Generate and download a signed Android APK from your Rocket.new Flutter project, then sideload and test on any device running Android 8.0 or later.
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 an Android device running version 8.0 or higher.
Downloading an APK requires a paid plan (Pro or above).
Not ready to build a native package? Share your app as a web preview for instant testing in any browser without a build step.
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 with Rocket hosted and APK tabs
2
Select the APK tab and click Build
Click the APK tab, then click Build to start generating your APK.
APK tab with 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 build in progress
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.
Download and Build new APK buttons
1
Open the More menu
From your project screen, tap More in the header bar.
More button in header bar
2
Tap Launch on Android phone
Tap Launch on Android phone from the menu.
Launch on Android phone option
3
Tap Build APK
Tap Build APK to start the build.
Build APK button
4
Wait for the build to finish
A progress indicator shows the build status. If it takes more than a minute, Rocket emails you a download link when it is ready.
APK build in progress
5
Download the APK
When the build finishes, tap Download to save the .apk file to your device. Tap Build new APK to rebuild with your latest changes.
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.
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 install prompt after tapping the APK
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.
Tap Settings in the popup.
Toggle on Allow from this source.
Tap the back arrow to return to the install screen.
Enable Allow from this source
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.
