sideload

American

[sahyd-lohd] / ˈsaɪdˌloʊd /

Or side-load

verb (used without object)

to transfer software, data, etc., from one local system or device to another, typically from one's computer to a mobile device.

verb (used with object)

to transfer (software, data, etc.) by this process.

It'll take two more minutes to sideload my podcasts to my phone.

Etymology

Origin of sideload

First recorded in 1995–2000; in the sense “off to the side,” i.e., not over the internet; patterned after upload and download

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Monday it released a download kit to make it easier for Android users to sideload the app onto devices.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2025

In the meantime, you can sideload games, which could be important for the device’s future.

From The Verge • Apr. 26, 2022

The new Expert RAW app has been released in the South Korean Galaxy Store, but tipster FrontTron has an APK available to download if you’d like to sideload it.

From The Verge • Nov. 24, 2021

Parler remains banned in Google’s Play Store, although users can still sideload the app on Android.

From The Verge • May 17, 2021

It tried to "sideload" the app on Android phones - to try and avoid Google's own 30% charge.

From BBC • May 2, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023