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Android Build a Simple Android App (2014) Testing and Debugging Running the App on a Device

Posted by Tim Collins
Tim Collins
506 Points

APK file

I cannot seam to find the right drivers. How come we cannot from the build menu > generate signed APK > then connect phone or device and drag and drop in windows file explorer then install the apk file from your phone or device. Ive done this in the past but on this particular app i keep getting an error when i try to setup my keystore path.

Brian Brunscheon
Brian Brunscheon
677 Points

I'm running Linux so the process may be a little different. How I did this was:

  1. Click on build -> generate signed apk
  2. Click Create new..
  3. If it takes you to set the location, choose a folder and input a name for the keystore at the bottom of the dialog box. If it didn't take you to this dialog, click the three dots to the right of keystore location.
  4. Fill out all the boxes for the new keystore and click finish.
  5. You should be back to the generate signed apk wizard.
  6. Click next
  7. select either debug of release depending on whether or not you want to be able to debug on the device
  8. Click finish, wait for the APK created dialog, and click show in file manager to get to where the .apk was generated. Mine was named app-release.apk, you may want to rename it, but it doesn't matter.
  9. copy the apk over however you do.
  10. make sure in system settings -> security on your phone that "unknown sources" is checked.
  11. install as you have in the past