# Android emulator servers: connect and run your first emulator > Start with a HyperDC Android GPU server: connect with Remote Desktop or SSH, launch BlueStacks, LDPlayer, NoxPlayer or MEmu, set resources, keep apps running. Difficulty: Beginner A HyperDC **Android GPU server** is a Windows or Linux server prepared for Android emulators such as **BlueStacks, LDPlayer, NoxPlayer and MEmu**. Your apps run in the emulator around the clock, and you reach them from any computer instead of keeping phones or a desktop PC switched on. This guide gets you from the welcome email to a running emulator. ## Before you start - The connection details from your welcome email. - On Windows servers: a Remote Desktop client; see [first steps on a Windows server](/guides/windows-server-first-steps-rdp). - On Linux servers: SSH; see [Android Emulator on a Linux server](/guides/android-emulator-on-linux). - The list of apps you want to run and how many instances you need. ## Step 1: Connect to the server - **Windows:** connect with Remote Desktop using the address and the account from the welcome email, then change the password. - **Linux:** connect over SSH; see [Android Emulator on a Linux server](/guides/android-emulator-on-linux) for the headless setup and for viewing the screen from your computer. ## Step 2: Start the emulator If you named your emulator when you ordered, it is prepared on the server: start it from the desktop or the Start menu. To install a different emulator, download it **only from the maker's official website** and run the installer: | Emulator | Official website | |---|---| | BlueStacks | bluestacks.com | | LDPlayer | ldplayer.net | | NoxPlayer | bignox.com | | MEmu | memuplay.com | Emulators need hardware virtualization, which the server provides. BlueStacks notes that recent versions run whether Hyper-V is turned on or off, and that its website installs the matching build automatically. **Verify:** the emulator starts to the Android home screen. ## Step 3: Set CPU, memory and display In the emulator's settings, give each instance enough, but not more than the server has: - **CPU cores and memory:** start with the emulator's recommended values and raise them for heavy apps. - **Graphics renderer:** emulators let you switch between rendering modes (for example DirectX and OpenGL); if an app shows graphics errors, try the other mode. - **Resolution and frame rate:** lower values save resources when you run many instances. Restart the instance after changing these settings. ## Step 4: Install your apps Sign in with a Google account in the Play Store inside the emulator, or install an APK file through the emulator's APK installer. Install apps only from sources you trust. ## Step 5: Keep it running - **Disconnect, do not sign out.** Close the Remote Desktop window to leave the emulator running; signing out closes it. See [Remote Desktop users and sessions](/guides/windows-remote-desktop-users). - **Plan restarts.** Windows updates can restart the server. Set updates to download only and install them in a maintenance window ([fix Windows Update problems](/guides/fix-windows-update-problems)). - **Start after a restart:** to have Windows sign in automatically and start the emulator, Microsoft's Sysinternals **Autologon** tool configures automatic sign-in (anyone who can restart the server then gets that session, so use a dedicated account), and the emulator's own setting or the Windows Startup folder starts it. ## Troubleshooting **The emulator says virtualization is disabled or will not start.** See [Android emulator troubleshooting](/guides/android-emulator-troubleshooting). **An app refuses to run in the emulator.** Some apps detect emulators. Check the app's terms of service; there is no server-side setting that changes this. **Everything is slow with many instances.** Each instance needs its own CPU and memory; see [run many emulator instances](/guides/run-many-emulator-instances). ## Next steps - Several apps or accounts at once: [run many emulator instances](/guides/run-many-emulator-instances). - Problems: [Android emulator troubleshooting](/guides/android-emulator-troubleshooting). ## Frequently asked questions ### Which emulators can I use? BlueStacks, LDPlayer, NoxPlayer, MEmu and other popular Android emulators. Tell us which one you use when you order, and the server is prepared for it. ### Will every Android app run in an emulator? Most do, but some, such as certain banking apps and games with anti-cheat systems, detect emulators and refuse to run. Test the apps you depend on, and use them in line with their terms of service. ### Do the apps keep running when I close Remote Desktop? Yes, if you disconnect. Closing the Remote Desktop window keeps your session and the emulator running; signing out of Windows closes them. ### Can I run emulators on a VDS or nested dedicated server? Yes. Emulators need hardware virtualization, which VDS plans and nested dedicated servers provide. Graphics-heavy apps need more resources, so test your apps first. --- Source: \ Updated: 2026-10-15