diff --git a/demos/README.md b/demos/README.md
index 7e62249db1..2360e01137 100644
--- a/demos/README.md
+++ b/demos/README.md
@@ -2,3 +2,24 @@
 
 This directory contains applications that demonstrate how to use ExoPlayer.
 Browse the individual demos and their READMEs to learn more.
+
+## Running a demo ##
+
+### From Android Studio ###
+
+* File -> New -> Import Project -> Specify the root ExoPlayer folder.
+* Choose the demo from the run configuration dropdown list.
+* Click Run.
+
+### Using gradle from the command line: ###
+
+* Open a Terminal window at the root ExoPlayer folder.
+* Run `./gradlew projects` to show all projects. Demo projects start with `demo`.
+* Run `./gradlew :<demo name>:tasks` to view the list of available tasks for
+the demo project. Choose an install option from the `Install tasks` section.
+* Run `./gradlew :<demo name>:<install task>`.
+
+**Example**:
+
+`./gradlew :demo:installNoExtensionsDebug` installs the main ExoPlayer demo app
+ in debug mode with no extensions.
diff --git a/demos/cast/README.md b/demos/cast/README.md
index 2c68a5277a..fd682433f9 100644
--- a/demos/cast/README.md
+++ b/demos/cast/README.md
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@
 
 This folder contains a demo application that showcases ExoPlayer integration
 with Google Cast.
+
+Please see the [demos README](../README.md) for instructions on how to build and
+run this demo.
diff --git a/demos/gl/README.md b/demos/gl/README.md
index 12dabe902b..9bffc3edea 100644
--- a/demos/gl/README.md
+++ b/demos/gl/README.md
@@ -8,4 +8,7 @@ drawn using an Android canvas, and includes the current frame's presentation
 timestamp, to show how to get the timestamp of the frame currently in the
 off-screen surface texture.
 
+Please see the [demos README](../README.md) for instructions on how to build and
+run this demo.
+
 [GLSurfaceView]: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/opengl/GLSurfaceView
diff --git a/demos/main/README.md b/demos/main/README.md
index bdb04e5ba8..00072c070b 100644
--- a/demos/main/README.md
+++ b/demos/main/README.md
@@ -3,3 +3,6 @@
 This is the main ExoPlayer demo application. It uses ExoPlayer to play a number
 of test streams. It can be used as a starting point or reference project when
 developing other applications that make use of the ExoPlayer library.
+
+Please see the [demos README](../README.md) for instructions on how to build and
+run this demo.
diff --git a/demos/surface/README.md b/demos/surface/README.md
index 312259dbf6..3febb23feb 100644
--- a/demos/surface/README.md
+++ b/demos/surface/README.md
@@ -18,4 +18,7 @@ called, and because you can move output off-screen easily (`setOutputSurface`
 can't take a `null` surface, so the player has to use a `DummySurface`, which
 doesn't handle protected output on all devices).
 
+Please see the [demos README](../README.md) for instructions on how to build and
+run this demo.
+
 [SurfaceControl]: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/SurfaceControl