Description
You want to look inside an APK at its layouts, resources and manifest, but unzipping it just gives binary XML and a resources.arsc you can't read, let alone change and reinstall.
Apktool is the go-to open-source tool for Android reverse engineering: one command decodes an APK into something close to the original project, turning AndroidManifest.xml and resources back into readable XML and code into smali. Make your changes and another command rebuilds the APK. It's essential for translations, analyzing third-party apps and studying how an interface was built.
It's a Java command-line tool for Windows, macOS and Linux, free and open source.
Decode: apktool d turns an APK into readable resources, manifest and smali code.
Rebuild: apktool b compiles a modified directory back into an APK.
Resource handling: works with resources.arsc, 9-patch images and all kinds of XML resources.
Framework support: install vendor ROM framework files to decode apps that depend on them.
Debugging aid: pairs well with smali debugging and automation scripts for batch work.
Apktool is the go-to open-source tool for Android reverse engineering: one command decodes an APK into something close to the original project, turning AndroidManifest.xml and resources back into readable XML and code into smali. Make your changes and another command rebuilds the APK. It's essential for translations, analyzing third-party apps and studying how an interface was built.
It's a Java command-line tool for Windows, macOS and Linux, free and open source.
Features
Decode: apktool d turns an APK into readable resources, manifest and smali code.
Rebuild: apktool b compiles a modified directory back into an APK.
Resource handling: works with resources.arsc, 9-patch images and all kinds of XML resources.
Framework support: install vendor ROM framework files to decode apps that depend on them.
Debugging aid: pairs well with smali debugging and automation scripts for batch work.
