The Android Studio Emulator remains the most reliable way to run specific older versions of Android. Even in 2026, the (formerly AVD Manager) allows you to download system images for legacy APIs. How to Set Up : Install Android Studio . Open the Device Manager and click "Create Device".
SDK Manager is missing older Android System images for emulator
Genymotion is widely considered faster than the stock Android Studio emulator. It uses VirtualBox to run Android, providing a much smoother experience for older OS versions.
: It offers pre-configured virtual devices for various versions, including Android 4.0. It is highly valued by developers for its speed and ability to simulate different hardware sensors.
If you want to run Android 4.0 as a full operating system rather than just an app, you can use Oracle VM VirtualBox combined with an ISO from the Android-x86 project .
While modern versions of BlueStacks and NoxPlayer typically default to Android 9 (Pie) or higher, legacy versions of these "App Players" were built on Android 4.0.
: Nox often allows you to create "Multi-Instances" with different Android versions. Check if your version still supports adding a legacy 4.x instance. 4. VirtualBox with Android-x86 (The "Real" Experience)
In the "System Image" step, look for or 15 (Android 4.0 / 4.0.3). You may need to click the "Obsolete" checkbox in the SDK Manager to see these older images.