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Apktool X: How to Reverse Engineer Android Apps and Games on Your Device



What is APKTool X and why you need it




If you are an Android developer or enthusiast, you may have heard of APKTool, a powerful tool that allows you to reverse engineer APK files, modify them, and recompile them. This tool is very useful for porting applications to different devices, theming applications with custom resources, translating applications into different languages, or simply exploring the inner workings of an application.


However, what if you want to do all these things on your Android device, without needing a PC? That's where APKTool X comes in. APKTool X is an Android port of the original APKTool, developed by Andro Black. It lets you decompile and recompile APK files on your phone, using a simple and user-friendly interface. You can also use a text editor on your device to edit the decompiled files, such as XML, smali, or dex files.




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In this article, we will show you how to install and use APKTool X on your Android device, and how to use it for various purposes such as porting, theming, or translating APK files. We will also discuss the benefits and limitations of using this tool for Android development or modification.


How to install APKTool X on your Android device




Before you can use APKTool X, you need to download and install it on your device. Here are the steps to do so:


  • Go to and download the latest version of APKTool X for your device architecture (arm64 or x86).



  • Enable Unknown sources in your device settings, if you haven't already. This will allow you to install apps from outside the Google Play Store.



  • Open the downloaded APK file and tap Install. Wait for the installation process to finish.



  • Launch the app from your app drawer. You will see a screen like this:



Congratulations! You have successfully installed APKTool X on your device. Now let's see how to use it.


How to use APKTool X to decompile and recompile APK files




One of the main features of APKTool X is that it allows you to decompile and recompile APK files on your device. This means that you can extract the contents of an APK file into a folder, modify them as you wish, and then create a new APK file with your changes. Here's how:


Decompile an APK file




To decompile an APK file, follow these steps:


  • Tap on the Decompile button at the bottom of the screen. You will see a list of all the APK files on your device. You can also use the search bar to find a specific APK file.



  • Select the APK file that you want to decompile. You will see a confirmation dialog like this:



Tap on OK to proceed. You will see a progress bar showing the decompilation process. Depending on the size and complexity of the APK file, this may take some time.


When the decompilation is done, you will see a message like this:


Tap on OK to dismiss the message. You will see that a new folder has been created in your device storage, with the same name as the APK file. This folder contains all the decompiled files of the APK file, such as XML, smali, dex, etc.


You can now use a text editor on your device to open and edit these files as you wish. For example, you can use , a popular text editor for Android, to edit the files.


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Modify the decompiled files




To modify the decompiled files, follow these steps:


  • Open the text editor of your choice on your device. In this example, we will use QuickEdit.



  • Navigate to the folder where you decompiled the APK file. You will see a list of subfolders and files, such as AndroidManifest.xml, res, smali, etc.



  • Select the file that you want to edit. For example, if you want to edit the app name, you can open the res/values/strings.xml file.



  • You will see the contents of the file in the text editor. You can make any changes that you want, such as changing the value of a string, adding or deleting an attribute, etc.



  • Save your changes and exit the text editor.



You can repeat these steps for any other file that you want to modify. Be careful not to make any syntax errors or break any dependencies, as this may cause errors when recompiling or running the app.


Recompile the modified files into an APK file




To recompile the modified files into an APK file, follow these steps:


  • Launch APKTool X again from your app drawer. You will see a screen like this:



  • Tap on the Recompile button at the bottom of the screen. You will see a list of all the folders that contain decompiled files on your device. You can also use the search bar to find a specific folder.



  • Select the folder that contains the modified files that you want to recompile. You will see a confirmation dialog like this:



Tap on OK to proceed. You will see a progress bar showing the recompilation process. Depending on the size and complexity of the folder, this may take some time.


When the recompilation is done, you will see a message like this:


Tap on OK to dismiss the message. You will see that a new APK file has been created in your device storage, with the same name as the folder. This APK file contains all your changes and modifications.


You can now install and run this APK file on your device or share it with others. To install it, you need to enable Unknown sources in your device settings, if you haven't already.


How to use APKTool X to port, theme, or translate APK files




Besides decompiling and recompiling APK files, APKTool X also allows you to port, theme, or translate APK files on your device. These are some advanced features that require some knowledge and skills in Android development or modification. Here's how:


Port an APK file to another devicePort an APK file to another device




Sometimes, you may want to run an APK file on a different device than the one it was designed for. For example, you may want to run an app that is only available for a specific device model or region, or an app that has some features disabled or restricted on your device. However, simply installing the APK file may not work, as it may have some compatibility issues or errors.


To solve this problem, you can use APKTool X to port the APK file to another device. This means that you can modify the APK file to make it compatible with your device, by changing some parameters or values in the decompiled files. For example, you can change the device model, the Android version, the screen resolution, the language, the permissions, etc.


To port an APK file to another device, follow these steps:


  • Decompile the APK file that you want to port, as explained in the previous section.



  • Open the decompiled folder and locate the AndroidManifest.xml file. This file contains important information about the app, such as its package name, version, permissions, activities, etc.



  • Open the AndroidManifest.xml file with a text editor and look for the values that you want to change. For example, if you want to change the device model, you can look for the android:build.MODEL attribute and change its value to your device model. If you want to change the Android version, you can look for the android:versionCode and android:versionName attributes and change their values to your Android version.



  • Save your changes and exit the text editor.



  • Recompile the modified folder into an APK file, as explained in the previous section.



  • Install and run the ported APK file on your device. You should be able to run the app without any compatibility issues or errors.



Note that porting an APK file may not work for all apps, as some apps may have additional checks or protections that prevent them from running on other devices. Also, porting an APK file may violate some terms of service or licenses of the app developer or provider, so do it at your own risk and responsibility.


Theme an APK file with custom resources




Another feature of APKTool X is that it allows you to theme an APK file with custom resources. This means that you can change the appearance of an app by replacing its original resources with your own resources. For example, you can change the icons, colors, fonts, images, sounds, etc. of an app.


To theme an APK file with custom resources, follow these steps:


  • Decompile the APK file that you want to theme, as explained in the previous section.



  • Open the decompiled folder and locate the res folder. This folder contains all the resources of the app, such as drawables, layouts, values, etc.



  • Select the resource that you want to replace with your own resource. For example, if you want to replace an icon, you can look for the drawable folder and find the icon file. The icon file may have different names and sizes depending on the app and device density. For example, it may be named ic_launcher.png or ic_launcher_round.png and have different versions such as hdpi, mdpi, xhdpi, xxhdpi, etc.



  • Delete or rename the original resource file and copy your own resource file into the same folder. Make sure that your resource file has the same name and size as the original resource file. For example, if you want to replace ic_launcher.png with your own icon.png file, you need to rename icon.png to ic_launcher.png and copy it into the drawable folder.



  • Repeat these steps for any other resource that you want to replace with your own resource.



  • Recompile the modified folder into an APK file, as explained in the previous section.



  • Install and run the themed APK file on your device. You should be able to see your custom resources in the app.



Note that theming an APK file may not work for all apps, as some apps may have hard-coded resources or encrypted resources that prevent them from being replaced. Also, theming an APK file may violate some terms of service or licenses of the app developer or provider, so do it at your own risk and responsibility.


Translate an APK file into another language




The last feature of APKTool X that we will discuss is that it allows you to translate an APK file into another language. This means that you can edit the strings of an APK file and provide translations for different languages. For example, you can change the app name, description, menu, messages, etc. of an app into another language.


To translate an APK file into another language, follow these steps:


  • Decompile the APK file that you want to translate, as explained in the previous section.



  • Open the decompiled folder and locate the res folder. This folder contains all the resources of the app, such as drawables, layouts, values, etc.



  • Select the values folder. This folder contains all the strings of the app, such as app_name, app_description, menu_options, etc. You will see different subfolders for different languages, such as values-en for English, values-es for Spanish, values-fr for French, etc.



  • Create a new subfolder for the language that you want to translate the app into. For example, if you want to translate the app into German, you can create a new subfolder named values-de.



  • Copy the strings.xml file from the original language subfolder (such as values-en) into the new language subfolder (such as values-de).



  • Open the strings.xml file with a text editor and look for the strings that you want to translate. For example, if you want to translate the app name, you can look for the app_name string and change its value to your translation. If you want to translate the app description, you can look for the app_description string and change its value to your translation.



  • Save your changes and exit the text editor.



  • Repeat these steps for any other string that you want to translate.



  • Recompile the modified folder into an APK file, as explained in the previous section.



  • Install and run the translated APK file on your device. You should be able to see your translations in the app.



Note that translating an APK file may not work for all apps, as some apps may have hard-coded strings or encrypted strings that prevent them from being edited. Also, translating an APK file may violate some terms of service or licenses of the app developer or provider, so do it at your own risk and responsibility.


Benefits and limitations of APKTool X




As you can see, APKTool X is a very powerful and versatile tool that allows you to decompile and recompile APK files on your device, and use them for various purposes such as porting, theming, or translating. However, like any tool, it also has some benefits and limitations that you should be aware of before using it. Here are some of them:


Benefits of APKTool X




  • It is free and open-source. You can download and use it without any cost or restrictions.



  • It is easy and convenient to use. You don't need a PC or any other software to use it. You can do everything on your device with a few taps.



  • It is compatible with most Android devices and versions. You can use it on any device that runs Android 4.0 or higher.



  • It is flexible and customizable. You can use it for various purposes and modify it according to your needs and preferences.



  • It is educational and fun. You can learn a lot about Android development or modification by using it. You can also have fun by creating your own apps or modifying existing ones.



Limitations of APKTool X




  • It may not work for all apps. Some apps may have additional checks or protections that prevent them from being decompiled or recompiled by APKTool X.



  • It may cause errors or bugs. Some apps may not run properly or crash after being modified by APKTool X. This may be due to syntax errors, dependency issues, compatibility issues, etc.



  • It may require root access. Some features of APKTool X may require root access on your device, such as installing system apps or modifying system files.



  • It may violate some terms of service or licenses. Some apps may have terms of service or licenses that prohibit modifying or distributing them without permission from the app developer or provider.



  • It may pose some security risks. Some apps may contain malicious code or data that may harm your device or data after being decompiled or recompiled by APKTool X.



Conclusion and FAQs




In conclusion, APKTool X is a great tool for Android developers or enthusiasts who want to decompile and recompile APK files on their device, and use them for various purposes such as porting, theming, or translating. It is free and open-source, easy and convenient to use, compatible with most Android devices and versions, flexible and customizable, and educational and fun. However, it also has some limitations that you should be aware of before using it, such as not working for all apps, causing errors or bugs, requiring root access, violating some terms of service or licenses, and posing some security risks. Therefore, you should use it with caution and responsibility, and always backup your device and data before using it.


We hope that this article has helped you understand what APKTool X is and how to use it for various purposes. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us or leave a comment below. Here are some FAQs that may also help you:


FAQs




  • What is the difference between APKTool X and APKTool?



APKTool X is an Android port of the original APKTool, developed by Andro Black. It has the same features and functions as APKTool, but it can be used on your Android device without needing a PC or any other software.


  • Where can I download APKTool X?



You can download APKTool X from . Make sure to download the correct version for your device architecture (arm64 or x86).


  • How can I update APKTool X?



You can check for updates from within the app by tapping on the menu icon at the top right corner of the screen and selecting Check for updates. You can also visit to see the latest version of APKTool X and download it manually.


  • How can I uninstall APKTool X?



You can uninstall APKTool X like any other app on your device. Go to your device settings, select Apps, find APKTool X in the list, and tap on Uninstall. You can also delete the decompiled folders and files that APKTool X created on your device storage.


  • How can I report a bug or request a feature for APKTool X?



You can report a bug or request a feature for APKTool X by contacting the developer at to chat with other users and get support.


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