Android is open source but, it has security checks at its own level too. It requires that all APKs be digitally signed with a certificate before they can be installed. This tutorial describes how to sign your APKs using Android Studio.
A public-key certificate, also known as a digital certificate or an identity certificate, contains the public key of a public/private key pair, as well as some other metadata identifying the owner of the key (for example, name and location). The owner of the certificate holds the corresponding private key.
When you sign an APK, the signing tool attaches the public-key certificate to the APK. The public-key certificate serves as as a "fingerprint" that uniquely associates the APK to you and your corresponding private key. This helps Android ensure that any future updates to your APK are authentic and come from the original author.
A keystore is a binary file that contains one or more private keys. When you sign an APK for release using Android Studio, you can choose to generate a new keystore and private key or use a keystore and private key you already have. You should choose a strong password for your keystore, and a separate strong password for each private key stored in the keystore. You must keep your keystore in a safe and secure place. You must use the same certificate throughout the lifespan of your app in order for users to be able to install new versions as updates to the app.
You can use Android Studio to manually generate signed APKs, either one at a time, or for multiple build variants at once. Instead of manually signing APKs, you can also configure your Gradle build settings to handle signing automatically during the build process.
To sign your APK for release in Android Studio, follow these steps:
Once you complete the form, click OK.
5. On the Generate Signed APK Wizard window, select a keystore, a private key, and enter the passwords for both. (If you created your keystore in the last step, these fields are already populated for you.) Then click Next.
6. On the next window, select a destination for the signed APK(s), select the build type, (if applicable) choose the product flavor(s), and click Finish.
When the process completes, you will find your signed APK in the destination folder you selected above. You may now distribute your signed APK through an app marketplace like the Google Play Store, or using the mechanism of your choice. For more about how to publish your signed APK to the Google Play Store, you can follow my blog, How To Publish Android Application On Google Play.
When you sign an APK, the signing tool attaches the public-key certificate to the APK. The public-key certificate serves as as a "fingerprint" that uniquely associates the APK to you and your corresponding private key. This helps Android ensure that any future updates to your APK are authentic and come from the original author.
A keystore is a binary file that contains one or more private keys. When you sign an APK for release using Android Studio, you can choose to generate a new keystore and private key or use a keystore and private key you already have. You should choose a strong password for your keystore, and a separate strong password for each private key stored in the keystore. You must keep your keystore in a safe and secure place. You must use the same certificate throughout the lifespan of your app in order for users to be able to install new versions as updates to the app.
You can use Android Studio to manually generate signed APKs, either one at a time, or for multiple build variants at once. Instead of manually signing APKs, you can also configure your Gradle build settings to handle signing automatically during the build process.
To sign your APK for release in Android Studio, follow these steps:
- In the menu bar, click Build > Generate Signed APK.
- Select the module you would like to release from the drop down, and click Next.
- If you already have a keystore, go to step 5. If you want to create a new keystore, click Create new.
- On the New Key Store window, provide the following information for your keystore and key, as shown below,
- Key store path: Select the location where your keystore should be created.
- Password: Create and confirm a secure password for your keystore.
- Alias: Enter an identifying name for your key.
- Password: Create and confirm a secure password for your key. This should be different from the password you chose for your keystore
- Validity (years): Set the length of time in years that your key will be valid. Your key should be valid for at least 25 years, so you can sign app updates with the same key through the lifespan of your app.
- Certificate: Enter some information about yourself for your certificate. This information is not displayed in your app, but is included in your certificate as part of the APK.
5. On the Generate Signed APK Wizard window, select a keystore, a private key, and enter the passwords for both. (If you created your keystore in the last step, these fields are already populated for you.) Then click Next.
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