I exported an unsigned apk file that represents a test version of my Android application. I need to distribute this to quite a few users. Is there a simple method to distribute the apk file where it will install the app? I'm trying to avoid the test users from having to download something like Astro or the sdk. Any ideas? I tried putting it out on a global web server and the file downloads but doesn't install. Thanks for the help!
From the android documentation:
The Android system will not install or run an application that is not
signed appropriately. This applies wherever the Android system is run,
whether on an actual device or on the emulator. For this reason, you
must set up signing for your application before you can run it or
debug it on an emulator or device.
So even if your users have the "Allow installing non-market apps" checked, your application will still have to be signed with at least a test key before it can be installed on a physical device.
I just put my experimental apps on the Android market with a description that says "don't install this, it won't work for you" and then give an access key to my testers.
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I made an Android app using Android studio, deployed and ran it directly by using my mobile running Oreo.
It installed successfully. But later I tired to share the APK from my mobile to other mobiles. But none of them are able to Install it.
However, if I build the APK and share the app-debug.apk to other mobiles. It Installs successfully.
I can't build APK and share app-debug.apk it everyone.
I usually deploy it in my mobile, share APK(which used to work before)
Can anyone please help
Please excuse typos, I have typed from mobile.
There might be a signing issue. Is your app signed? The default signing is the debug signing. When you just build and deploy or run it on a connected device, it is signed by default as a debug sign.
If it is not uniquely signed, then running or installing on other devices might not be possible. Look at the app signing instruction and guide by Google, here, if you wish to distribute your app on other devices.
Another problem might be in the security authorization of other devices. Your device on which you are building has the developer options turned on. To run and install unsigned apps you'll need to activate the developer options in the device you want to run it on. Look at this link about Developer Options and how to turn it on.
by default the Android Studio packages just the needed files and installs the app in your mobile. If you share to other mobiles, the app will not install in few devices due to a few reasons like OS version, files mismatch, SHA keys mismatch, etc.
However, if you build the APK and share, the APK is equipped to be installed in any device starting from the minimum SDK version to the target SDK version.
I have an old app that I've written for personal use only, and never made as release to the Play Store. I installed it to my phone via Android Studio using run app command.
Many years later I want to modify the app, I try to pick up the app and run it again, this time using a different computer. I get the error saying:
"Installation failed since the device already has an application with the same package but a different signature. In order to proceed, you have to uninstall the existing application."
I definitely don't want to uninstall my app, this would cause me lost all the data I've entered to it. So I want to ask that isn't the debug keystore used by Android Studio to install app on device would create app of the same signature? Why it would be different? Is a different machine caused this issue? Thank you very much!
It sounds like you were using your debug certificate when you originally installed the app. This is unique to each machine when you install Android Studio.
You can copy the debug certificate from your old machine to your new one.
The file is located in your [userhome]\.android\debug.keystore
I want to create an Android wearable app on Android studio. I have installed the apk file on mobile to test run it. I would like to know how I can run the same apk on wearable device.Also, apk file created on Studio is different for wearable and mobile devices. How can we run it? Thanks in advance!
As it mentioned at official website you need to create special package signed by release key. See more info about packaging here.
When developing, you install apps directly to the wearable like with handheld apps. Use either adb install or the Play button on Android Studio.
Note: The automatic installation of wearable apps does not work when you are signing apps with a debug key and only works with release keys.
During the development period, do not use release key for signing. Instead, you should build your app which would result in two apks, one for the phone and one for the wear device. Then install each of them separately on the corresponding device using adb or Android Studio. Make sure you are using the same package names for both apks.
When you are done with your development, then build the app with your release key; then the wear apk will be embedded inside your phone apk and installation of your phone apk on a phone will result in the installation of the embedded wear apk on the wear device (make sure you remove the dev apks from both devices prior to this step otherwise installation will fail due to different keys).
Trying to debug through Android Studio as suggested by Julia and Ali, but it is always showing me Parse error while installing or running the code.
I have created a project for both mobile and wear. While running for mobile it works fine in the mobile device but while running the code in the wear it always shows Parse error.
I am using Moto 360 for running and debugging.
I am developing an Android application and it is not finished. I would like to test it on multiple devices, locations with various users that are not near me. How can I achieve this? Is there an APK I can send them? Is there a way that is as simple as plugging my phone in and then running the application from Eclipse? Or would I have to make an installer of some sort (I don't know)?
Obviously you can plug your phone(s) into the machine you are developing on and run it from eclipse. This will allow you to test and debug on the devices you have access to.
You can also export an apk from eclipse (see the android pages for instructions). You could put this up on a file sharing site and make it available to your friends. They could then install it, as long as they have authorised "unsigned" apks to be installed in their phone settings.
Assuming you have deployed the app at least once from within Eclipse to debug and test yourself, you will most likely have an APK under the bin directory in your Eclipse project. The file should be .apk. This APK will have been signed automatically by Eclipse with your debug key. This is obviously not the key you use for publishing but for testing among friends I think it's fine.
What I often do is just e-mail that APK file as an attachment to my friends to an e-mail account they have setup on their phone. Then all they need to do on their phone is make sure they have the system setting to allow installation of non-market apps (i.e. not from Google Play), which maybe named something slightly different like "allow 3rd party apps". Then they can simply click on the app attachment in their e-mail, download it and run it and they should automatically be prompted with instructions to install it.
I just used MyAppSharer. (I believe there are other similar apps out there - this is just the one I've used and is very simple/easy:
...you can share by market link or directly share APK (App's full
package)
I just used that, and sent my app via apk file to my coworkers. Can't get much simpler.
Just install the app on your phone via Eclipse, then run this AppSharer, and voila - share it w/ anyone!
You can can easily export your project as an APK in eclipse
File -> Export -> Export Android Project
Is it possible to install an APK to your android without using the android market?
I am talking about enterprise applications here, so would rather have the app private rather than allowing everyone to install it from the market.
How about the option 'Unknown sources' on the phone, does that mean installing an unsigned app (if it is indeed possible to build and use an unsigned app) or is that allowing installing an app from outside the android market?
If you enable Unknown Sources on the phone, you can download any APK via a URL and open it, which will cause it to be installed.
All apps need to be signed for the application to be installed. Unknown sources is used to install app from outside android market like copy to sdcard and then install.