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Commands  / Reverse Engineering  / Apktool

Apktool

Decode & rebuild Android APKs.

KaliParrotLinuxpassive

pkg: apktool

Apktool disassembles APK resources and smali code and can rebuild modified APKs — core Android RE.

Syntax

apktool d {app.apk}

Example

apktool d app.apk -o app_src

Decodes the APK to smali + resources for analysis/patching.

Options & flags

What each switch does. Toggle them in the builder below to assemble a command.

dDecode an APK (resources + smali).
bBuild/repackage a decoded folder.
-o <out>Output directory/file.
-rDo not decode resources.
-sDo not decode sources (smali).

Command builder

Tick options (and fill any values) to build a ready-to-copy command.

apktool

Usage examples

apktool d app.apk -o app_src

Decode an APK for analysis.

apktool b app_src -o patched.apk

Rebuild after editing smali.

Advantages
  • Full resource + smali decode
  • Rebuild/repackage
Disadvantages
  • Smali ≠ Java readability
  • Android only
Tags
#android#apk

Official docs: Apktool ↗

Related commands

dex2jar

Convert Android DEX to JAR.

jadx

Decompile Android APK/DEX to Java.

Frequently asked questions

What is Apktool used for?
Apktool disassembles APK resources and smali code and can rebuild modified APKs — core Android RE.
What is an example Apktool command?
A common example is: apktool d app.apk -o app_src — Decodes the APK to smali + resources for analysis/patching.
Is Apktool part of Kali Linux?
Yes. Apktool ships with Kali Linux (and Parrot OS). If missing, install it with: sudo apt install apktool.
What category of security tool is Apktool?
Apktool is a Reverse Engineering tool with a passive-risk profile when run against a live target.

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