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Rocket builds your mobile app into an you can install on any Android device. Use this to get a full native testing experience before you publish to Google Play. You need a paid Rocket plan and an Android device running version 8.0 or higher.
Not ready to build a native package? Share your app as a web preview for instant testing in any browser without a build step.

Build and download

1

Click Launch

From your task, click the Launch button in the top-right corner. A popup appears with the Rocket hosted tab selected by default.
Launch popup open showing Rocket hosted tab selected by default.Launch popup open showing Rocket hosted tab selected by default.
2

Select the APK tab and click Build

Click the APK tab, then click Build to start generating your APK.
APK tab selected in the Launch popup showing the Build button.APK tab selected in the Launch popup showing the Build button.
3

Wait for the build to finish

A progress bar shows the build status. If it takes more than a minute, Rocket emails you a download link when it is ready.
APK tab showing Building APK progress bar at 95%.APK tab showing Building APK progress bar at 95%.
4

Download the APK

When the build finishes, click Download to save the .apk file to your computer. Click Build new APK to rebuild with your latest changes.
APK tab showing Download and Build new APK buttons after a successful build.APK tab showing Download and Build new APK buttons after a successful build.
If your build fails, you see an error message with a Rebuild option and receive an email notification.
If a build fails, fix any code errors in your editor, make sure you have a stable internet connection, and click Rebuild. Common causes are dependency mismatches, invalid configurations, or unsupported packages. If it fails three times in a row, contact support@rocket.new.

Install on your Android device

1

Find the APK on your device

If you downloaded it from a browser, check the Downloads folder. If you downloaded it on your computer, transfer it to your device via USB or cloud storage.
2

Tap the APK file

Open your device’s Files or Downloads app and tap the APK file. A system prompt appears asking if you want to install the app.
System prompt triggered after tapping the APK file to start installation.
3

Allow installs from this source

If this is your first time installing an APK from this source, Android will block the install and show a warning.
  1. Tap Settings in the popup.
  2. Toggle on Allow from this source.
  3. Tap the back arrow to return to the install screen.
Android settings screen showing Allow from this source toggle enabled.
You only need to do this once per app you use to open the APK (such as Chrome or Gmail).
4

Install the app

Tap Install and wait a few seconds. Once done, tap Open to launch it or find it in your app drawer.
After installing, consider turning off Allow from this source to protect your device. Go to Settings > Apps > Special app access > Install unknown apps, select the app you used, then disable the permission.

What’s next?

Publish to Google Play

Submit your tested app to the Google Play Store for public distribution.

Compare distribution options

Decide between web links, APK builds, and app store submissions.