What is .APK File Extension?

Full Form of .apk file extension :

Android application Package file

Where APK file is Located in Android Device

APK files are located in the following directories of android device

1. /system/app/
2. /data/app
3. /data/app-private
4. /sdcard/.android_secure (This shows .asec file instead of apk)
5. In Samsung Device APK is Stored in: /sdcard/external_sd/.android_secure

App directory is only accessible through the rooted mobile device so you should have rooted android device to view the first three directories

Brief Introduction about the APK (Android Application Package) file of Android

APK file extensions are specially created for the android operating system. Android is a Linux based platform developed by Google for mobile device.

The apk file contains the actual source data (Compiled .dex, .arsc, AndroidManifest.xml, graphical, setting, source files) of Android device

The Structure of APK file

APK file format is a compressed zip format and you can open this file by using any one of the decompression tool (WinZIP, WinRAR). Just rename the apk extension to zip extension and open it using WinZip or WinRAR tool.

|-- AndroidManifest.xml
|-- META-INF
|   |-- CERT.RSA
|   |-- CERT.SF
|   `-- MANIFEST.MF
|-- classes.dex
|-- res
|    |-- drawable
|   |   `-- icon.png
|   `-- layout
|       `-- main.xml
`-- resources.arsc

Apps used to Open the APK file Extension in Windows OS

1. BlueStacks
2. Google Android SDK
3. 7-Zip
4. WinRAR
5. Genymotion
6. Corel WinZip 18.5

Programs to Open APK in MAC OS

1. BlueStacks
2. Genymotion
3. Apple Archive Utility
4. Google Android SDK
5. Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe 16
6. Corel WinZip 18.5

Programs to Open APK in Linux OS

1. Google Android SDK
2. Genymotion

Open APK in Android Device

1. Google Android