📲 Building and Publishing an Expo Android App

Note

The legacy expo build:android command has been retired. The recommended way to build Android applications is by using Expo Application Services (EAS Build).

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Node.js installed
• An Expo project
• An Expo account
• A Google Play Developer account (for publishing)

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1. Install the EAS CLI

Install the EAS CLI globally:

npm install -g eas-cli

Or use it without installing globally:

npx eas-cli --version

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2. Log in to Your Expo Account

Authenticate with your Expo account:

eas login

If you don't have an account yet:

eas register

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3. Configure Your Project

From your project root, initialize EAS Build:

eas build:configure

This command creates an eas.json configuration file.

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4. Configure eas.json

A typical configuration looks like this:

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

Build Profiles

Profile	Purpose	Output
preview	Internal testing	APK
production	Google Play release	AAB

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5. Build an APK (Testing)

Generate an APK for internal testing:

eas build --platform android --profile preview

What happens?

• The build runs on Expo's cloud servers.
• Once completed, Expo provides a download link for your APK.
• Install the APK directly on Android devices for testing.

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6. Build an Android App Bundle (Play Store)

Google Play requires an Android App Bundle (.aab) for app submissions.

Build the production bundle:

eas build --platform android --profile production

After the build finishes, you'll receive a download link for the generated .aab file.

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Publishing to Google Play

To publish your application:

1. Sign in to the Google Play Console.
2. Create a new application.
3. Complete all required app information.
4. Upload the generated .aab file.
5. Submit the release for review.

Note

A Google Play Developer account requires a one-time registration fee.

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Development vs Distribution

Command / File	Purpose
npx expo start	Runs the app locally using Expo Go or a Development Build
APK	Installable Android package for testing
AAB	Android App Bundle used for publishing to Google Play

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Verify Your Expo SDK Version

Before creating production builds, verify your Expo SDK version.

For example:

{
  "expo": "~57.0.4"
}

If your SDK version is outdated or unsupported, EAS Build may fail or produce unexpected issues.

You can check your Expo SDK with:

npx expo --version

Or inspect your project's package.json.

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Recommended Workflow

Develop App
      │
      ▼
npx expo start
      │
      ▼
Test Features
      │
      ▼
eas build --platform android --profile preview
      │
      ▼
Install APK on Device
      │
      ▼
eas build --platform android --profile production
      │
      ▼
Download .aab
      │
      ▼
Upload to Google Play Console
      │
      ▼
Publish 🎉

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Common Commands

Install EAS CLI

npm install -g eas-cli

Log in

eas login

Configure EAS

eas build:configure

Build APK

eas build --platform android --profile preview

Build AAB

eas build --platform android --profile production

Start Development Server

npx expo start

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Summary

• Use EAS Build for all Android builds.
• Use the preview profile to generate APKs for testing.
• Use the production profile to generate an AAB for Google Play.
• Configure your project with eas build:configure.
• Verify your Expo SDK is supported before creating production builds.
• Publish the generated .aab through the Google Play Console.

Following this workflow ensures your Expo application is built using the current recommended approach for Android development and distribution.