APK Editor 1.9.10 for Android

APK Editor 1.9.10 is a free Android tool for opening and modifying APK files, the packages that Android apps are installed from. It is aimed at experienced users and hobby developers, and before you download it you should know what editing an app involves and where the risks lie.

Quick facts

What it is for

An APK file is an archive that holds an app's code, images, texts and settings. APK Editor lets you open such a file on the phone, look at what is inside and change parts of it, then build a new package. People use this kind of tool to translate an app into another language, replace an icon, study how an app is structured or adjust their own projects without a computer. The important detail is that any change breaks the original developer's signature, so the edited app becomes a different package that no longer receives updates from the store. Editing other people's apps to remove ads or unlock paid features usually violates their terms and, in many countries, copyright law, so the legitimate use is your own apps, open-source projects and learning.

Step-by-step guide

1. Install the app from a source you trust and check the permissions it requests.
2. Choose an APK file or an installed app to open.
3. Make one small change at a time, for example a text or an image.
4. Build the new package and install it on a test device first.
5. Keep the original APK so you can go back if something breaks.

Testing without risk

Edited packages are best tried away from your main phone. The emulator in Android Studio, documented at developer.android.com, runs a virtual device on your computer that you can reset at any time, and a spare phone without personal accounts works too. Never install edited versions of banking, messaging or work apps on the device you rely on.

Security

There is no official website for APK Editor in our sources, so be careful where you get it: copies on random portals can be repackaged themselves. Keep Google Play Protect enabled and scan any APK you did not build yourself.

Pros and cons

• Pro: edits packages right on the phone.
• Pro: useful for learning how apps are built.
• Pro: free.
• Con: edited apps lose updates from the store.
• Con: easy to break an app or misuse the tool.

Alternatives

For installing original apps, our listings include Google Play Store, Aurora Store and APKPure. Root Checker and Shizuku are other tools aimed at advanced Android users.