APK Studio is a cross-platform Qt6-based IDE for reverse-engineering Android application packages.
The tool addresses the need for a unified interface to decompile, recompile, and sign Android APKs. Rather than requiring developers to juggle multiple command-line tools, APK Studio wraps the decompilation and recompilation workflow in an IDE-like environment with a code editor that provides syntax highlighting for Smali bytecode, Java, XML, and YAML files. It integrates with Apktool and JADX for decompilation, ADB for device interaction, and Uber APK Signer for signing. A distinctive feature is automatic tool discovery and installation on first launch, eliminating manual setup of Java, Apktool, JADX, ADB, and the APK signer. The tool also supports manufacturer-specific framework files for devices from vendors like HTC, LG, and Samsung, allowing proper decompilation of vendor-customized APKs.
APK Studio suits security researchers, reverse engineers, and Android developers who need to inspect or modify APK internals. It works best for projects requiring interactive browsing and editing of decompiled code rather than purely automated analysis. The tool runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and supports opening APK files directly from the file system through context menus or command-line arguments. Users can supply additional Apktool arguments such as --force-all or --no-res for specialized decompilation scenarios. The built-in hex editor and image viewer provide quick inspection of binary and graphical assets without external tools.
The project maintains active build automation with passing continuous integration checks. Development follows a structured release process with downloadable binaries provided for end users. The codebase is written in C++ and requires CMake 3.16 or higher, Qt6 6.10.1 or higher, and a C++17-compatible compiler for building from source.
