for development with N Preview
APIs, you can use Android Studio 1.5 or higher if you simply want to run your
app in the emulator or a connected device.</p>


<h2 id="setupAVD">Set up a Virtual Device</h2>

<p>To use the Android Emulator to run the N Preview you need to download
the Android N Preview SDK and create a virtual device for the emulator.
</p>

<p>First, downloaded the Android N Preview SDK as follows (if you
already got it while <a href="{@docRoot}preview/setup-sdk.html">setting up
Android Studio 2.1</a>, you can skip this part):

<ol>
  <li>In Android Studio, open the Settings dialog
    (<strong>File &gt; Settings</strong> on Windows/Linux, or
    <strong>Android Studio &gt; Preferences</strong> on Mac). In the left
    panel, select <strong>Appearance &amp; Behavior &gt;
  System Settings &gt; Android SDK</strong>.

  <li>Click the <strong>SDK Platforms</strong> tab, then select the
  <strong>Android N Preview</strong> check box.</li>

  <li>Click the <strong>SDK Tools</strong> tab, then select the
    <strong>Android SDK Build Tools</strong>, <strong>Android SDK
    Platform-Tools</strong>, and <strong>Android SDK Tools</strong> check
    boxes.
  </li>

  <li>Click <strong>OK</strong> and accept the license
    agreements for any packages to be installed.
  </li>
</ol>


<p>Now create a virtual device with the N Preview system image:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Open the AVD Manager by selecting <strong>Tools > Android >
    AVD Manager</strong>.</li>
  <li>Click <strong>Create Virtual Device</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select a device such as Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, or Android TV,
    then click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select the <strong>N</strong> system image (with the
    <strong>x86</strong> ABI), then click <strong>Next</strong>.
  <li>Complete the rest of the AVD configuration and click
    <strong>Finish</strong>.</li>
</ol>

<p>You can now launch the Android Emulator with the Android N Preview AVD.</p>

<p>For more information about creating virtual devices, see <a href=
  "{@docRoot}tools/devices/index.html">Managing Virtual Devices</a>.
</p>



<h2 id="setup-device">Set Up a Hardware Device</h2>

<p>If you have a Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Pixel C, or Nexus Player, you can
install the N Preview for testing your app.</p>

<p class="caution">
  <strong>Important:</strong> Installing a preview image on a device
  <em>removes all data from it</em>, so you should backup any data before
  installing a preview image.
</p>

<p><strong>TODO(smain/joefernandez): Merge as appropriate with <a href=
"{@docRoot}preview/download.html">Image Downloads and OTA
Updates</a>.</strong></p>