What is the difference between APK and AAB for Construct 3 Android exports?

APK (Android Package) is the traditional Android app format that you can install directly on a device or distribute through any store. AAB (Android App Bundle) is the format required by Google Play Store since August 2021. AAB lets Google Play generate optimized APKs for each device configuration, resulting in smaller downloads. Use APK for testing and sideloading, and AAB for Play Store submission.

Do I need Android Studio to export a Construct 3 game to Android?

No, you do not need Android Studio for the basic export. Construct 3 can build Android APK and AAB files using its built-in cloud build service or through a local Cordova setup. However, Android Studio is useful for debugging, testing on emulators, and signing release builds. If you use the Cordova export and build locally, you will need the Android SDK command-line tools and a JDK installed.

How do I fix a Construct 3 Android export that shows a black screen?

A black screen on Android export usually means the WebView is failing to load your game. Common causes are: missing internet permission if your game loads external resources, overly large texture memory exceeding the device GPU limits, JavaScript errors in scripting that crash on mobile WebView, or Cordova plugin conflicts. Check the Android logcat output for errors, reduce texture sizes, and test on the Chrome mobile browser first before building an APK.

How to Export Your Construct 3 Game as an Android App

Quick answer: Export your project using Menu → Project → Export → Android (Cordova). Set your package ID, app name, icons, and splash screen. Choose APK for testing or AAB for Google Play. Sign release builds with a keystore you create using keytool. Test the APK on a real device before submitting the AAB to the Play Store.

Construct 3 games run on web technology, but players on Android expect a native app experience—an icon on the home screen, offline play, fullscreen without browser chrome. The Android export wraps your game in a Cordova-based WebView shell that packages it as a real Android app. This guide covers the full pipeline from project configuration to Play Store submission, including the common problems that trip up first-time exporters.

Preparing Your Project for Mobile

Before exporting, configure your project for the mobile experience. These settings live in Project Properties:

Viewport and scaling:

• Set Fullscreen mode to Letterbox scale for consistent aspect ratio or Scale outer to fill the screen and show more content on wider devices

• Set a viewport size that matches your target aspect ratio. Common choices are 480x854 (portrait 16:9) or 854x480 (landscape 16:9)

• For pixel art games, use Letterbox integer scale to avoid blurry scaling

Input:

• Add the Touch object to your project if you have not already

• Replace any Mouse conditions with Touch equivalents, or use the Mouse & Keyboard behavior which handles both

• Make touch targets large enough (at least 44x44 CSS pixels) for comfortable tapping

Orientation:

• Set the Orientations property to landscape, portrait, or any based on your game design

• For games that support both, handle layout changes in your event sheet when the window size changes

Icons and splash screens:

• Android requires icons at multiple sizes: 36x36, 48x48, 72x72, 96x96, 144x144, 192x192, and 512x512 pixels

• Add these in Project Properties → Icons

• For the splash screen, add a loading logo in Project Properties → Loader

The Export Process

Go to Menu → Project → Export and select Android (Cordova). The export dialog has several important settings:

Package ID: A reverse-domain identifier like com.yourstudio.yourgame. This must be unique on the Play Store and cannot be changed after your first upload. Choose it carefully.

App name: The name that appears under the icon on the user’s device. Keep it short.

Version: Follow semantic versioning (1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.1.0). The version code must increase with every Play Store upload.

Minimum Android version: API level 24 (Android 7.0) is a reasonable minimum. Lower values support more devices but older WebViews have more compatibility issues. API 24+ covers over 95% of active Android devices.

Build type: Choose APK for testing and sideloading, or AAB (Android App Bundle) for Play Store submission. Google Play requires AAB since 2021.

Click Export to start the build. Construct 3 can build using its cloud service or you can export the Cordova project files and build locally.

Signing Your Build

Debug APKs are signed automatically with a debug key. Release builds for the Play Store need a proper signing key. Create one with the keytool command that comes with the Java Development Kit:

# Generate a signing keystore
keytool -genkey -v \
    -keystore my-release-key.keystore \
    -alias my-game-key \
    -keyalg RSA \
    -keysize 2048 \
    -validity 10000

# You'll be prompted for a password and identity info
# Keep this keystore file safe - you need it for every update

If you build locally with Cordova CLI, sign the APK using jarsigner and then align it with zipalign:

# Sign the release APK
jarsigner -verbose -sigalg SHA256withRSA \
    -digestalg SHA-256 \
    -keystore my-release-key.keystore \
    app-release-unsigned.apk my-game-key

# Align the APK for optimal loading
zipalign -v 4 \
    app-release-unsigned.apk \
    my-game-release.apk

Critical: Back up your keystore file and remember the password. If you lose the keystore, you cannot update your app on the Play Store. You would have to publish it as a completely new app with a new package ID. Consider using Google Play App Signing to let Google manage your upload key.

Testing on a Real Device

Always test on a real Android device, not just the browser. The Chrome mobile browser and the Cordova WebView behave differently in subtle ways. Install the APK on your device using one of these methods:

• USB transfer: Copy the APK to the device and open it with a file manager. You may need to enable “Install from unknown sources” in settings.

• ADB install: Connect via USB and run adb install my-game-release.apk from the command line

• QR code / link: Upload the APK to a server and download it on the device

Things to test specifically on Android:

• Touch responsiveness: Make sure all buttons and interactive elements respond to taps

• Audio playback: Verify sound effects and music play correctly (mobile autoplay restrictions apply differently in WebView)

• Performance: Check frame rate on a mid-range device, not just your flagship phone

• Save/load: Verify LocalStorage persistence across app closes and device restarts

• Back button: Handle the Android back button in your event sheet, or the app will close unexpectedly

For handling the Android back button in your event sheet:

Event: On back button

• If on game layout → Go to pause menu or show exit confirmation

• If on menu layout → Close app (or do nothing)

Submitting to Google Play Store

Once your AAB is signed and tested, submit it to the Play Store:

1. Create a developer account at Google Play Console. There is a one-time $25 registration fee.

2. Create a new app and fill in the required details: app name, default language, app or game, free or paid.

3. Complete the store listing:

• Short description (80 characters max)

• Full description (4,000 characters max)

• Screenshots: at least 2, recommended 8. Capture them at 1080x1920 (portrait) or 1920x1080 (landscape)

• Feature graphic: 1024x500 image shown at the top of your listing

• App icon: 512x512 high-res version

4. Complete the content rating questionnaire. Google uses IARC to assign age ratings. Answer honestly about violence, language, and other content factors.

5. Set pricing and distribution. Choose free or paid, and select the countries where your app will be available.

6. Upload the AAB under Release → Production → Create new release. Upload your signed AAB file and add release notes.

7. Submit for review. Google typically reviews new apps within a few hours to a few days. You will receive an email when your app is approved or if issues are found.

Common Export Problems and Fixes

Several issues commonly affect Construct 3 Android exports:

Black screen after splash: Usually caused by JavaScript errors in the WebView. Connect your device to Chrome DevTools via chrome://inspect to see console errors. Common causes are DOM API calls that fail in worker mode, or script references to objects not yet loaded.

Audio not playing: The Cordova WebView may not unlock audio automatically. Add a tap-to-start screen before gameplay. See the audio guide for details.

Performance worse than browser: The Android WebView can be slower than Chrome on the same device. Reduce texture sizes, lower particle counts, and disable GPU effects for mobile. Test with the --disable-gpu flag to simulate software rendering.

// Detect Android WebView and apply mobile optimizations
const isAndroid = /Android/.test(navigator.userAgent);
const isWebView = /wv\)/.test(navigator.userAgent);

if (isAndroid) {
    // Reduce texture quality on mobile
    runtime.globalVars.TextureQuality = "low";

    // Disable non-essential particle effects
    for (const p of runtime.objects.Particles.getAllInstances()) {
        if (p.instVars.priority === "low") {
            p.destroy();
        }
    }
}

App too large: If your APK exceeds 150 MB, Google Play may reject it or require expansion files. Compress audio files, reduce sprite sheet resolution, and remove unused assets. The AAB format helps because Google Play generates optimized APKs per device.

Related Issues

If your exported game is not running at all, see Fix Construct 3 Exported Game Not Running. For audio problems on mobile, see Fix Construct 3 Audio Not Playing on First Touch. For touch input issues, see Fix Construct 3 Touch Input Not Working on Mobile.

Test on the cheapest Android phone you can find. If it runs well there, it will run well everywhere. The Play Store audience skews toward budget devices, especially in markets outside North America and Western Europe.