Attention Kik users! If you’re looking for a way to use Kik entirely online, without needing to download or install anything on your devices, look no further — we’ve got it all spelled out right here. Not only do we cover some of the most reliable methods of Kik Online emulation (what Kik itself recommends on its website, as well as a different method which may suit your needs even better) — we also have the lowdown on some of the most recent updates to this popular messaging app.
If you have no experience with Kik, we’ve got you covered. Or if you’ve tried it and decided it wasn’t your thing, perhaps we can persuade you. Some of the most interesting changes, such as Kik Codes, go a long way to suggest that Kik is adapting to not only stay current, but to be ahead of the game in the future landscape of mobile messaging.
I get no kick from champagne
Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all
So tell me why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you
—“I Get a Kick Out of You” from Anything Goes by Cole Porter
New with Kik
First, if you are not familiar with Kik, let’s take a moment to explore the app. Kik was founded in 2009 by a small group of University of Waterloo students looking to make their mark on the social media world. Kik does not use phone numbers, only usernames, one of the first to do so and thereby making it unique in the world of chat. The app’s early primary use was for chatting, but having complete control over with whom you want to interact. In Kik’s “About” section of their website, they state: We believe that chat is at the core of the smartphone era.
But Kik has evolved and within the last year has made some great strides in the race to rule the social network. Kik features filters that let you really choose who to talk to. Kik also boasts being a more intimate and unique way for brands to get their content to users. Brands, content providers, and gaming companies are all on board, utilizing this app. Kik also not only has a built-in browser, it was actually the first smartphone messenger with a built-in browser, and still can boast the title of only mobile-first viral sharing network.
In August 2015, Kik announced that they had accepted a deal which had them receiving an investment of $50 million from China’s largest internet company, TenCent, maker of WeChat (Weixin). Check out Kik Founder & CEO Ted Livingston’s blog, where he goes into detail as to the reasoning behind this decision and what he believes it means for Kik, its users, and the implications the deal has for the future of chatting and interacting with things, not just people.
But read it right: Kik received an investment. Kik is not for sale says the Canadian 28-year old Livingston. In the midst of social media giant Facebook buying out Beluga and WhatsApp, there was plenty of pressure to sell. “We view this as one of the most fundamental races in the history of humanity,” he says. “Why would we get out of that race now?” And Kik leads the race among young Americans, most of the users being under 25 and 2 in 5 teenagers using the app. By utilizing only usernames and no phone number requirement, kids who own an iPod or their own tablet, don’t need a phone to use Kik.
WeChat is what Kik hopes to be in North America. And with the introduction of Kik Codes, Kik may do just that. With WeChat, you can start a chat with a vending machine and thru an in-app purchase, buy a soda. You can start a chat with a t-shirt company and get a 10% off coupon. There’s no steep learning curve where you have to get acquainted with a whole bunch of different kinds of code, and there’s nothing new to download — just scan and chat. Kik aims to make chat the medium through which North America interacts with the world.
Kik already allows users to chat with brands such as MTV and the Washington Post; the conversation is actually with a chatbot, with pre-programmed artificial intelligence which recognizes key words and phrases. Still a lot more conducive to chatting with several users as opposed to the one on one call and response of Tweets and Facebook posts.
In August 2015, Kik announced the release of Jam, a chat-based music community. Top bands and artists have Kik pages which can be shared with your friends; the pilot-program hopes to become a place where one can meet new friends based on similar musical tastes.
And now, in early September 2015, Kik has launched it’s newest version, featuring Kik Codes. With Kik Codes, you simply pull to scan and BAM!, friends. Or BAM!, coupons. Or BAM!, pizza, as you’ll see in this video explaining Kik Codes. Not unlike Snapcodes, Kik Codes make it easier for you to connect with friends, add friends to groups and start a chat with brands.
The new version also allows you to share pictures and videos stored in iCloud, as well as a fixed bug problem that affected storage on some devices.
“Great,” you say, “but what about the whole reason I clicked on this article???” To you I say, you can get your Kik…s… on… Route… sixty-six…
Kik Online
So, there’s this cool thing called Manymo and I’m sorry, but does anyone else immediately think of the Deadeye Dick 1994 hit “New Age Girl” or more commonly referred to as “Mary Moon.” You know, the one from Dumb and Dumber. Go on. Sing it. You can’t unhear it.
Online Android emulator Manymo allows you to bypass a download but you still must have a working Google Play account. The Manymo service is completely free, however, you will need to sign up for it so that you can access the emulator and be able to upload the Kik Messenger app into the virtual platform. There are options to pay for their service if you use it regularly and want a bit more features and stability if you use it on a daily basis. However, for a once in a while option, the free version is a great deal.
Remember: You need a working Google Play account for this trick to work effectively because you will need to download the app file for Kik Messenger from Google Play (yes, even if you’re a diehard iOS user you’ll want the Android version — trust me, since Android is much more open with their platform, reliable Android emulators are much more plentiful and secure than iOS emulators) so that you can upload it to your virtual Manymo emulator. Make sure you sign up for Google Play and register a device with them so that you can access the list of apps. If you don’t already have an Android device one good option is to borrow one from a friend and just sign in and sign right out. That way, your account will be verified and you can use it as much as you want. After all, that’s what friends are for.
- First, you will want to head over to Kik Messenger on Google Play and download the apk file to your PC. You will use this once you get your emulator up and running. You may want to save the file for later because if you have a free account then your emulator won’t be saved and you will have to re-upload it every time.
- Now, you will want to go to Manymo and sign up for their free account. Make sure you write down your login email address and password to use later.
- Once you’ve gone through the sign up process you will be ready to upload the Kik app into your emulator. Choose which emulator you’d like to launch. I recommend going for the larger screen size and one that is as close to your PC as possible, that way you don’t have issues with resolution of the messages.
- After you choose an emulator to launch by clicking the “Launch with: App” button you will want to find where the apk file for Kik is located on your computer.
- Upload Kik Messenger online and from there you will notice it looks very similar to if you were launching the app on an Android tablet or phone.
- Use your Kik username and password to login online to your account and that way you will sync all of your conversations from your iPhone or Android onto your PC.
Kik on your PC
So, I know you want to use Kik online for free but beware that it will get tiresome at some point, having to upload the Kik app every time you want to use it on your PC. If you’d like a bit of a more permanent solution and are okay with downloading stuff to your computer, check out Bluestacks and Andyroid.
You can get Kik on your PC by using the website www.bluestacks.com, as recommended by Kik. Bluestacks allows you to run Android apps on both a Windows PC and a Mac OS X. Go to the Bluestacks website, download the Kik messenger app from the play store and the app will be installed on your computer. This route gives you peace of mind that you won’t run into any false websites just looking to hack your info.
Andyroid, like Bluestacks, requires a download and we’ve had good experiences with it. To further explore these options check out our article: Kik For Your Computer.
Also, if you have any other methods that have worked for you, or if you’ve heard some other interesting things about how Kik is changing, feel free to post it in the comments.