Root Extracting APK files from your Android

[maurinet]

Ok, so the story behind this mini-tutorial is that I live with other people that have Galaxies and I upgrade their phones periodically, as part of the upgrade process I have to wipe the phones and a nandroid backup doesn't always work (like if you go from 1.5 to 1.6.3.4) and with the wipe some important things are lost: APN settings, Hebrew fonts, Hebrew Keyboard, etc.

I have to install the keyboard, fonts, script utility, etc. every time on every phone; some of these apps are in the market, but to use the market you need to do the setup wizard to add your Google account to the phone. And sine sometimes the owners of the phones aren't around, I need to have the .apk files with the apps I need to install so I can do it without downloading them from the market.

Hence, I had to figure out a way to extract the .apk files from my phone so I could install them on theirs.

Here's how it's done:

Prerequisites:
- Android SDK
- Android USB driver

To extract an APK file from your device:

1. Plug your

 

[dsyzug]

Perhaps easiest way is to use Astro file manager.

 

[Lelouch]

Perhaps easiest way is to use Astro file manager.

I agree on that. I'm using it for a while now.

 

[maurinet]

I don't particularly like the Astro file manager, I rather use more advanced file managers (like EStrongs File Explorer, Root Explorer, Ghost Commander or even OI File Manager), and while you can do this process through a file manager, I like doing it through ADB because it extract the .apk file straight into my computer... matter of taste I guess.

Thanks for the tip though

 

[dsyzug]

Astro can backup all apks in one go and keep track of version history and we can replace older ones with newer ones. Its Applicatoin Mangager/Backup utility is unbeatable. Otherwise I like Estrongs as it is fast and adfree.

 

[maurinet]

Interesting, I didn't know Astro had such a feature... I'll try it out I guess, see how it goes. Thanx!

(check out the new tutorial to upgrade to 1.6.3.4 on my signature)