noun
APK
ay-pee-KAY
APK (noun) means 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. Example: “The beta isn't on the store yet, so they sent round an APK.”
noun
1
technical, computing 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.
"The beta isn't on the store yet, so they sent round an APK."
"Installing an APK from outside the Play Store is known as sideloading."
How to use APK
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe file that installs an Android app on a phone.
When to use it
Technical. Written in capitals; the extension is lower case (.apk).
Easily confused with
Common pairings
APK file
install an APK
sideload an APK
modded APK
APK download
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like APK.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The beta isn't on the store yet, so they sent round an _____.
Etymology
An initialism of Android Package.
Synonyms
View more →
Android package
app package
installer package
app file
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.
What is the meaning of APK?
"APK" (noun) means 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.
