APK File: Inspect Android App Contents

Quick facts

Extension

.apk

Format

Android Application Package

Category

archive

MIME type

Unknown

Standard / developer

Android / Google

Open with

Android Studio APK Analyzer

What is APK?

Android APKs follow the ZIP format and hold application code, resources and a compiled manifest. APK Analyzer presents these internal files for inspection. An Android App Bundle is a separate publishing format used to generate APKs; an individual APK may be one part of a required set.

How to open APK

This opening workflow inspects the package. Installing an app is a separate platform operation.

Common uses and compatibility

• Package Android application files for distribution.
• Inspect a built app’s file sizes, resources and compiled manifest.

Things to check

• A required split APK set cannot be replaced by an arbitrary single part.
• Changing an APK after signing invalidates its signature.

Advanced inspection

These developer and command-line workflows inspect structure or metadata. They are not the default way most people open the file.

Technical details

Signature

Unknown

Encoding

Unknown

Container

ZIP-format Android package; the container alone does not establish valid Android structure

Compression

Unknown

Public specification: unknown.

How to open APK contents in Android Studio

Open a project in Android Studio first. Inspection lets you examine the package without requesting installation.

1. Choose Build > Analyze APK and select your APK, or drag the APK into Android Studio’s editor window.
2. Expand the archive tree and review entry names and sizes.
3. Select AndroidManifest.xml to view the reconstructed XML and select DEX entries for code-structure information.

Sources: Android Developers: analyze APK contents

What should I look for in the manifest?

The manifest describes application components, permissions and device requirements for Android’s tools and operating system. Use the analyzer’s reconstructed view for a compiled manifest rather than expecting its archived bytes to be ordinary XML text. Reading declarations does not establish how an unfamiliar app will behave.

Sources: Android Developers: app manifest overview · Android Developers: analyze APK contents

Why will one APK not install?

An app delivered from an Android App Bundle can require a base APK and additional configuration or feature APKs. Missing required parts can cause installation failure. Obtain the complete supported distribution from the app publisher or an appropriate app store rather than renaming a split file or bypassing a platform check.

Sources: Android Developers: Android App Bundles and required APKs

How do I check an APK signature?

With Android SDK Build Tools available, apksigner verify --verbose --print-certs app.apk checks the package’s signature and displays certificate information. Compare identity information with a publisher-controlled reference when one is available. A passing signature check does not certify that the app is harmless.

apksigner verify --verbose --print-certs app.apk

Sources: Android Developers: apksigner verification

Can I rename APK to ZIP or EXE?

A ZIP reader may expose archive entries, but that does not install or run the Android application. Renaming to EXE does not produce a Windows program. To change and redistribute an Android app, use its supported build and signing workflow; editing a signed archive invalidates its signature.

Sources: Android Developers: analyze APK contents · Android Developers: apksigner verification

Related formats

• ZIP Archive

  APK uses ZIP packaging; viewing ZIP entries does not validate or run an Android application.

• Debian Binary Package

  Android APK and Debian DEB are packages for different platforms, not interchangeable installers.