Step-by-Step Guide for Flutter Android APK Signing and Release

Table of Contents

• How to sign the apk or app bundle created using flutter ?
  • step 1 : Create a new keystore file ; if you have an existing keystore , skip this step
  • step 2 : Reference the keystore from the app
  • step 3 : Configure signing in gradle
  • step 4 : how to create APK file or Android App Bundle using flutter ?
  • Bonus Tip : Do not forget to :
• Useful Resources

flutter release apk

How to sign the apk or app bundle created using flutter ?

To publish your app on Play Store, you need to give your app a digital signature.

step 1 : Create a new keystore file ; if you have an existing keystore , skip this step

• Run command in your terminal for linux/mac

  keytool -genkey -v -keystore ~/key.jks -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias key
  

• On Windows, use the following command:

  keytool -genkey -v -keystore c:/Users/USER\_NAME/key.jks -storetype JKS -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000 -alias key
  

• Fill in the required info inside the terminal

Enter keystore password: test@12345 
        Re-enter new password: test@12345
    
        What is your first and last name?
        [test]:  test
        What is the name of your organizational unit?
        [test]:  test
        What is the name of your organization?
        [test]:  test
        What is the name of your City or Locality?
        [test]:  test
        What is the name of your State or Province?
        [test]:  test
        What is the two-letter country code for this unit?
        [tt]:  tt
        Is CN=test, OU=test, O=test, L=test, ST=test, C=tt correct?
        [no]:  yes
        
//OUTPUT
 Generating 2,048 bit RSA key pair and self-signed certificate (SHA256withRSA) with a validity of 10,000 days
                for: CN=test, OU=test, O=test, L=test, ST=test, C=tt
        [Storing /home/<user name>/key.jks]

• Keep the keystore file private; do not check it into public source control.
• Always keep a backup of the keystore file.

Common errors while signing the app

Command 'keytool' not found  
run command :  
sudo apt install openjdk-11-jre-headless  
or   
sudo apt install openjdk-8-jre-headless 

step 2 : Reference the keystore from the app

• Create a file name key.properties in your android folder

Write the following lines inside the newly created file

storePassword=<password from previous step>  
keyPassword=<password from previous step>  
keyAlias=key  
storeFile=<location of the key store file, such as /Users/<user name>/key.jks>

• Keep the key.properties file private; do not check it into public source control.
• Always keep a backup of the key.properties file.

step 3 : Configure signing in gradle

Navigate to /android/app/build.gradle file.

1. Replace the following

android {

with

   def keystoreProperties = new Properties()  
   def keystorePropertiesFile = rootProject.file('key.properties')  
   if (keystorePropertiesFile.exists()) {  
       keystoreProperties.load(new FileInputStream(keystorePropertiesFile))  
   }  
  
   android {

2. Replace the following

buildTypes {  
            release {  
                // TODO: Add your own signing config for the release build.  
                // Signing with the debug keys for now,  
                // so \`flutter run --release\` works.  
                signingConfig signingConfigs.debug  
            }  
        }

with the signing config info

signingConfigs {
       release {
           keyAlias keystoreProperties['keyAlias']
           keyPassword keystoreProperties['keyPassword']
           storeFile file(keystoreProperties['storeFile'])
           storePassword keystoreProperties['storePassword']
       }
   }
   buildTypes {
       release {
           signingConfig signingConfigs.release
       }
   }

Now, every release build of your app will be signed automatically

step 4 : how to create APK file or Android App Bundle using flutter ?

• How to build an android app bundle (aab) using flutter ?

Running flutter build defaults to a release build

flutter build appbundle

Note : release bundle for your app is created at /build/app/outputs/bundle/release/app.aab

• How to build apk file using flutter ?

flutter build apk 

Note : the above command “flutter build apk” builds a fat apk

OR

flutter build apk --split-per-abi 

Note : the above command generated two apk files 

• armeabi-v7a (32-bit) apk 
• arm64-v8a (64-bit) apk

Bonus Tip : Do not forget to :

• Add a launcher icon to you app - refer our icon guide - android app icon

• Review App Manifest File, AndroidManifest.xml, located in <app dir>/android/app/src/main

  • Application Name [android : label in tag]
  • uses-permission [Permission requested by your app]

• Review the build configuration, Gradle build file, build.gradle, located in <app dir>/android/app

  • Navigate to defaultConfig code block and verify 

    • applicationId - unique app id
    • versionCode & versionName - Setting the version property in pubspec.yaml
    • minSdkVersion & targetSdkVersion - API level on which your app is designed to run

Useful Resources

Flutter Official Docs - Deployment Guide