Agent skill · security · aiskillstore
apktool
Android APK unpacking and resource extraction tool for reverse engineering. Use when you need to decode APK files, extract resources, examine AndroidManifest.xml, analyze smali code, or repackage modified APKs.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific commands and workflows for extracting and analyzing APK files that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires apktool, java installed locally. About 7k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 405 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Apktool - Android APK Unpacking and Resource Extraction You are helping the user reverse engineer Android APK files using apktool for security analysis, vulnerability discovery, and understanding app internals. Tool Overview Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. It can decode resources to nearly original form and rebuild them after modifications. It's essential for: Extracting readable AndroidManifest.xml Decoding resources (XML layouts, strings, images) Disassembling DEX to smali code Analyzing app structure and permissions Repackaging modified APKs Prerequisites apktool must be installed on the system Java Runtime Environment (JRE) required Sufficient disk space (unpacked APK is typically 2-5x original size) Write permissions in output directory Instructions 1. Basic APK Unpacking (Most Common) When the user asks to unpack, decode, or analyze an APK: Standard decode command: Example: With force overwrite (if directory exists): 2. Understanding Output Structure After unpacking, the output directory contains: 3. Selective Decoding (Performance Optimization) Skip resources (code analysis only): Faster processing Only extracts smali code and manifest Use when you only need to analyze code logic Skip source code (resource analysis only): Faster processing Only extracts resources and manifest Use when you only need resources, strings, layouts 4. Common Analysis Tasks A. Examining AndroidManifest.xml The manifest reveals critical security information: Look for: Permissions: What device features/data the app accesses Exported components: Activities, services, receivers accessible from other apps Intent filters: How the app responds to system/app intents Backup settings: android:allowBackup="true" (security risk) Debuggable flag: android:debuggable="true" (major security issue) Network security config: Custom certificate pinning, cleartext traffic Min/Target SDK versions: Outdated versions may have vulnerabilities Example analysis commands: B. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aiskillstore/apktool