How to Generate Unsigned (Shareable) Apk in Android Studio?

If you want to generate an APK that isn't signed with a release key (usually for sharing with testers or collaborators), you're typically looking to generate a debug APK. This APK is signed with the debug key generated by the Android Studio and shouldn't be used for release to the Google Play Store.

Here's how to generate a debug (or unsigned in the context of the release) APK in Android Studio:

Open Your Project: Open your Android project in Android Studio.
Clean and Build (optional but recommended):
- Click on the Build menu option at the top.
- Choose Clean Project. This will ensure there are no old build artifacts.
- Once cleaning is done, select Rebuild Project from the same menu.
Generate Debug APK:
- Click on the Build menu option at the top of Android Studio.
- Choose Build Bundle(s) / APK(s).
- From the submenu, select Build APK(s).
Wait for the Build to Complete: Once the build process completes, you'll see a notification at the bottom of the Android Studio window that says "APK(s) generated successfully."
Locate the APK:
- In the notification, click on the locate link. This will open the directory containing the debug APK.
- Alternatively, you can navigate to the APK manually by going to the following directory within your project: YourProject/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/
- You'll find the APK named app-debug.apk.

You can now share this APK with testers or collaborators. Remember, this APK is signed with a debug key and should not be released to end-users via the Google Play Store. It's meant for testing and development purposes only.