The best thing about Android that no other mobile operating system offers, is the ability to install custom ROMs. There are many ROMs available for Android devices. One is free to choose among them as long as the device is rooted and one has the will to go further with the risks involved. One can choose from stock Android AOSP to MIUI and Cyanogen.
While the ROM installation takes a few minutes as long as the bootloader is unlocked and the recovery installed, the initial setup and apps take up most of the time. Installing backed up applications, from the server or local computer can take a while to install manually. Titanium Backup offers an option for uninterrupted batch installation, but the cost for this feature is around $5.99, which is quite high.
Today I will show you how you can create a flexible zip file containing the apps and games you want to install on your device and install the apps and data right after you install any new ROM. This trick will streamline your process and you will never have to think twice before trying out a new ROM.
Note: Always back up your Nandroid before you begin. Better to be safe than sorry.
Use the ZIPme app on a rooted Android device
ZIPme is a free app that can be downloaded from the Play Store and is used to create a flashable zip on the phone itself. The app is in beta state and needs root access to work. After you launch the app, it will ask you to create a zip file by tapping the plus icon (+) at the bottom of the screen.
The application allows you to create zip files of the application (along with associated data), system settings data along with utilities, and additional files and settings that you want to include.
Pro Tip: Before making a real transaction, it’s a good idea to backup an app and then restore it with the app just to check if it works. Trust me, you won’t want to find yourself in a situation where there’s a new ROM and the backup doesn’t work.
The app creates ZIP files in the desired location and can then be easily accessed by any ROM flashed on the device. There is no additional configuration in the app. So all you can do is select the modules and create a ZIP file. ZIPme can be useful to make a backup when you are sure that a new ROM will be flashed on your phone.
However, sometimes, you are left with a clean ROM without any backups. To save bandwidth, we can download APK files and install them individually, although that can be tedious.
Sometimes you are converting ROMs and should not move any system and application data. In such cases, if you only have to install the app, there’s an easier way to get it done. We will create a simple flashable ZIP file on your computer with the applications you want to download which can then be loaded by recovery.
Create a Flashable ZIP Manually
Download the ZIP file and extract it to a folder on your computer. This folder can be thought of as a model for creating flashable zip files.
After you unzip the folder, you will see two folders. One will be the untouched META-INF file and the other should be System -> Applications where all APK files will be loaded before recompressing. Check out the image for instructions on what the folder structure should look like.
Once you have loaded the applications, select META-INF and the System folder, right click on any folder and select the option to create a zipped folder. Please make sure you select both folders and not the parent folder to create the ZIP file. Finally, the file can be flashed in any ROM and you can install the app as a system app in no time.
Conclusion
Here are two ways that you can create flashable ZIP files. If you know of any other third-party apps that can help with the task at hand, let us know. Please join me in our discussion forum, I would love to chat.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
