Android App Size Reduction Techniques

Connect With Us
Sign up for our newsletter

Sign up to our Newsletter to get the latest news and offers.

  • July 21,2025

Android App Size Reduction Techniques

Android app size reduction techniques involve optimizing code, compressing images, removing unused resources, using Android App Bundles, and modularizing features to minimize APK size. This improves download speed, saves device storage, and enhances user experience.

Android app size reduction techniques

1 ) Importance of Reducing App Size  

Reducing mobile app size is crucial for enhancing user experience by enabling faster downloads, saving storage space, and improving app performance. Smaller apps encourage more installations and reduce uninstalls related to device storage limitations.

2 ) Remove Unused Resources  

  Use tools like FengNiao (iOS) and lint (Android) to detect and eliminate unnecessary resources.  

  Leverage Android App Bundles to optimize resources tailored for different devices, ensuring only relevant assets are included.

3 ) Optimize Images and Media  

  Adopt efficient image formats such as WebP and HEIC.  

  Compress images using tools like Imagify, TinyPNG, or ImageOptim, with options for lossless or lossy compression.  

  Resize images appropriately for each device and platform to avoid unnecessary large assets.  

  Use efficient video formats like H.264 and H.265 and compress videos effectively.

4 ) Shrink and Obfuscate Code  

  Utilize ProGuard (Android) and Link Time Optimization (iOS) to remove unused code segments.  

  Further optimize code by renaming classes, removing debug information, and compressing code to reduce overall size.

5 ) Leverage App Thinning and App Bundles  

  Implement App Thinning on iOS to deliver device specific optimized assets.  

  Use Android App Bundles to generate optimized APKs tailored to the user's device configuration.

6 ) Implement On Demand Resources and Dynamic Delivery  

  For iOS, use On Demand Resources to download assets only when needed by the user.  

  On Android, employ Dynamic Delivery to modularize apps into downloadable components, reducing initial install size.

7 ) Optimize Third Party Libraries  

  Assess the necessity of each library and prefer lightweight alternatives where possible.  

  Use tree shaking techniques to remove unused code from libraries.  

  Continuously monitor library performance and size impact with tools such as ProGuard, Firebase, and LeakCanary.

8 ) Bitcode and Runtime Optimizations (iOS)  

  Enable Bitcode to allow Apple to recompile the app per device specifics, optimizing size and performance.  

  Utilize whole module optimization and swiftc compiler options for efficient code generation.

9 ) Modularize and Lazy Load Features  

  Break the app into smaller modules or frameworks.  

  Load modules or features lazily—only when required—to minimize initial app download and storage.

10 ) Optimize Updates and Network Transfers  

  Use delta updates to transmit only changes made since the last version rather than the full app package.  

  Compress content and optimize network requests for updates and resource downloads.

11 ) Continuous Monitoring and Optimization  

  Regularly analyze app size using automated testing and CI pipelines.  

  Employ analytics tools and conduct code reviews to maintain a lean and efficient codebase over time.

12 ) Additional Android Specific APK Size Tips  

  Apply ABI filters in the build configuration to exclude unsupported CPU architectures, reducing native code size.  

  Configure the app manifest to avoid extracting native libraries unnecessarily, lowering APK size on devices.

By consistently applying these techniques, developers can significantly reduce APK and app bundle sizes, resulting in better app performance, quicker downloads, and a superior end user experience.

 

 

https://justacademy.in/news-detail/best-ci/cd-tools-for-flutter-projects

 

https://justacademy.in/news-detail/dartconf-2025-highlights

 

https://justacademy.in/news-detail/dart-3.1-released:-enhancing-flutter-performance

 

https://justacademy.in/news-detail/flutter’s-new-devtools-make-debugging-easier-than-ever

 

https://justacademy.in/news-detail/flutter-for-startups:-quick-mvp-building-guide

 

Related Posts