apktool

name	apktool
description	Use apktool for authorized Android APK resource decoding, manifest review, smali inspection, rebuild checks, and static mobile artifact triage.

apktool

Use apktool for authorized Android APK resource decoding and smali-level inspection when Java decompilation alone is insufficient.

Help First

Before constructing commands, run the installed help and use it as the source of truth:

apktool --help

Usage Rules

• Work only on explicitly provided APKs or artifacts in scope.
• Prefer decoding into a task-scoped output directory.
• Preserve the original artifact; never modify it in place.
• Treat decoded resources, manifests, smali, certificates, and configuration values as static evidence, not proof of runtime exploitability.
• Save large decoded outputs and grep results to files rather than streaming them into the conversation.
• Do not rebuild, sign, patch, or modify an APK unless the user explicitly asks and the scope permits it.
• Use jadx when readable Java/Kotlin-like source is needed; use apktool when manifest, resources, smali, or packaging fidelity matters.

Common Workflows

Decode an APK into a task directory:

apktool d app.apk -o app-apktool

Inspect manifest, resources, and smali after decoding:

sed -n '1,200p' app-apktool/AndroidManifest.xml
find app-apktool/res -maxdepth 3 -type f | sort
find app-apktool/smali -type f -name '*.smali' | head

Search decoded output for common static-analysis leads:

rg -n 'https?://|api.?key|secret|token|password|WebView|addJavascriptInterface' app-apktool

Use jadx alongside apktool when readable Java/Kotlin-like control flow is needed.

Output

Report the APK path, command used, output directory, relevant manifest/resource/smali paths, and any findings or blockers that affect analysis.