How to Generate Signed Apk in Android Studio?

Generating a signed APK is an essential step for distributing your Android app to users, as only signed APKs can be uploaded to the Google Play Store. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to generate a signed APK using Android Studio:

Open Your Project in Android Studio:
- Make sure you have all the necessary changes saved and your app version is updated in your build.gradle file.
Build Menu:
- Click on the Build menu option at the top of Android Studio.
Generate Signed Bundle / APK:
- From the drop-down menu, choose Generate Signed Bundle / APK....
Choose APK or Android App Bundle:
- A dialog will appear. Choose APK (though nowadays, Google recommends using Android App Bundles (AAB) as it can result in a smaller app size for users).
- Click Next.
Key Store Path:
- If you already have a keystore, click on the Choose existing... button and navigate to your keystore file. If you're creating a new keystore, click on Create new....
- For a new keystore, a dialog will appear:
  - Key store path: Click the folder icon and select where you want to save your keystore.
  - Key store password: Enter a secure password (and remember/write it down somewhere safe).
  - Alias: This is a name identifier for your key.
  - Password: Another secure password (can be the same as the keystore password).
  - Validity (years): Typically, you'd set this to a large number like 25 or 30 years.
  - Certificate: Fill in the form with details like the organization, locality, and country code.
- Click OK when you're done.
- Click Next.
Key Password:
- If using an existing keystore, enter the password for your keystore and key alias.
Build Type & Variants:
- Choose the desired build type (release is the most common for distribution).
- Select the variants you want to generate the APK for (usually, you'd go with the active variant).
- Click Next.
Finish:
- Choose the destination folder where you want to save the signed APK.
- Click on Finish.
Locate the APK:
- After the build process completes, you can navigate to the specified destination folder, or click on the "locate" option that appears in Android Studio to find your signed APK.

Remember:

Always keep your keystore and its password secure. If you lose the keystore or forget its password, you won't be able to update your app on the Google Play Store.
It's a good idea to back up your keystore and store it in a secure location.
Always test the signed APK before distributing it to ensure everything works as expected.