Free HTML to HTML to APK without Android Studio
Two ways to turn HTML, CSS and JavaScript into an Android APK: the classic Android Studio route, and a shortcut that needs no Android Studio, no SDK and not even a PC.
Free HTML to APK converts HTML into a signed Android APK and a Google Play AAB in your browser or on your phone. Before you use it, it helps to know what it saves you from, so here is the manual route first.
The manual way: Android Studio and a WebView
An "HTML app" on Android is a native app with one screen that shows a WebView, Android's built-in browser component. With Android Studio, building one looks like this:
- Install Android Studio (about 3 GB plus SDK downloads) and a recent JDK.
- Create a project with an Empty Views Activity and pick a package name.
- Copy your
index.html, CSS, JavaScript and images intoapp/src/main/assets/. - Add a
WebViewto the activity layout, turn on JavaScript, and load your page, ideally throughWebViewAssetLoaderso it gets a proper https origin. - Handle the back button so it goes back in page history, handle links that should open in the browser, and add file upload, downloads and permissions if your page needs them.
- Create an icon set, a splash screen and a theme.
- Create a keystore and run Build → Generate Signed App Bundle or APK.
It works, but it takes a few hours the first time, and the details (file uploads, camera access, downloads, edge-to-edge screens on Android 15 and 16, the target API level Google Play requires each year) are where most WebView apps go wrong.
The shortcut: no Android Studio, no SDK, no PC
- Open the HTML to APK converter, or the Android app on your phone.
- Paste your HTML, choose an
.htmlfile, or upload a ZIP of your site (withindex.htmlat the top). - Type the app name and package name, and pick an icon. Splash screen, colours, menus and permissions are optional steps.
- Create a signing key or upload yours, then press Build.
- Download the APK to install and the AAB for Google Play.
The shell it builds handles the hard parts for you: back navigation, file uploads and downloads, an offline page, edge-to-edge layouts, the current target API level and a JavaScript bridge (window.FreeApp) for vibration, notifications, the camera, a QR scanner and more. See the JavaScript API.
Which one should you use?
| Android Studio | Free HTML to APK | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Android Studio, SDK, JDK (several GB) | None: a browser or the Android app |
| Time for a first APK | Hours | A few minutes |
| Works on a phone only | No | Yes |
| Native Java/Kotlin code | Yes, anything | No; phone features through the JavaScript bridge |
| Cost | Free | Free, no watermark |
If you need custom native code, use Android Studio; you can even start from our full Gradle project export. If your app is a web page that should feel like an app, the shortcut is faster and avoids the common WebView mistakes.
Questions
Can I really make an APK without Android Studio?
Yes. An APK built for a web page is a small Android shell plus your files, signed with a key. Free HTML to APK prepares the shell, adds your files and signs the result, online or on your phone.
Do I need a PC?
No. The website works in a phone's browser, and the Android app builds APKs entirely on the phone.
Is the APK signed?
Yes, with APK Signature Scheme v2 and v3, using your own key or one we create for you. Keep the key file safe: every update must use it.
What about Google Play?
Choose APK + AAB. Google Play needs the AAB (Android App Bundle), and you upload it in Play Console.