Android APK Guide
Everything you need to build a signed APK in Android Studio and install it on any Android device via AppDrop — no Play Store required.
Building an APK for AppDrop
AppDrop accepts any signed APK. Here's how to generate a release APK from Android Studio ready for OTA distribution.
Prerequisites
Android Studio
Use Android Studio Hedgehog (2023.1) or later. Download from developer.android.com/studio.
A keystore file
Release APKs must be signed with a keystore. Android Studio can generate one during the export flow — keep it safe, you'll need it for every future update.
minSdkVersion set
Set a minSdkVersion in your build.gradle that matches your target devices. API 21 (Android 5.0) covers 99%+ of active devices.
APK vs AAB — which to use?
APK
Use this with AppDropA self-contained installable package. Can be downloaded and installed directly on any Android device without the Play Store. Perfect for OTA distribution.
Upload the .apk file directly to AppDrop
AAB (App Bundle)
Play Store onlyAndroid App Bundles are processed by the Play Store to generate device-specific APKs. They cannot be installed directly — not compatible with AppDrop.
Do not use AAB for OTA distribution
Export a signed APK from Android Studio
Open Build menu
In Android Studio, go to Build → Generate Signed Bundle / APK. Select "APK" (not Android App Bundle) and click Next.
Set up your keystore
Choose an existing keystore or click "Create new…" to generate one. Fill in the alias, passwords, and certificate info. Save the .jks file somewhere safe.
Select release build variant
Choose the "release" build variant (not debug). A release build is optimized and uses your production signing key.
Choose V1 + V2 signature
Enable both V1 (Jar Signature) and V2 (Full APK Signature) for maximum compatibility across Android versions.
Click Finish
Android Studio builds and signs the APK. The output path is shown in the event log — usually app/release/app-release.apk.
Upload the APK
Upload the app-release.apk directly to AppDrop. An install link and QR code are generated automatically.
Installing an APK on Android
Android allows installing APKs from outside the Play Store once you enable the permission. Here's the full flow.
Open the install link
Tap the AppDrop install link or scan the QR code in any browser on your Android device. Chrome is recommended.
Download the APK
Tap "Download" when prompted. The APK will download to your device's Downloads folder via the browser.
Allow unknown sources
When you tap the downloaded file, Android may ask you to allow installs from this source. Tap Settings and enable it for your browser.
Tap Install
Return to the install screen and tap Install. The app icon will appear in your app drawer when complete.
Compatible Android devices
Android APK sideloading is supported on nearly all devices — compatibility depends on your app's minSdkVersion.
- ·Android 8.0+ (API 26+)
- ·All major brands (Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus…)
- ·Per-app unknown sources permission
- ·Android 5.0 – 7.1 (API 21–25)
- ·Global unknown sources toggle in Settings
- ·All chipsets (Qualcomm, MediaTek, Exynos)
- ·Android 4.x (API 14–20)
- ·Very old devices with locked bootloaders
- ·Manufacturer-restricted enterprise devices
Enabling Unknown Sources
The steps vary by Android version. Find yours below.
Android 8.0+ (API 26+)
Per-app permission- 1.Open Settings → Apps
- 2.Tap the browser you used to download (e.g. Chrome)
- 3.Scroll down and tap "Install unknown apps"
- 4.Toggle "Allow from this source" on
- 5.Return and tap the downloaded APK to install
Android 7.1 and below
Global toggle- 1.Open Settings → Security (or Privacy on some devices)
- 2.Find "Unknown sources" and toggle it on
- 3.Confirm the warning dialog
- 4.Open the downloaded APK from your file manager or notifications
- 5.Tap Install
Security tip: After installing, you can disable "Install unknown apps" for your browser again. The installed app will remain on your device.
Common issues
Quick fixes for the most frequent problems.
"App not installed" error
The APK is signed with a different keystore than the version already installed. Uninstall the existing app first, then install the new APK.
"Parse error" when tapping APK
The APK is corrupted or built for a different CPU architecture. Rebuild making sure to include arm64-v8a and armeabi-v7a ABIs.
App installs but crashes on launch
The APK's minSdkVersion is higher than the device's Android version, or a native library is missing. Check your build.gradle minSdkVersion.
"Install blocked" by Play Protect
Tap "More details" → "Install anyway". Google Play Protect may flag apps not distributed through the Play Store. This is a warning, not a hard block.
APK downloads as a .bin or .zip file
The download MIME type is wrong. Open the AppDrop link in Chrome and use the direct download button — avoid opening in third-party download managers.
Can't find the downloaded APK
Check your Downloads folder in Files (or My Files on Samsung). You can also tap the completed download notification to open it directly.