How to get source code from apk file

What is .apk file?
 APK file is nothing but Android Package File(APK). APK is the file format used to distribute and install application software and middleware on Google's Android operating system.


Apk Files are Zip file formatted packages based on the JAR file format, with .apk extension. Apk files contains all program resources and code i.e it contains .dex files, resources, assets, certificates, and manifest file.

How to get source (java files) from .apk file?
As we now know that apk file is just a zip file containing all program resource file, we can now get java code from apk files with ease. Following are steps to get java code from apk files.
Step 1:Renaming .apk file

  • Rename the .apk file with the extension .zip (for example let the file be "demofile.apk" then after renaming it becomes "demofile.apk.zip")

Step 2:Getting java files from apk

  • Now extract the renamed zip file in specific folder, for example let that folder be "demofolder".
  • Now Download dex2jar from the link for windows and extract that zip file in folder "demofolder".
  • Now open command prompt and go to the folder created in previous step and type the command "dex2jar classes.dex" and press enter.This will generate "classes.dex.dex2jar" file in the same folder.
  • Now  Download java decompiler from the link and extract it and start(double click) jd-gui.exe
  • From jd-gui window browse the generated "classes.dex.dex2jar" file in demofolder, this will give all the class files by src name.
  • Now from the File menu select "save all sources" this will generate a zip file named "classes_dex2jar.src.zip" consisting of all packages and java files.
  • Extract that zip file (classes_dex2jar.src.zip) and you will get all java files of the application.
Above steps will generate java files but to get xml files perform following steps.

 Step 3:Getting xml files from apk

  • Download apktool and apktool install from the link and extract both files and place it in the same folder (for example "demoxmlfolder").
  • Place the .apk file in same folder (i.e demoxmlfolder)
  • Now open command prompt and goto  the directory where apktool is stored (here "demoxmlfolder") and type the command "apktool if framework-res.apk" 
  • Above command should result in "Framework installed ..."
  • Now in command prompt type the command "apktool d filename.apk" (where filename is name of apk file)
  • This will generate a folder of name filename in current directory (here demoxmlfolder) where all xml files would be stored in res\layout folder.


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39 comments:

  1. Anonymous8 September 2012 at 07:53

    Android Application Package File(APK). all apk files are suitable to be fixed in Android Tablet PC and Smartphone, aren't they?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8 September 2012 at 09:46

    Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked
    submit my comment didn't appear. Grrrr... well I'm not
    writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say great blog!
    My site :: how to delete cookies from computer

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown9 November 2012 at 16:56

    I get all java files that's great but I can't able to get XMLs because I can't understand what you are saying by executing the command "apktool if framework-res.apk"
    It's not working or else I have done some mistakes.
    So please, could you explain me again???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitul Rajai10 November 2012 at 14:54

      Error you are receiving is because you are not having apktool.jar file which you can download from link "apktool install" from above post, as there was same link for "apktool" and "apktool install" you were not able to download apktool.jar from "apktool install" link, it has been rectified, now just download it and try it out

      Delete
    2. Unknown5 December 2012 at 05:08

      you must download apktool and framework-res.apk..just search it on google

      Delete
  4. Henry19 November 2012 at 22:56

    I get everything OK. But how to make/import it into Eclipse as a project?? or can we do this??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitul Rajai29 November 2012 at 00:34

      You can import files in eclipse using "import...existing Android code into workspace " option from File Menu or by simply doing copy-paste from windows into project explorer

      Delete
  5. Unknown28 November 2012 at 15:33

    i am getting 'Java'not recognized as an internal or external command error, why?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitul Rajai29 November 2012 at 00:26

      It means either Java is not installed, or is not in your path. Ensure that Java is installed and Java executable is in your system's path.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous29 November 2012 at 13:18

    I am getting an error "Dext2jar classes.dex" is an invalind command (In the command prompt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitul Rajai29 November 2012 at 22:29

      looks like you are doing typing mistake, it is not Dext2jar classes.dex but it is dex2jar classes.dex

      Delete
    2. Anonymous30 November 2012 at 11:18

      Actually I did a Typo Error while writing to you..I am getting the "Invalid Command" error when i type dex2jar classes.dex.

      Delete
    3. Mitul Rajai2 December 2012 at 18:13

      seems like you have missed to download one of the specified files, retry it.

      Delete
  7. Unknown11 December 2012 at 17:45

    Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. cristina8 January 2013 at 04:15

    I did everything you said,i extracted the java files and the xml files;i cannot import the java files in eclipse;how can i do this?please answer because i have a project at school thursday.thank you:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mitul Rajai10 January 2013 at 14:42

      you need to explicitly copy these java files and paste into your project from eclipse or other IDE.

      You can also directly put these java files in source directory of your project.

      Delete
  9. DailyQuotes26 January 2013 at 00:20

    Great........ Thanks...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous8 February 2013 at 12:31

    Excellent Men. This is something Real Good. Worked absolutely Fine. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dinesh Bagvan21 February 2013 at 18:16

    waw it is too.....good.....excellent

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dinesh Bagvan21 February 2013 at 18:23

    it'greate....

    ReplyDelete
  13. riconeill7 March 2013 at 04:19

    Good post! All worked for me! but I have all these files how to put them back into a project!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Unknown4 April 2013 at 19:42

    Thanks buddy for sharing it.....

    ReplyDelete
  15. sheshnath1 June 2013 at 14:10

    Great worked for me thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous7 June 2013 at 11:49

    Great!! Its working 100%.. Thanks man..

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous18 September 2013 at 12:42

    Worked ..!! lovely. thanks brother for sharing that stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous15 October 2013 at 00:20

    This has saved me and my App a lot .. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  19. Unknown20 December 2013 at 15:24

    Very nice guid to the new people like me. thanks man.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous28 December 2013 at 12:16

    woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous16 January 2014 at 11:46

    Great share sir!!! thank you very much. For the xml part I have used in the command prompt "apktool" instead of "apktool if framework-res.apk" and worked nice. THANKS

    ReplyDelete
  22. Titiu723 February 2014 at 12:05

    You saved me time! thanks

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous4 March 2014 at 16:45

    +1

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous4 March 2014 at 16:45

    +1

    ReplyDelete
  25. Unknown4 April 2014 at 12:19

    Great Blog Helps me a lot..
    Smart-wentech.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous14 April 2014 at 01:55

    thanku i really needed xml file :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous16 April 2014 at 13:34

    Thank Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu :) :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous17 April 2014 at 22:16

    1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Likes

    ReplyDelete
  29. Unknown13 July 2014 at 18:53

    problem is solved....

    ReplyDelete
  30. Unknown22 July 2014 at 09:54

    Woooooooow manh it is worked for me
    and i recovered lost project from .apk file

    after facing several error but it is useful
    thanks for posting..

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous3 December 2016 at 22:54

    JUST WOOOW

    ReplyDelete

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