APK
4 synonyms for APK, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The file format used to distribute and install an app on an Android phone or tablet. A single .apk file is a compressed package containing the app's code, images, sounds and settings, which the system unpacks when installing.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Android package
app package
installer package
app file
How to use APK
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
APK file
install an APK
sideload an APK
modded APK
APK download
Technical. Written in capitals; the extension is lower case (.apk).
Etymology
An initialism of Android Package.
Full origin of APK →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an APK and an AAB?
An AAB, or Android App Bundle, is what developers now upload to Google Play. It contains everything the app might need for every kind of device, and the store then generates a smaller APK tailored to each phone. The APK is still the thing the phone actually installs; the AAB is the packaging developers hand over.
What does sideloading an APK mean?
Installing an app from an APK file obtained somewhere other than an official app store — from a website, a file transfer or a developer directly. Android blocks this by default and requires the user to grant permission to the app doing the installing.
Is an APK the same as an EXE?
They play a similar role on different systems, but they are unrelated formats. An APK installs an app on Android and is essentially a ZIP archive; an EXE runs a program on Windows. Neither will work on the other's platform.
