Building an APK from Expo: Everything You Need to Know!

I spent hours trying to export an APK from a React Native Expo project—without ejecting it.
It took me nearly half a day to figure out, so I’m writing this guide to save you the trouble.

Let’s dive straight into the commands you need

Steps to Build an APK from Expo

Alright, let's get straight to it. Follow these steps to build your APK without ejecting your Expo project.

1. Install Dependencies

First things first, make sure you have all the necessary packages installed:

npm install 
npx expo install expo-dev-client 

2. Check for Issues (Optional)

If you want to make sure your project is in good shape before building, run:

npx expo-doctor  

This will scan your project and let you know if there are any issues that might cause trouble during the build.

3. Fix Package Compatibility Issues (If Needed)

If you run into any package version mismatches, you can fix them easily by running:

npx expo install --fix  

4. Build the Project

Now, if everything looks good, it's time to build the project. Run:

eas build --profile development --platform android  

Make sure you're logged into your Expo account before running this command. If you don’t have one, create it from the official expo website.

By default, this will generate an .aab file instead of an .apk file. If you need an APK, there’s one more step.

Modifying eas.json to Get an APK

To get an APK instead of an AAB, you’ll need to modify your eas.json file. Here’s what it should look like:

{  
  "build": {  
    "production": {
      "autoIncrement": true,
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      }
    }
  }  
}  

Once you've updated the eas.json file, run this command to generate the APK:

eas build --profile production --platform android

And that's it! Now you’ll have your APK file ready to install or share.

Wrapping Up

And that's it! You now have a working APK from your Expo project—without having to eject. Whether you're testing your app or distributing it outside the Play Store, this method keeps your workflow smooth and hassle-free.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with fellow developers who might be struggling with the same issue. Happy coding!