HOW TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL (SIDELOAD) APPS FOR YOUR OUYA
OUYA doesn't make it obvious how to install apps from anywhere other than its own store, because only OUYA's apps are optimized for OUYA's controller. The company can guarantee that everything in its store will run well on an OUYA. With other apps, they might not run properly or be 100% compatible with OUYA.
Visit our MAKE page for all the download links to these apps and more
Aptoide is an Android application that let you browse and install software from many different stores. If you have an Android device (smartphone, tablet,..) you can freely use Aptoide to install applications from different sources.
DISCOVER A NEW WORLD OF ANDROID APPS
Install the best Applications;
Choose from multiple stores.
If you plan to use your OUYA's Web browser a lot, I suggest you pair a Bluetooth keyboard to your box; this makes everything easier. To do so, go to Manage > System > Advanced > Bluetooth, move once to the right, and pick Search for Devices. You'll be able to see Bluetooth mice and keyboards that you've put into pairing mode.
Amazon Appstore
You can download the Amazon Appstore directly onto your Ouya. To get the Appstore, go to Make > Software > Browser and press the "Y" button to get the status bar.
Send the Ouya's browser to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/get-appstore/android/
Wait a minute or two for the file to download.
Hit the Ouya button to pop up the menu, scroll down to Exit Browser, and hit O.
Go to Manage > System > Advanced > Storage > Downloads.
Click on icon labeled "AmazonApps" and hit O. Choose OK, and Install.
You can now launch the Amazon Appstore from Make > Software.
If you choose and download apps, they'll auto-install. You can find the games you've downloaded in Make > Software.
Of course, you can't guarantee that any Amazon apps will work with the OUYA's screen format or controller. Amazon's Free Game of the Day, Open Sea, for instance, opened in a small portrait-mode window on the screen, although I could play it with the touchpad on the OUYA controller.
Google Play and Other Sources
You can't legally load Google Play onto an OUYA. To use games from Google Play, you'll have to download them onto a Google Play-certified phone or tablet, extract them onto a PC, and then transfer them to the Ouya.
To do so, you need a file manager for the OUYA.
Go to Make > Software > Browser.
Hit the "Y" button to get the status bar, and type http://www.2shared.com/file/MpIPUN46/OUYA-FileManager-Astro.html
and hit O.
Hit the Ouya button to pop up the menu, scroll down to Exit Browser, and hit O.
Go to Manage > System > Advanced > Storage > Downloads.
Click on OUYA-FileManager and hit O. Choose OK, and Install.
Your Ouya now has a file manager. You can find it in Make > Software.
Now you need to get the APK files for the games or apps you want.
LOOK FOR OUR GAME BUDDY APP
Now, on your Ouya, launch Astro File Manager from Make > Software. Click Manage My Files, and then pick your APK from the list that appears. You should get an option to install your file.
OR
there is and Alternative...
BLAPKMARKET
All Android app for FREE
Use the USB port for the OUYA to backup and restore. You can also add and install applications with many different USB style external memory flash drives.