Knowledge Base

Android Package Kit (APK) files signing requirements 

Overview: 
This guide provides the step-by-step process for creating a self-signed certificate with a validity period of at least 25 years for signing Android Package Kit (APK) files. This ensures compliance with Android’s signing requirements 

Self- signing of Android Package Kit (APK) files  

Signing Android Package Kit (APK) files requires the use of a certificate with a validity period of at least 25 years. 

Public Certificate Authorities (CAs) do not issue certificates of such a lifetime. Thus, a public CA code signing certificate is not required for signing the APK files. 

A self–signed certificate with a minimum of 25 years validity period can be created. 

Prerequisites 

Before you begin, ensure you have the following: 

• Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your system. 

• Access to the keytool.exe utility (included with JDK). 

• A secure location to store the keystore file. 

Procedure 

To create a self-signed certificate, follow the below steps: 

Step 1: Open Command Prompt 
Launch the Command Prompt or terminal on your development machine. 

Step 2: Run the Key tool Command 
Enter the following command to generate a keystore and self-signed certificate: 

keytool.exe -genkey -v -keystore keystore.jks -alias Android -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 20000 

Explanation: 

• keystore keystore.jks: Specifies the keystore file name. 

• alias Android: Sets the alias for the key. 

• keyalg RSA: Uses RSA algorithm for encryption. 

• keysize 2048: Defines the key size. 

• validity 20000: Sets the certificate validity to 20,000 days (~54 years) 

Step 3: Provide Required Details 
When prompted, enter details such as your name, organization, and location. 

Step 4: Secure the Keystore 
Store the generated keystore.jks file in a secure location for future APK signing. 

Verification 

To confirm the process was successful: 

• Check that the keystore.jks file exists in the specified directory. 

• Use the command key tool -list -keystore keystore.jks to verify the alias and certificate validity. 

Android dev resources: 

https://developer.android.com/studio/publish/app-signing.html#certificates-keystores 

https://developer.android.com/studio/publish/preparing.html 

Related Articles:  

Tags: