Is BlueStacks safe?

BlueStacks first launched in 2009, ushering in a new era of accessibility with the ability to play mobile games on larger screens. However, there seems to be some confusion about whether this app is actually safe to use or not, with some social media users claiming that the software gave their computer a virus or was flagged by their antivirus app.

With this in mind, we decided to test the app for ourselves and see once and for all whether BlueStacks is really safe to use.

What problems are people experiencing with BlueStacks?

We began by collecting reports of users who claimed BlueStacks had infected their system, was flagged as a threat by their antivirus, or otherwise caused their PC to act like one infected by malware. This allowed us to collate a list of symptoms to see whether BlueStacks could feasibly cause them. The main list of complaints is as follows:

  • Antivirus app quarantining some of BlueStack’s files
  • Sudden device crashes or Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
  • Third-party accounts (Microsoft and Steam) were hacked shortly after installing BlueStacks
  • Computer slows to a crawl with BlueStacks installed

Now, Bluestacks employees are quite active on social media. In each reported incident, they responded to the complainant, offering assistance, with the reassurance that their app is completely safe to use. They do, however, mention that some files may be flagged incorrectly by certain antivirus software. In our experience, this is a possibility when installing emulation software and doesn’t inherently mean that the program is harboring a virus.

Testing BlueStacks for ourselves

BlueStacks addressed some of the problems mentioned above, but not others, such as the sudden crashes and drastic PC slowdown. For that reason, we decided to install BlueStacks for ourselves, play a few games, and see if we encountered any issues.

First, we began by downloading BlueStacks from the official website. Remember: you cannot verify the safety of BlueStacks if you download it from anywhere else. Cybercriminals have long been known to repackage popular apps with malware to snare users who grab files from third-party sites.

Screenshot of BlueStacks pause antivirus message
BlueStacks’ installer specifically mentions that some antivirus apps may cause problems during installation. This isn’t particularly noteworthy for an emulator, so don’t let it scare you.

Once installed, we decided to scan BlueStacks’ installation folder using Windows Defender. It didn’t detect any threats, though it’s possible other antivirus apps would. For that reason, we also tested the BlueStacks installer on VirusTotal. None of the other antivirus programs noticed anything suspicious, so we’re off to a good start. The installer also provided a link to the BlueStacks’ terms of service – more on this later.

Screenshot of BlueStacks MS Defender results
Window’s built-in security system didn’t find anything unusual in BlueStacks
Screenshot of Bluestack's VirusTotal results
Our VirusTotal scan came back clear, with just three of the 30+ antivirus companies unable to process the file (which doesn’t mean that there was anything untoward, just that they can’t scan .exe files)

So far, we haven’t seen anything to indicate that BlueStacks is actually malicious, so it seemed like a good time to actually run the app. BlueStacks requires users to sign in with their Google account since most apps come from the Google Play Store. Rather than risk a genuine account with all of the attached payment and transaction information, we created a new Google account directly within the BlueStacks app.

Screenshot of the Google account creation process
BlueStacks actually allows you to create a new Google account in case you’re worried about having an existing account compromised.

Testing games

Once we were all signed up and logged in, we decided to test one of the trending games, Echocalypse: Scarlet Covenant, which had more than a million downloads. This ran perfectly well, and we didn’t notice any slowdown, stuttering, or other performance issues while playing.

Screenshot of a game being played on Bluestacks
This game ran without any noticeable problems, suggesting that the reported crashes and performance issues aren’t inherent to the BlueStacks software itself

Until now, we’ve had a perfectly good experience with BlueStacks. How, then, do we account for the issues other people have reported?

Potential causes for problems reported by BlueStacks users

Troubleshooting computer problems can be tricky, given the many potential causes. It’s no surprise, then, that people often blame the app they most recently installed for any given issue. Assuming users actually did experience slowdown, the most likely culprit would be older or outdated hardware that can’t keep up with BlueStacks’ system requirements. Crashes and BSODs are far harder to diagnose, but could feasibly be caused by outdated graphics drivers or some other mismatch between what the system expects and what is actually happening. Suffice it to say, BlueStacks is unlikely to be the culprit.

Arguably the most serious claim is that users had their Microsoft and Steam accounts hacked shortly after installing BlueStacks. Given that no major antivirus detected any kind of spyware or keylogger in this app, we’re presented with three potential causes: the account hacking happened coincidentally, unrelated to BlueStacks, the user downloaded a shady version of BlueStacks from an unofficial source, or it happened as a result of a malicious app that the user installed in BlueStacks. We know that malware-laden apps are very much present in the Google Play Store, and it’s possible users happened to install one that led to their accounts being compromised.

How to stay safe while using BlueStacks

While there’s no way to guarantee that the apps you install using BlueStacks are safe, we can take certain steps to reduce your exposure. Simply follow these guidelines and you should be able to game as much as you like, without worrying about account compromises or malware:

  • Download BlueStacks from the official website and nowhere else
  • Create a new Google account specifically for use with BlueStacks
  • Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for any important accounts
  • Don’t link any payment information. If you want to purchase something, use a one-time payment method like a Google Play giftcard.
  • Never install apps from third-party sources unless you’re willing to accept the risks
  • Don’t install games based on Google’s or BlueStacks’ suggestions – research and verify that each title is genuine and malware-free before installing it.
  • Turn on your browser’s Do Not Track function and consider using a Virtual Private Network to hide your real location and IP address
  • Make sure to use strong, unique passwords and perform regular virus scans. This should help limit the consequences if you do happen to install something malicious.

What personal information does BlueStacks collect?

BlueStack’s terms of service and privacy policy explain exactly what kind of data it collects, what that data is used for, and who this information is shared with. By simply using this app, you consent to having BlueStacks store:

  • Personal info provided during registration (your name and email address)
  • Usage activity for the service’s recommendation algorithm (eg. which games you like)
  • Technical information about your computer, apps, and peripherals (including your operating system version, graphics card model, and unique device identifiers)
  • Your IP address
  • User ID and event info, such as whether an app run successfully or crashed
  • Transaction timestamps and purchase history
  • Unspecified metadata about your Android apps and how you interact with them
  • Location data for games that require GPS or are region-locked
  • Tracking cookies that can follow your activity across other websites

That’s a fair amount of information but overall, this privacy policy is fairly typical. The company does admit that it might sell or share this information, though only if it’s anonymized and impossible to link back to a specific user. To its credit, BlueStacks also explains that users in the EU, California, and Nevada have enhanced data protection rights and stresses that the company will not discriminate against you if you choose to use them.

BlueStacks FAQs

Is BlueStacks actually safe to use?

According to our tests, BlueStacks itself is completely safe to use and doesn’t contain any malware, provided you download it from the official website. That said, we’d suggest you create a new Google account specifically for using this service, and thoroughly vet any apps you’re considering. BlueStacks is safe but not everything on the Google Play store is.

Is BlueStacks legal?

BlueStacks is 100 percent legal. It emulates a device running the Android operating system, which is itself open-source. It’s not some shady app that has managed to slip beneath the radar. This app has been around for more than a decade and collaborated with major companies like AMD and MSI. Needless to say, these organizations wouldn’t knowingly work with a service that breaks the law, so if you want to play mobile games on PC, then you’re in the clear.

Can I get banned for playing games via BlueStacks?

This really depends on the game you’re playing and how you use BlueStacks. Some games forbid the use of emulators outright, which could lead to your account being banned (though it’s far from a certainty that they’ll even be able to detect an emulator). Other games are completely fine with BlueStacks, though they may ban people who use the macro feature to save time or gain an unfair advantage. Old School Runescape, for instance, has a strict no-macro rule but no problem with people playing on emulators such as BlueStacks.

Related: VPNs for Bluestacks