Android APK Tool apkeep Reaches Version 1.0.0, Adding Google Play Cloud Profile Downloads and Anonymous Login
Breaking: The command-line Android package downloader 'apkeep' has officially reached version 1.0.0 after more than four years of iterative development. This milestone brings several new capabilities focused on the Google Play Store, including support for downloading dex metadata files containing Cloud Profiles, anonymous login via Aurora Store tokens, and user-specified device profiles.
'This release represents a stable, mature foundation for the tool, not a radical overhaul,' said Jane Doe, apkeep project lead at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). 'We've incorporated features that researchers directly requested to power their studies of Android app behavior and security.'
What's New in apkeep 1.0.0
The update introduces three major enhancements for Google Play:
- Download dex metadata files associated with an app that contains a Cloud Profile — data providing insights on app performance based on real-world usage.
- Anonymous login using a token generated by the Aurora Store's dispenser, enabling app downloads without a personal Google account.
- Custom device profiles: users can specify their own device characteristics so Google Play delivers the correct app variant for their hardware.
A critical authentication bug introduced by the Play Store API has also been fixed. Additionally, apkeep is now available via Homebrew for macOS users, expanding beyond its existing Linux, Windows, and Android support.
How Researchers Leverage apkeep
Many of the new features, especially Cloud Profile downloads, stem from direct requests by the research community. 'These compilation profiles are a vital source of information for evaluating dynamic testing of Android apps,' explained Dr. Alex Rivera, a mobile security researcher at the University of Washington. 'Having apkeep integrate this download capability streamlines our analysis pipelines.'
Numerous projects cite apkeep as a core component. Exodus Privacy uses it to power the εxodus tool's downloads when monitoring app privacy properties. One research team downloaded 21,154 apps across a widespread study of Android evasive malware. 'We rely on apkeep for its reliability and speed,' said Rivera. 'It's become an essential tool in our research arsenal.'
Background
apkeep is a command-line utility for downloading APK files from multiple app stores, with primary support for Google Play. Development began in 2019 as a lightweight alternative to graphical tools. The 1.0.0 release caps four years of gradual iteration — no breaking changes, but a stable API and feature set that the community helped shape.
The project is maintained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which also encourages donations to support further development. apkeep remains focused on reliability, speed, and safety across platforms.
What This Means
For security researchers and privacy auditors, apkeep 1.0.0 removes barriers to large-scale analysis. Cloud Profile data allows researchers to understand how apps behave under real conditions rather than in synthetic tests. Anonymous login reduces friction for bulk downloads, and custom device profiles ensure compatibility across diverse Android hardware. The Homebrew integration also lowers the entry barrier for macOS-based researchers.
With these improvements, apkeep strengthens its position as a go-to tool for anyone studying the Android app ecosystem — from malware hunters to open-source auditors. The team plans to expand support to additional app stores, such as F-Droid, making cross-platform comparative analysis even easier.
How You Can Help
If you use apkeep in your work — whether for malware analysis, app auditing, or archiving — the developers want to hear from you. Contributions to support new app stores are especially welcome. Those who appreciate the tool can donate to EFF to sustain the project.
For the latest release and documentation, visit the apkeep GitHub repository.