Build unsigned APK file with Android Studio

Question

I'm developing an Android app with the Android Developer Tool. Now I tried the new Android Studio, everything works fine if connect my smartphone with the PC and directly run the program in the Android Studio. But now I want to test the program with other smartphones without connecting them to my PC.

The ADT creates the .apk file under "projectname/bin" every time you compile the program. How I see it at the moment, Android Studio doesn't do that.

So, my question is: Is it possible to create an unsigned .apk file with Android Studio?

Answer 1

I would recommend you to build your APK file with Gradle:

• Click the dropdown menu in the toolbar at the top (Open 'Edit Run/Debug configurations' dialog)
• Select "Edit Configurations"
• Click the "+"
• Select "Gradle"
• Choose your module as a Gradle project
• In Tasks: enter assemble
• Press Run

Your unsigned APK is now located in

ProjectName\app\build\outputs\apk

For detailed information on how to use Gradle, this tutorial is good to go: Building with Gradle in Android Studio. I also wrote a blog post on how to build an unsigned APK with Gradle.

If you moved your project from the other IDE and don't want to recompile, you may find your APK file that was already built in the IDE you moved from:

• If you generated the Project with Android Studio, the APK file will be found in ProjectName/ProjectName/build/apk/...

• Imported the project from eclipse: File should be in the same directory. Go to Project - Show in Explorer. There you should find the bin folder where your APK file is located in.

• Imported from IntelliJ, the location would be ProjectName/out/production/...

Side note: As Chris Stratton mentioned in his comment:

Technically, what you want is an APK signed with a debug key. An APK that is actually unsigned will be refused by the device.

Answer 2

According to Build Unsigned APK with Gradle you can simply build your application with gradle. In order to do that:

1. click on the drop down menu on the toolbar at the top (usually with android icon and name of your application)
2. select Edit configurations
3. click plus sign at top left corner or press alt+insert
4. select Gradle
5. choose your module as Gradle project
6. in Tasks: enter assemble
7. press OK
8. press play

After that you should find your unsigned 'apk' in directory ProjectName\app\build\outputs\apk

Answer 3

The easiest way, I guess:

• Open Gradle tab on the right side
• Double click YourProject/:app/assemble (or assembleDebug)
• You'll find the apk here
  .../YourProject/app/build/outputs/apk/app-debug.apk

Answer 4

just go to BUILD->Build APK and it's done

Answer 5

AndroidStudio 3.4

After Grade Build Running complete, you will see the notification at bottom-right corner like.

Click on locate and you will see your debuggable APK

Answer 6

Step 1 Open android studio . Build -> Generate Signed APK… . now click on “Generate Signed APK”.

Step 2

Click Create new.

Step 3

Fill the details and click ok.

jks key details,It will go back to previous window.

Click Next, and give the password which you stored in key.

Step 4

Now click Finish and wait to complete the building process.

Now apk generated successfully. Click show in Explorer.

If you need more details please visit and check the live demo http://javaant.com/how-to-make-apk-file-in-android-studio/#.VwzedZN96Hs

Answer 7

In Android Studio:

1. Build

2. Build APK(s)

3. Wait and go to the location shown in a pop-up window. On right bottom side

Answer 8

Yes, it is possible to create an unsigned .apk with Android Studio!

Highlight the Project in your package explorer or project column, and then File - Project Structure - Artifacts - + - Android Application - From module 'your app' and then you can change the location and some other options. I enable build on make, just for ease.

Answer 9

Build -> Build APK     //unsigned app


Build -> Generate Signed APK  //Signed app

Answer 10

With Android Studio 2.2.3 on OSX I just used the top menu:

Build > Build APK

It opened Finder with the .apk file. This won't generate a signed APK. You can select Generate Signed APK from the same menu if needed.

Answer 11

Just go to Your Application\app\build\outputs\apk

and copy both to phone and install app-debug.apk

Answer 12

Following work for me:

Keep following setting blank if you have made in build.gradle.

signingConfigs {
        release {
            storePassword ""
            keyAlias ""
            keyPassword ""
        }
    }

and choose Gradle Task from your Editor window. It will show list of all flavor if you have created.

Answer 13

--- Create new config in signingConfigs

unsigned {
        //do not sign
    }

--- Create build type in buildTypes

unsigned {
        versionNameSuffix '-unsigned'
    }

--- Go to build variants and chose unsigned standard. Build project.

--- Go to "outputs/apk" and find "XXX-unsigned.apk". To check if it is unsigned try to install it to device - you'll fail.

Answer 14

For unsigned APK: Simply set signingConfig null. It will give you appName-debug-unsigned.apk

debug {
     signingConfig null
}

And build from Build menu. Enjoy

For signed APK:

signingConfigs {
        def keyProps = new Properties()
        keyProps.load(rootProject.file('keystore.properties').newDataInputStream())
        internal {
            storeFile file(keyProps.getProperty('CERTIFICATE_PATH'))
            storePassword keyProps.getProperty('STORE_PASSWORD')
            keyAlias keyProps.getProperty('KEY_ALIAS')
            keyPassword keyProps.getProperty('KEY_PASSWORD')
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.internal
            minifyEnabled false
        }
        release {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.internal
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }

keystore.properties file

CERTIFICATE_PATH=./../keystore.jks
STORE_PASSWORD=password
KEY_PASSWORD=password
KEY_ALIAS=key0

Answer 15

Now in Android Studio v1.1.0 should be:

1. select Run > Run <your app>
2. find .apk file in <your app>\build\outputs\apk

Answer 16

Android studio also create the apk file on every time compile the program, just go to your workspace folder and find app->build->outputs-> then you can see the apk file.

Answer 17

You can click the dropdown near the run button on toolbar,

1. Select "Edit Configurations"
2. Click the "+"
3. Select "Gradle"
4. Choose your module as Gradle project
5. In Tasks: enter assemble

Now press ok,

all you need to do is now select your configuration from the dropdown and press run button. It will take some time. Your unsigned apk is now located in

Project\app\build\outputs\apk

Answer 18

I solve it!

First off all, you should add these:

defaultConfig { 
 multiDexEnabled true
}

dependencies {
 implementation 'com.android.support:multidex:1.0.3'
}

After, you should click Build in top bar of Android Studio:

Build > Build Bundle(s) / APK(s) > Build APK(s)

Finally, you have an app-debug.apk file in:

app > build > outputs > apk > debug > app-debug.apk

Note: apk, debug, app-debug.apk files created automatically in outputs file by Android Studio.

Answer 19

Steps for creating unsigned APK

Steps for creating unsigned APK

•	Click the dropdown menu in the toolbar at the top
•	Select "Edit Configurations"
•	Click the "+"
•	Select "Gradle"
•	Choose your module as a Gradle project
•	In Tasks: enter assemble
•	Press Run
•	Your unsigned APK is now located in - ProjectName\app\build\outputs\apk

Note : Technically, what you want is an APK signed with a debug key. An APK that is actually unsigned will be refused by the device. So, Unsigned APK will give error if you install in device.

Note : Technically, what you want is an APK signed with a debug key. An APK that is actually unsigned will be refused by the device. So, Unsigned APK will give error if you install in device.