How to edit an APK name ?!

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Jwan

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2011
456
37
as I asked .. if I want to edit tha name of any apk .( sure I dont mean the file name ) ,, I mean .. the name that show up when you install it
for example : .. there is a CAM Mod .. and I dont want to flash it from recovery ( cuz if I do that ,, it will be the only app for camera ) .. and I dont want that .. but when you install it as APK .. you will get the 2 apps and you are free which one you want to use
BUT .. if the app is named ( Camera ) .. you cant install it .. cuz there is already an app with that name ..
any one got what I mean ?? :D
 

SifJar

Senior Member
Jul 30, 2009
619
270
use apktool to extract the apk, edit the manifest.xml and change the package name in there. then rebuild the APK with apktool and sign it. (you may be able to just use 7zip to extract the manifest.xml from the rebuilt app and then put it in the original, signed app, overwriting the one there, to avoid having to resign it [which is a pain to get your computer set up for if you haven't done it before, especially if you don't intend on doing it often again], but I am not 100% sure).
 

Jwan

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2011
456
37
use apktool to extract the apk, edit the manifest.xml and change the package name in there. then rebuild the APK with apktool and sign it. (you may be able to just use 7zip to extract the manifest.xml from the rebuilt app and then put it in the original, signed app, overwriting the one there, to avoid having to resign it [which is a pain to get your computer set up for if you haven't done it before, especially if you don't intend on doing it often again], but I am not 100% sure).

ok thanks .. but .. actually i dont know how to do that .. I didnt fine any file named ( manifest.xml ) :confused::confused:
could any one explain that please ?
EDIT :.. I edited that file but when I ( recompiled ) it ... it was just 1 KB ...
!!!
 
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Jwan

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2011
456
37
man ... are u kidding .. LoL
what will change if I renamed file name ?!!
 

SifJar

Senior Member
Jul 30, 2009
619
270
all u need to do is put you sd in your computer and rename it that way.that is what i do

man ... are u kidding .. LoL
what will change if I renamed file name ?!!

Changing the name of the file will do nothing. When the app is installed, it'll still have the same name (file name of the APK doesn't matter at all).

EDIT: As for how to do this, use apktool to unpack the app. Open "AndroidManifest.xml" and look for something like the following (in this example, I am using a manifest from Canabalt):

Code:
<application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="@string/app_name"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

The important one is the red one. Sometimes it will say something like android:label="Canabalt HD", in which case you'd just change it to what you want, and then rebuild it with apktool, but in this case there is an @ at the start of the name, which means that the name is stored in another file. As it is "@string/app_name", this means that the name is stored in the file "res\values\strings.xml" and has the name "app_name", so go into the folder "res", and then within that the folder "values" [if you use another language on your phone than the app's default language, go into the relevant folder e.g. for Spanish, you would go into "values-es" instead] and then within that open the file "strings.xml". Then you would look for something like this:

Code:
    <string name="app_name">Canabalt HD</string>

Change this, save the file and then rebuild the APK with apktool. Afterwards, you'll need to sign the APK. Otherwise, it MAY be possible to take your edited APK, open it with 7zip, extract the file "AndroidManifest.xml" (or whatever file you edited e.g. strings.xml), then open the original APK with 7zip and replace the AndroidManifest.xml (or whatever file) with the modified version, and then not have to sign it. I haven't tried this though.

Also note that if there is an @ in the AndroidManifest.xml, you can still just edit the title in that file without finding the relevant entry in another file. In my above example, if I wanted to change the name to "Canabalt MOD", I'd change it to the following:

Code:
<application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="Canabalt MOD"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

The difference is basically doing it this way, it won't change for other languages, it will ALWAYS be "Canabalt MOD", regardless of the language of the phone. If you're just doing this for yourself, that probably doesn't matter, so it's simpler to just change it in AndroidManifest.xml.
 
Last edited:

Jwan

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2011
456
37
Actually .. now I know that im noob :D
could u just try to reaname this app to any other name
I tried what u said but it didnt work :(
 

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SifJar

Senior Member
Jul 30, 2009
619
270
Forgot about this yesterday, but I remembered now, so here it is
 

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  • HTCCamera_mod-2.apk
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SifJar

Senior Member
Jul 30, 2009
619
270
I forgot to resign it after editing, let's try again :fingers-crossed:

Should work this time.
 

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joe2013

New member
Jan 13, 2013
1
0
Hi SifJar. Could you do the same thing for whatsapp.apk? I've tried but with no luck :fingers-crossed:
 

GuardDemon

Member
May 11, 2013
6
0
Bandung
Changing the name of the file will do nothing. When the app is installed, it'll still have the same name (file name of the APK doesn't matter at all).

EDIT: As for how to do this, use apktool to unpack the app. Open "AndroidManifest.xml" and look for something like the following (in this example, I am using a manifest from Canabalt):

Code:
<application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="@string/app_name"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

The important one is the red one. Sometimes it will say something like android:label="Canabalt HD", in which case you'd just change it to what you want, and then rebuild it with apktool, but in this case there is an @ at the start of the name, which means that the name is stored in another file. As it is "@string/app_name", this means that the name is stored in the file "res\values\strings.xml" and has the name "app_name", so go into the folder "res", and then within that the folder "values" [if you use another language on your phone than the app's default language, go into the relevant folder e.g. for Spanish, you would go into "values-es" instead] and then within that open the file "strings.xml". Then you would look for something like this:

Code:
    <string name="app_name">Canabalt HD</string>

Change this, save the file and then rebuild the APK with apktool. Afterwards, you'll need to sign the APK. Otherwise, it MAY be possible to take your edited APK, open it with 7zip, extract the file "AndroidManifest.xml" (or whatever file you edited e.g. strings.xml), then open the original APK with 7zip and replace the AndroidManifest.xml (or whatever file) with the modified version, and then not have to sign it. I haven't tried this though.

Also note that if there is an @ in the AndroidManifest.xml, you can still just edit the title in that file without finding the relevant entry in another file. In my above example, if I wanted to change the name to "Canabalt MOD", I'd change it to the following:

Code:
<application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="Canabalt MOD"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

The difference is basically doing it this way, it won't change for other languages, it will ALWAYS be "Canabalt MOD", regardless of the language of the phone. If you're just doing this for yourself, that probably doesn't matter, so it's simpler to just change it in AndroidManifest.xml.

thx... i try find, but not found... Help me pizz
 

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  • 7
    all u need to do is put you sd in your computer and rename it that way.that is what i do

    man ... are u kidding .. LoL
    what will change if I renamed file name ?!!

    Changing the name of the file will do nothing. When the app is installed, it'll still have the same name (file name of the APK doesn't matter at all).

    EDIT: As for how to do this, use apktool to unpack the app. Open "AndroidManifest.xml" and look for something like the following (in this example, I am using a manifest from Canabalt):

    Code:
    <application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="@string/app_name"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

    The important one is the red one. Sometimes it will say something like android:label="Canabalt HD", in which case you'd just change it to what you want, and then rebuild it with apktool, but in this case there is an @ at the start of the name, which means that the name is stored in another file. As it is "@string/app_name", this means that the name is stored in the file "res\values\strings.xml" and has the name "app_name", so go into the folder "res", and then within that the folder "values" [if you use another language on your phone than the app's default language, go into the relevant folder e.g. for Spanish, you would go into "values-es" instead] and then within that open the file "strings.xml". Then you would look for something like this:

    Code:
        <string name="app_name">Canabalt HD</string>

    Change this, save the file and then rebuild the APK with apktool. Afterwards, you'll need to sign the APK. Otherwise, it MAY be possible to take your edited APK, open it with 7zip, extract the file "AndroidManifest.xml" (or whatever file you edited e.g. strings.xml), then open the original APK with 7zip and replace the AndroidManifest.xml (or whatever file) with the modified version, and then not have to sign it. I haven't tried this though.

    Also note that if there is an @ in the AndroidManifest.xml, you can still just edit the title in that file without finding the relevant entry in another file. In my above example, if I wanted to change the name to "Canabalt MOD", I'd change it to the following:

    Code:
    <application [COLOR="Red"]android:label="Canabalt MOD"[/COLOR] android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".CanabaltApplication" android:debuggable="false">

    The difference is basically doing it this way, it won't change for other languages, it will ALWAYS be "Canabalt MOD", regardless of the language of the phone. If you're just doing this for yourself, that probably doesn't matter, so it's simpler to just change it in AndroidManifest.xml.
    4
    use apktool to extract the apk, edit the manifest.xml and change the package name in there. then rebuild the APK with apktool and sign it. (you may be able to just use 7zip to extract the manifest.xml from the rebuilt app and then put it in the original, signed app, overwriting the one there, to avoid having to resign it [which is a pain to get your computer set up for if you haven't done it before, especially if you don't intend on doing it often again], but I am not 100% sure).
    2
    I forgot to resign it after editing, let's try again :fingers-crossed:

    Should work this time.
    2
    Try this, should show up as "HTC Camera"
    1
    use apktool to extract the apk, edit the manifest.xml and change the package name in there. then rebuild the APK with apktool and sign it. (you may be able to just use 7zip to extract the manifest.xml from the rebuilt app and then put it in the original, signed app, overwriting the one there, to avoid having to resign it [which is a pain to get your computer set up for if you haven't done it before, especially if you don't intend on doing it often again], but I am not 100% sure).

    ok thanks .. but .. actually i dont know how to do that .. I didnt fine any file named ( manifest.xml ) :confused::confused:
    could any one explain that please ?
    EDIT :.. I edited that file but when I ( recompiled ) it ... it was just 1 KB ...
    !!!