Reading Strings.xml file from apk file

Question

Is there any way you can read the strings.xml file from an apk file?
I am not interested in libs or classes/code file just the strings defined in strings.xml

Lalit Poptani · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-18T05:53:17.803

43

Yes you can extract all the Resource files using apktool

Steps -

1.) Download files from above links and extract them in a folder.
2.) Open cmd -> run 
3.) Run command as 
    apktool.bat d source.apk destination_path

OR

1.) Put apktool.jar and test.apk in same folder 
2.) Go to the jar and .apk path by command line
3.) And fire the command java -jar apktool.jar d test.apk
4.) It will generate a folder with the name "test" in the same folder.

edited Jun 18 '15 at 05:53

answered Jul 21 '12 at 09:42

Lalit Poptani

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Good Work bro..Cheers..One more Question..:))...Is it possible to extract the src folder of our Android project..is there any tool that would do this.?? – Haresh Chaudhary Jul 21 '12 at 10:13
Oh!!! yes you can [extract src folder](http://stackoverflow.com/a/6081365/726863) also, but it won't be completely readable, but almost you can get the idea what the code is all about :) – Lalit Poptani Jul 21 '12 at 10:17
@LalitPoptani the apktoll isn't available on the link you've provided. – android developer Jul 18 '13 at 08:27
Man you are a life saver... Thank you so much! – Bugs Happen May 18 '19 at 02:32
I would like to add that after extraction from apktool, string.xml file can be located in destination_path/res/values/ folder. – user3046442 Jun 05 '20 at 14:34

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 21 '12 at 09:42

7

Download android-apktool (download dependencies also if required), extract all in the same directory and run apktool d application.apk

answered Jul 21 '12 at 09:42

biegleux

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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 06 '16 at 18:08

3

Download apktool

Put apk file ( suppose test.apk ) in the directory where you have downloaded it.
Now type the command ' apktool d test.apk '
Now browse to " test \ res \ values "

You will get your strings.XML file there.

answered Feb 06 '16 at 18:08

user5892815

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score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 10 '16 at 22:15

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Another option besides apktool is aapt, but it won't reproduce the strings in the original XML form.

$ aapt dump --values resources app.apk |
  grep '^ *resource.*:string/' --after-context=1

  resource 0x7f04011a com.example:string/hello: t=0x03 d=0x0000039e (s=0x0008 r=0x00)
    (string8) "Hello"
  ...

answered Feb 10 '16 at 22:15

apricot

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is there a way to only get the english strings? – ssss May 04 '23 at 12:22

Reading Strings.xml file from apk file

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