Learn How to Use Apktool 1 to Decode and Rebuild Android Resources
Apktool 1: A Tool for Reverse Engineering Android Apps
If you are an Android developer, hacker, or enthusiast, you might have wondered how some apps work under the hood. You might have wanted to modify some features, add some functionality, or analyze some code. But how can you do that if the app is closed-source and binary-only?
That's where Apktool 1 comes in handy. Apktool 1 is a tool for reverse engineering Android apps. It can decode resources to nearly original form and rebuild them after making some modifications. It also makes possible to debug smali code step by step.
apktool 1
In this article, we will explain what Apktool 1 is, how to install it, how to use it, and what are its benefits and limitations.
What is Apktool 1 and what can it do?
Apktool 1 is a tool for reverse engineering Android apps. It is based on the original Apktool project by Brut.all, but it has been updated and improved by iBotPeaches and other contributors.
Apktool 1 can do the following things:
Disassemble resources to nearly original form, including resources.arsc, classes.dex, 9.png and XMLs.
Rebuild decoded resources back to binary APK/JAR.
Organize and handle APKs that depend on framework resources.
Smali debugging: Debug smali code step by step. Also baksmali/smali patches.
Help with repetitive tasks.
Apktool 1 is not intended for piracy and other non-legal uses. It could be used for localizing, adding some features or support for custom platforms, analyzing applications and much more.
How to install Apktool 1 on different platforms
Apktool 1 is a Java-based application, so you need to have Java installed on your system. You can download Java from [here](
You also need to download the latest version of Apktool 1 from [here]( You can choose between the Windows wrapper script (apktool.bat), the Linux wrapper script (apktool), or the jar file (apktool.jar).
Windows
If you are using Windows, you can follow these steps to install Apktool 1:
Download the Windows wrapper script (apktool.bat) and the jar file (apktool.jar) from [here](
Put both files in the same folder (e.g. C:\Apktool).
Add that folder to your PATH environment variable.
To test if Apktool 1 is installed correctly, open a command prompt and type apktool. You should see something like this:
C:\Users\user>apktool Apktool v2.6.0 - a tool for reengineering Android apk files with smali v2.6.0 and baksmali v2.6.0 usage: apktool [-advance] <command> [<arg>...] commands: d[ecode] [options] <file [assistant](#continue) >apk>output folder>] - Decode apk/jar file (use -r to keep resources). b[uild] [options] <file >[>output file>] - Build apk/jar file from the decoded folder. ifinstall-framework <framework >[>tag>] - Install framework file to your device. p[ublicize-resources] <file >[>output file>] - Publicize resources of the apk. empty-framework-dir [<tag>] - Remove all installed framework files. list-frameworks - List installed framework files. decode-resources [<tag>] - Decode the resources of the apk. version - Displays the version of apktool
If you see an error message, make sure you have Java installed and the PATH variable set correctly.
Linux
If you are using Linux, you can follow these steps to install Apktool 1:
Download the Linux wrapper script (apktool) and the jar file (apktool.jar) from [here](
Put both files in the same folder (e.g. /usr/local/bin).
Make sure both files are executable by running chmod +x apktool and chmod +x apktool.jar.
To test if Apktool 1 is installed correctly, open a terminal and type apktool. You should see something like this:
user@linux:$ apktool Apktool v2.6.0 - a tool for reengineering Android apk files with smali v2.6.0 and baksmali v2.6.0 usage: apktool [-advance] <command> [<arg>...] commands: d[ecode] [options] <file >apk>output folder>] - Decode apk/jar file (use -r to keep resources). b[uild] [options] <file >[>output file>] - Build apk/jar file from the decoded folder. ifinstall-framework <framework >[>tag>] - Install framework file to your device. p[ublicize-resources] <file >[>output file>] - Publicize resources of the apk. empty-framework-dir [<tag>] - Remove all installed framework files. list-frameworks - List installed framework files. decode-resources [<tag>] - Decode the resources of the apk. version - Displays the version of apktool
If you see an error message, make sure you have Java installed and the PATH variable set correctly.
Mac OS
If you are using Mac OS, you can follow these steps to install Apktool 1:
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Download the jar file (apktool.jar) from [here](
Put the jar file in a folder of your choice (e.g. /Users/user/Apktool).
Create an alias for Apktool 1 by adding this line to your /.bash_profile or /.zshrc file:
alias apktool='java -jar /Users/user/Apktool/apktool.jar'
Reload your shell by running source /.bash_profile or source /.zshrc.
To test if Apktool 1 is installed correctly, open a terminal and type apktool. You should see something like this:
user@mac:$ apktool Apktool v2.6.0 - a tool for reengineering Android apk files with smali v2.6.0 and baksmali v2.6.0 usage: apktool [-advance] <command> [<arg>...] commands: d[ecode] [options] < >file >apk>output folder>] - Decode apk/jar file (use -r to keep resources). b[uild] [options] <file >[>output file>] - Build apk/jar file from the decoded folder. ifinstall-framework <framework >[>tag>] - Install framework file to your device. p[ublicize-resources] <file >[>output file>] - Publicize resources of the apk. empty-framework-dir [<tag>] - Remove all installed framework files. list-frameworks - List installed framework files. decode-resources [<tag>] - Decode the resources of the apk. version - Displays the version of apktool
If you see an error message, make sure you have Java installed and the alias set correctly.
How to use Apktool 1 to decode and rebuild APK files
Apktool 1 can decode and rebuild APK files, which are the packages that contain Android apps. By decoding an APK file, you can access its resources, such as images, sounds, layouts, and smali code. Smali code is a human-readable form of Dalvik bytecode, which is the executable code that runs on Android devices. By rebuilding an APK file, you can apply your modifications and create a new app.
To use Apktool 1 to decode and rebuild APK files, you need to follow these steps:
Decoding an APK file
Find an APK file that you want to decode. You can download it from the Google Play Store, extract it from your device, or find it online.
Copy the APK file to a folder of your choice (e.g. /Users/user/Apktool/input).
Open a terminal and navigate to that folder.
Type apktool d <apk-file-name> and press enter. For example, if the APK file is called com.example.app.apk, type apktool d com.example.app.apk.
Wait for Apktool 1 to finish decoding the APK file. You should see something like this:
I: Using Apktool 2.6.0 on com.example.app.apk I: Loading resource table... I: Decoding AndroidManifest.xml with resources... I: Loading resource table from file: /Users/user/Library/apktool/framework/1.apk I: Regular manifest package...