Develop Bugs

[Q] Get apk files of installed app's

Hello everyone! I've been trying to find the answer to my question in the forum but I have not succeed.
The thing is that I want to get the apk files of some of the app's I have installed on my Desire.
I use Norton Mobile Utilities to check the directory where the apk file of each app is stored. Some of them are in /mnt/asec and these are so easy to find there and save them via copy-paste. On the other hand, some app's are stored in /data/app-private/ but when I check this directory with my file browser it appears completely empty.
What can I do?
Thanks in advance!

Get App Backup & Restore from market and than make backup to specified folder on sdcard.
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

For backing up and restoring apps i can highly recommend titanium backup. Using it everytime i change rom or install current new. Never had problems.
Sent from Oxygen

to see /data you would need root explorer.
or you could try My backup Root, backup apps you need and then extract .apk from .rar

some file explorer programs like Astro have this feature as built in component
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Just tried both Titanium Backup and Root Explorer. They both work. Thank you all!

Titanium backup is probably the best way to get APK's quickly.
I use Astro too which you could try too.

[Q] Backup .apk files that are stored on an HTC Desire HD (rooted)

I have searched this forum and have not found an answer. I would like to know how to backup the .apk files that are stored on the phone memory, not the SD card. I have used ASTRO file manager but cannot locate the .apk files. I have already used Titanium Backup Pro but I have found that the .apk files are backed up a .tar.gz files. What I want to do is backup the .apk files as .apk files for future resoration or transport to another Android device. I have searched the phone and cannot loacte where the downloaded .apk's are being stored. Could someone out there please help point me in the right direction.

emelnick1 said:
I have searched this forum and have not found an answer. I would like to know how to backup the .apk files that are stored on the phone memory, not the SD card. I have used ASTRO file manager but cannot locate the .apk files. I have already used Titanium Backup Pro but I have found that the .apk files are backed up a .tar.gz files. What I want to do is backup the .apk files as .apk files for future resoration or transport to another Android device. I have searched the phone and cannot loacte where the downloaded .apk's are being stored. Could someone out there please help point me in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have a couple of options. You can tell titanium backup not to use compression when backing up, or you can use 'Root Explorer' and navigate to /data/app where you will find all your user installed apps, be aware that the data for the apps, such as save games etc... is stored in /data/data.
Hope that this is of some help to you.

Tahnsk for your help
Doktaphex,
I tried turning compression off but titanium backup still created .tar files, not .apk files. Secon option of using root explorer worked just great.
Thanks for your help.

You can use Titanium backup, which will create compressed file, but you can decompress it on your PC and extract .apk file.
Method I use is with ASTRO. Go to menu-tools-backup programs, choose programs you want to backup and hit 'Backup' button. Then navigate to backup folder and there are your programs. But be aware, they will show market names whic are not always easy to determine which .apk is which program.

I use appmonster as it backs up when you install from any source, using an old version 1.9.0 as they changed the way it puts file names, nopw it does via market, on prior it was a readable name

I am using app saver, it works~

A simple option would be to install appInstaller (the one by Gregory House) from the market.
It's a lightweight app which backs up apk files to a folder on your sd card named app saver.

Noob here,
how can you locate or transfer a apk files? where are they exactly saved? how can you install/run them? what app should i use?
using a Huawei u8860 phone.
Thanks

mojo_ojoj said:
Noob here,
how can you locate or transfer a apk files? where are they exactly saved? how can you install/run them? what app should i use?
using a Huawei u8860 phone.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all depends of the app...if is a system app or a market one. You have to use a file explorer such as file manager or ES explorer.
If the app you are looking for is a system on you need to be rooted.

Try apk extractor in the market its free, its what I use.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium

[Q] Save APK file from Android Market ?

Hi,
I have some applications I want to save, I mean the APK file.
But I find them only on the android market, and doesn't see how to save the .apk file on my disk (for future use for example).
Do you know if the apk file is stored somewhere in the phone ?
Thanks

Is your phone rooted? It makes a difference. If not rooted you can use mybackup from the market to backup the apps. Never tried it and I am guessing it won't backup paid apps and only free versions. But it might.
If your phone is rooted you can find your apps in the data/app/ folder.

Once you have installed the App, look in /cache/download. Most apks will be in there.

You don't need rooted phone to save (backup) apk's. Just use MyPhoneExplorer which has the function to backup all installed programs (apk's) to computer (also backups SMSes, contacts, etc)
D>

yes, the phone is rooted.
I checked with Estrong explorer in the folders data and cache and there's nothing ...
The idea is to keep the apk files somewhere when they are not directly available on the net, only using the android market.

Back them up on titanium backup then when you want them again just restore them using titanium again, you can restore them fresh or with your old settings, hasn't failed me yet

ponk2k said:
Back them up on titanium backup then when you want them again just restore them using titanium again, you can restore them fresh or with your old settings, hasn't failed me yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me too.

jean019 said:
yes, the phone is rooted.
I checked with Estrong explorer in the folders data and cache and there's nothing ...
The idea is to keep the apk files somewhere when they are not directly available on the net, only using the android market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look in data/app as I said. This is the location of all user installed apks. Unless you are using a ROM that uses a different location. Only familiar with sense builds myself. Or use a program that can backup apps. There were 3 mentioned in this thread.

apk with a manager go to system / app. they should be, and extract and save hello

Data/app or system/app?
Confused.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium

dinosaurrudy said:
Data/app or system/app?
Confused.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either or, depending on what you're after. Apps you've installed (e.g. from the market) will be in /data/app, system apps (e.g Sense and the apps bundled with it) will be in /system/app.
//sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk; all errors entirely intentional.

If the directories/files are not there then check that ES file explorer is configured to show hidden files.
Jon

For unrooted devices, using ES File Explorer:
1. Open ES File Explorer
2. Press Menu >> Manager >> App Manager
3. Long press the application and then press Backup
4. .apk file will be saved to /sdcard/backups/app/

Saving or Storing .apk's

I'm about to start buying a few different apps, and want to save them on my PC so I can have them for either future use or if I am gonna be wiping my phone, returning it, getting another phone, etc... Anybody save them straight to their computer from amazon.com, or can I pull them off my phone thru Kies after dowloading from the market? Then I guess I'll also need to know how would I get the apk running once I put it on my SD Card? Sorry in advance if this is a dummy question- it's my first run at this and there are tons of different opinions and people pitching their softwares on google search and youtube that span back to 2009, so I'd like to see what someone who knows how and has a T989, Thanks!

Download astro file manager (free) from the market and u can back up your apk's. Save them to ur sd card and transfer it to ur pc.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

zero86ea said:
Download astro file manager (free) from the market and u can back up your apk's. Save them to ur sd card and transfer it to ur pc.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

You can also use JRUMMY6 apps - Ultimate app manager pro or ROM Toolbox Pro. This will save the apk as well as the settings for that app.

CincoDeDrinko said:
I'm about to start buying a few different apps, and want to save them on my PC so I can have them for either future use or if I am gonna be wiping my phone, returning it, getting another phone, etc... Anybody save them straight to their computer from amazon.com, or can I pull them off my phone thru Kies after dowloading from the market? Then I guess I'll also need to know how would I get the apk running once I put it on my SD Card? Sorry in advance if this is a dummy question- it's my first run at this and there are tons of different opinions and people pitching their softwares on google search and youtube that span back to 2009, so I'd like to see what someone who knows how and has a T989, Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a quick guide:
1) Download and install a file explorer application that can write to the system partition. You can use ROOT explorer or ES file explorer. I'm not sure if astro has system writing capabilities.
2) Go into the application and enable root access and the ability to write to system. For ES, you go into settings then scroll down and check "Up to Root" and "Root Explorer" and "Mount File System"
3) Navigate to the apk files that you want to save. For user apps, it's under /data/apps and for system apps (memo, contacts, etc.) it's under /system/apps. Now you probably default to /sdcard so you'll have to go up one more level to reach the root directory (it'll just be "/") to access system or data. Save those apks.
4) If you want to restore these apks to a future phone/ROM, it's the same idea, except you just have to copy paste the files to the directory that you found them in. But you have to watch out for odexed/deodexed apps because they're not compatible. So if you go into /system/apps or /data/apps and you see a .odex file after each respective .apk file, you won't be able to install those apps to a ROM that is deodexed. If you go into those directories and you only see .apk files, you won't be able to install those apps on a stock ROM (almost all custom ROMs are deodexed).
5) All you have to do is copy the files into the directories and reboot, you don't have to install them or anything. Some will say that you should change the permissions to (rw- r-- r--) but I've tried both ways anecdotally and I don't think it makes a difference whether you do or not.
Although I'm not sure why you want to go about it this way, if you have titanium backup it'll do all your backing up and restoring for you. The only thing that I use this method for is for the memo.apk which I use but isn't included on all ROMs. TB doesn't back this up because it's a system app. So this process is really only necessary for system apps.

yoft1 said:
Here's a quick guide:
1) Download and install a file explorer application that can write to the system partition. You can use ROOT explorer or ES file explorer. I'm not sure if astro has system writing capabilities.
2) Go into the application and enable root access and the ability to write to system. For ES, you go into settings then scroll down and check "Up to Root" and "Root Explorer" and "Mount File System"
3) Navigate to the apk files that you want to save. For user apps, it's under /data/apps and for system apps (memo, contacts, etc.) it's under /system/apps. Now you probably default to /sdcard so you'll have to go up one more level to reach the root directory (it'll just be "/") to access system or data. Save those apks.
4) If you want to restore these apks to a future phone/ROM, it's the same idea, except you just have to copy paste the files to the directory that you found them in. But you have to watch out for odexed/deodexed apps because they're not compatible. So if you go into /system/apps or /data/apps and you see a .odex file after each respective .apk file, you won't be able to install those apps to a ROM that is deodexed. If you go into those directories and you only see .apk files, you won't be able to install those apps on a stock ROM (almost all custom ROMs are deodexed).
5) All you have to do is copy the files into the directories and reboot, you don't have to install them or anything. Some will say that you should change the permissions to (rw- r-- r--) but I've tried both ways anecdotally and I don't think it makes a difference whether you do or not.
Although I'm not sure why you want to go about it this way, if you have titanium backup it'll do all your backing up and restoring for you. The only thing that I use this method for is for the memo.apk which I use but isn't included on all ROMs. TB doesn't back this up because it's a system app. So this process is really only necessary for system apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TI backup also just requires the pro license key to be stored in the same location as the backup directory. this way you can change roms and get Ti pro back without needing to re purchase.
Sent from my SGH-T989

try using root explorer
then goto the data/app directory copy your apps and move to whatever folder that you like. then if you want you could sign up for minus and upload all your apks (they have a 2gb upload limit so it works great). Or just connect hercules to computer and pull files from folder you copied to to your computer.

rom tool box pro backs up ALL your installed apks on your sd. manual install and market installed.

Question Best way to obtain IPK files for Playstore apps?

What is the best way for me to obtain the IPK files for Playstore apps not rooted? How does the answer to this question change if I root?
Thanks

tk_xda said:
What is the best way for me to obtain the IPK files for Playstore apps not rooted? How does the answer to this question change if I root?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
APK Pure or APK Mirror then ADB install the apk to phone or transfer to phone and just install.

HermitDash said:
APK Pure or APK Mirror then ADB install the apk to phone or transfer to phone and just install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to confirm these are the locations on the web you mean
APKMirror - Free APK Downloads - Free and safe Android APK downloads
Free and safe Android APK downloads
www.apkmirror.com
Download APK free online downloader | APKPure.com
Download apk for Android with APKPure APK downloader. NoAds, Faster apk downloads and apk file update speed. Best of all, it's free
apkpure.com
Are both of these going to give me the current version of any app as seen on the PlayStore as a clean safe copy from Google Servers?
What do I do if I want the APK of one of my paid apps?
Just to be clear my intent here is NOT about piracy, but to keep archival copies of my legitimate apps. However, if I need to go to a pirate source to get an APK file I purchased, I would consider this a second choice if there is no want to get my hands on a clean copy of my APK file.
Also, would rooting open any additional options related to obtaining APKs of my legit paid apps?

tk_xda said:
What is the best way for me to obtain the IPK files for Playstore apps not rooted? How does the answer to this question change if I root?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why don't you just flash nickgapps , open gapps or mindthegapps?
In any case, exploring nickgapps, you can find the PlayStore.zip insidie, it contains "___etc___permissions" and "___priv-app___Phonesky" folders
if you have root copy the content relatively to "/system/etc/permissions" and "/system/priv-app/Phonesky" folder
otherwise you can try to.inatall the apk as a common user app (manually grant all required permissions)

Psk.It said:
why don't you just flash nickgapps , open gapps or mindthegapps?
In any case, exploring nickgapps, you can find the PlayStore.zip insidie, it contains "___etc___permissions" and "___priv-app___Phonesky" folders
if you have root copy the content relatively to "/system/etc/permissions" and "/system/priv-app/Phonesky" folder
otherwise you can try to.inatall the apk as a common user app (manually grant all required permissions)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once I do this, I assume I then download my apps from the modified or alternative Google Play app. Where does nickgapps (etc) put the IPK files in my phone, so that I can collect them?

tk_xda said:
Once I do this, I assume I then download my apps from the modified or alternative Google Play app. Where does nickgapps (etc) put the IPK files in my phone, so that I can collect them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you don't have to
if you change rom, and you want to re-install gapps just flash them again (if necessary)
if you want to backup locally installed apps, you can use a backup tool (but not all back-up install proprtly from local, some apps needs to be installed via playstore)

I tried to download the apk for "Text Free: Call & Texting App" on both APKPure and APKMirror and neither offer this free app. I would like to save my APK file somehow, but it seems like it is available only on Google Play. Is there some way I can capture the APKs downloaded by Google Play so that I can retain them? If I must root to accomplish this, I will root. (I currently have global stock OOS firmware.)

tk_xda said:
I tried to download the apk for "Text Free: Call & Texting App" on both APKPure and APKMirror and neither offer this free app. I would like to save my APK file somehow, but it seems like it is available only on Google Play. Is there some way I can capture the APKs downloaded by Google Play so that I can retain them? If I must root to accomplish this, I will root. (I currently have global stock OOS firmware.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installed apps are under /data partition, /apps folder
navigating to that folder with file.manager should allow you to copy them

tk_xda said:
I tried to download the apk for "Text Free: Call & Texting App" on both APKPure and APKMirror and neither offer this free app. I would like to save my APK file somehow, but it seems like it is available only on Google Play. Is there some way I can capture the APKs downloaded by Google Play so that I can retain them? If I must root to accomplish this, I will root. (I currently have global stock OOS firmware.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are talking about just extracting the apk from an installed app, did you try Apk Extractor from Play Store?

Psk.It said:
Installed apps are under /data partition, /apps folder
navigating to that folder with file.manager should allow you to copy them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used Cx File Explorer to back up some apps on my One Plus 9 Pro. Then I rooted and got Root Explorer to rummage in /data/apps.
I found that when apps are download from Google Play that some apps download two or more apks. Every app downloads a "base.apk" file. Some apps download "split_config.arm64_v8a.apk" and "split_config.xxhdpi.apk". If I backup an app with Cx File Explorer, only the base apk is backed up, not the other essential apks to allow the app to work if installed from the backup. In particular, I noticed this with "Text Free" by Pinger, and several other apps.
I find it clunky to rummage in /data/apps because the folder names are gibberish and I have to hunt for an app's folder to find its pieces. Is there a better app backup utility that will get all the pieces of an app? (And since I am already rooted, I don't care if it requires root or not to work.)
TNSMANI said:
If you are talking about just extracting the apk from an installed app, did you try Apk Extractor from Play Store?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried ApkExtractor on Text Free and find that it also only extracts the Base Apk and not the "split_config" pieces.
Thanks