How to Extract an APK from an Installed Android App with ADB (Including Split APKs)
Extract an installed Android app’s APK over ADB with pm path and adb pull, including every split APK, and reinstall the set with adb install-multiple.
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Category: Tutorials
How-to guides, step-by-step instructions
How to Use frida-trace to Log Android App Calls Without Writing a Script
frida-trace logs Android function calls and arguments without a pre-written hook script: native and Java patterns, spawn vs attach, and refining handlers live.
How to Intercept Android App Traffic with mitmproxy (and Read What It Sends)
Install mitmproxy on Android and read every request an app makes: CA certificate install, proxy setup, HTTPS interception, and fixes when apps resist.
How to Decode, Edit, and Rebuild an APK with Apktool (and Sign It So It Installs)
Apktool decodes an APK into readable smali and rebuilds it after edits: the full decode-edit-build-sign loop with 3.0.3, framework files, and error fixes.
Smali Basics: How to Read Android Bytecode When JADX Isn’t Enough
When JADX fails on obfuscated apps, smali — Dalvik bytecode in readable form — is the ground truth: method anatomy, type descriptors, and key opcodes.
APK Signature Schemes v1, v2, v3, and v4 Explained (and How to Sign with apksigner)
Android’s four APK signature schemes explained: what v1, v2, v3, and v4 each protect, when to use them, and how to sign correctly with apksigner.
How to Analyze a Unity IL2CPP Android App with Il2CppDumper
Unity IL2CPP games hide code in libraries, not DEX. Extract libil2cpp.so and global-metadata.dat from an APK and rebuild the C# API surface with Il2CppDumper.
How to Decompile an APK to Java Source with JADX (and When It Won’t Work)
JADX turns an APK’s Dalvik bytecode into readable Java; apktool decodes resources and rebuilds the app. How to install both, and where decompilation stops.
How to Verify an APK’s SHA-256 Hash Before Installing (and Read a VirusTotal Report)
Check a sideloaded APK before installing: compute its SHA-256, compare with the developer’s hash, check VirusTotal, and verify the signing certificate.