aeondave/apktool
offensive-tools/rev/apktool/SKILL.md
Apktool: decode and rebuild Android APK resources and smali for patching, manifest edits, resource inspection, and repackaging. Use when reversing or modifying third-party Android apps, changing permissions or resources, editing smali, or preparing an APK for reinstall after static patches.
$ install --global
skillsauthnpx skillsauth add aeondave/malskill apktoolInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
Security Scan Results
3 of 9 scanners reported clean
Some scanners were skipped, did not run, or reported a non-clean status. Review each row below.
3
Scanners Passed
9
Scanners in report
Clean
TrivyContainer and dependency vulnerability scanner
95%
Clean
SemgrepStatic code analysis for vulnerabilities
95%
Clean
mcp-scan (Snyk)Model Context Protocol security validation
95%
Skipped
Snyk (dep)Open source security scanning
50%
Skipped
Socket.devSupply chain security analysis
50%
Skipped
VirusTotalMulti-engine malware detection
50%
Skipped
CrowdStrikeAdvanced threat intelligence
50%
Skipped
OSV-ScannerOpen Source Vulnerability database check
50%
Skipped
OWASP Dep-Check
50%
Last scanned: May 19, 2026, 4:53 AM148.1s1 file scanned
SKILL.md
- name:
- apktool
- description:
- Apktool: decode and rebuild Android APK resources and smali for patching, manifest edits, resource inspection, and repackaging. Use when reversing or modifying third-party Android apps, changing permissions or resources, editing smali, or preparing an APK for reinstall after static patches.
- license:
- Apache-2.0
- compatibility:
- Linux, macOS, Windows; Java 11+; package manager or release download from apktool.org
- author:
- AeonDave
- version:
- 1.0
Apktool
Resource and smali decode/rebuild workflow for Android APKs.
When to use Apktool
Use Apktool when you need to:
- decode
AndroidManifest.xml, resources, and smali from an APK - patch permissions, intents, strings, layouts, or smali logic
- rebuild a modified APK for testing
- inspect resources without full Java decompilation
Use jadx when you want readable Java/Kotlin. Use Apktool when you intend to edit the app.
Quick Start
# Decode APK into a project-like directory
apktool d app.apk
# Decode for analysis-only resource inspection
apktool d -m app.apk
# Rebuild after edits
apktool b app
Typical output after rebuild is under app/dist/.
Core Workflow
1. Decode
apktool d target.apk
This produces a folder containing at least:
AndroidManifest.xmlapktool.ymlres/smali/orsmali_classes*/assets/
2. Patch
Common edit points:
AndroidManifest.xml— exported components, permissions, debuggable flagsres/values/strings.xml— hardcoded UI strings and togglesres/xml/— config and network security settingssmali/— bypass checks, short-circuit logic, redirect flow
3. Rebuild
apktool b target
4. Sign and reinstall
Apktool rebuilds the APK but does not make it production-signed. Sign it separately before install.
apksigner sign --ks debug.keystore target/dist/target.apk
adb install -r target/dist/target.apk
Common Use Cases
Patch app logic in smali
Use when the decompiled Java in jadx shows the method to change, but you need a reliable rebuild path.
apktool d app.apk
# edit smali/com/example/MainActivity.smali
apktool b app
Change manifest or resources
apktool d app.apk
# edit AndroidManifest.xml or res/values/*.xml
apktool b app
Pair with adb
adb shell pm path com.example.app
adb pull /data/app/.../base.apk app.apk
apktool d app.apk
Practical Notes
- Apktool is strongest for resource decode + smali round-trip, not for pretty source code.
- If rebuild succeeds but install fails, check signing, package conflicts, and
android:sharedUserIdor min SDK constraints. - If static analysis is the goal, open the same APK in
jadxalongside Apktool output. -mis useful when you mainly want manifests/resources and do not care about a rebuild-ready tree.
Caveats
- Complex OEM apps may require extra framework handling before clean decode/rebuild.
- Rebuilt apps may still fail at runtime because of integrity checks, signature checks, or native anti-tamper logic.
- Some Java-level edits are easier to understand in
jadx, but safer to apply in smali.
Resources
No bundled scripts/, references/, or assets/.
Use upstream docs at apktool.org for version-specific CLI details and build caveats.
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