BlueStacks is the biggest name in the emulation game. Gaming enthusiasts are still buzzing with excitement following the announcement of BlueStacks X. Meanwhile, BlueStacks 5 continues to exceed every expectation.
But BlueStacks was not always the juggernaut people know today. The cross-platform product drew interest because it promised consumers a tool that could run Android applications on computers.
The founders first demonstrated the application’s capabilities in 2011. In that same year, the company released the alpha version of the program. At the time, the emulator was simply called BlueStacks App Player.

Although, many consumers have chosen to call it BlueStacks 1. The name is fitting because this was the first iteration of the program, and it performed to the expectations of the public.
The emulator created an environment on Windows and macOS that allowed users to run Android applications. BlueStacks 1 was free to download.
You could also use it without paying any money. Although, the company kept some of the advanced features behind a paywall. Today, BlueStacks 1 is not particularly impressive.
Many modern emulators can outperform the program. But during those early days, BlueStacks 1 was the biggest name in town.

Size | 250MB |
Platform | IA-32, x86-64 |
Developed by | BlueStacks |
Founded in | 2009 |
License | Freeware |
Operating System | Windows, Mac |
Type | Android Emulator |
Features
- You can download Android OS apps within BlueStacks
- Once you download the OS apps, you can install them on a Windows machine
- You can play Android games on Windows
- You can install APK files you downloaded from other locations.
- You can edit and remove files, but only if you have root access
- You can customize the functions and user interface
It is worth noting that you have to sign in to your Google account to access Google Play Store. Interestingly enough, some people avoid BlueStacks because they don’t have Android devices.
They think that an Android device is necessary to use this program. But that is not true. All you need is an APK of the Android application you want to run. If you have a Google account, you can also download Android programs to your computer.
Yes, the emulator gives you the option of connecting your Android device to the computer. But that doesn’t mean you need an Android device to use BlueStacks.
Although, if you have experience with Android, it won’t take you quite as long to master the emulator. BlueStacks 1 will open in a separate window.
Once you launch it, you will see all the icons people associate with Android operating systems. However, in this case, you can use the mouse and keyboard to control everything.
Download BlueStacks 1 Old Version (32/64-Bit)
BlueStacks Versions | Full Setup Size | |
---|---|---|
Version: 0.9.34.4500 | 250 MB | Download |
Version: 0.9.30.4239 + ROOT | 253 MB | Download |
Version: 0.9.17.4138 + ROOT | 250 MB | Download |
Version: 0.9.8.4406 | 235 MB | Download |
Version: 0.8.1.3011 | 154 MB | Download |
Version: 0.7.14.901 | 108 MB | Download |
Download for macOS BlueStacksInstaller-0.9.21.415610 BlueStacks 5 |
BlueStacks Alternative
Android Emulator | |
---|---|
LD Player | Download |
MEmu | Download |
KOPlayer | Download |
Nox App Player | Download |
MSI Player | Download |
Leapdroid | Download |
AMIDuOS | Download |
System Requirements
BlueStacks has a reputation for being heavy. Therefore, people with weaker machines typically avoid it. However, BlueStacks 1 is much weaker than BlueStacks 5.
Therefore, the emulator is unlikely to cripple your PC.
- It needs 2GB of RAM
- 300MB of hard disk space
- 256MB video card
- 1.8GHz processor.
- BlueStacks 1 can run on Windows XP
Which is impressive because those specs cannot accommodate later versions.
The process of installing BlueStacks 1 is as straightforward as they come. The hardest part is finding a trustworthy download. You would expect consumers to get BlueStacks 1 from the official source.

But many people prefer to secure software from torrent sites, which is dangerous because it exposes your computer to malware. If you can secure a solid download, read the license agreement and accept it.
You cannot install BlueStacks until you accept the agreement. At the end of the day, the emulator will do most of the heavy lifting. Just click ‘Continue’ over and over again until you get to the ‘Install’ button.
The program will notify you when the installation is complete. You can also trust BlueStacks 1 to launch automatically. You don’t have to do anything.
In some cases, the emulator may ask you to wait a few more minutes as it makes preparations behind the scenes. But once the application launches that first time, the other launches will proceed smoothly.
You can start downloading Android applications from Google Play Store. Install them the same way you would on an Android device.
People don’t use BlueStacks 1 today. Why would anyone use this emulator when they have BlueStack 5? Even if BlueStacks 5 doesn’t work on your computer, you can use BlueStacks 4. But if you want to install BlueStacks 1 for some reason, the program is relatively easy to download and install.
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