How to create an APK file from a Xamarin project using the command line?

Question

Can you tell me what I need to do to get the APK through the console?
How do I check that all the needed tools are installed?
And which command or set of commands will create the APK file?

I can create an APK file from a Xamarin project using the GUI. That is, all the necessary components are installed.
I need to automate this process using CMD or PowerShell.

I've tried many options. The only one that doesn't give errors is:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin\MSBuild.exe" .\ProjectFolder\ProjectName.csproj ^
  /t:Restore;Build;Publish ^
  /p:Configuration=Release ^
  /p:Platform=AnyCPU ^
  /p:AndroidPackageFormat=apk ^
  /p:AndroidCreatePackage=true ^
  /p:AndroidKeyStore=true ^
  /p:AndroidSigningKeyStore=".\ProjectFolder\Certificates\ProjectName.keystore" ^
  /p:AndroidSigningStorePass="MyPass" ^
  /p:AndroidSigningKeyAlias="ProjectName" ^
  /p:AndroidSigningKeyPass="MyPass"

This completes with no errors, but the APK still does not appear.

Part of the .csproj file:

<Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
<ProjectGuid>{0A8D55C4-...}</ProjectGuid>
<ProjectTypeGuids>{EFBA0AD7-...};{FAE04EC0-...}</ProjectTypeGuids>
<TemplateGuid>{c9e5eea5-...}</TemplateGuid>
<OutputType>Library</OutputType>
<RootNamespace>MyNamespace</RootNamespace>
<AssemblyName>ProjectName</AssemblyName>
<Deterministic>True</Deterministic>
<AndroidApplication>True</AndroidApplication>
<AndroidResgenFile>Resources\Resource.designer.cs</AndroidResgenFile>
<AndroidResgenClass>Resource</AndroidResgenClass>
<AndroidManifest>Properties\AndroidManifest.xml</AndroidManifest>
<MonoAndroidResourcePrefix>Resources</MonoAndroidResourcePrefix>
<MonoAndroidAssetsPrefix>Assets</MonoAndroidAssetsPrefix>
<AndroidUseLatestPlatformSdk>false</AndroidUseLatestPlatformSdk>
<TargetFrameworkVersion>v9.0</TargetFrameworkVersion>
<AndroidEnableSGenConcurrent>true</AndroidEnableSGenConcurrent>
<AndroidUseAapt2>true</AndroidUseAapt2>
<AndroidHttpClientHandlerType>Xamarin.Android.Net.AndroidClientHandler</AndroidHttpClientHandlerType>
<NuGetPackageImportStamp>
</NuGetPackageImportStamp>

Visual Studio 2022: 17.14.17
MSBuild: 17.14.23.42201

Arti · Accepted Answer · 2025-11-29 09:55:20Z

0

If OutputType is Library, MSBuild will never produce an .apk, it will only compile a DLL

That property must be:

<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>

Because Xamarin Android apps are executables that package native code + Mono runtime → .apk.

generate an APK from command line
Ensure the project is an Android Application, not a library

Set these properties in the .csproj (or confirm they exist):

<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
<AndroidApplication>true</AndroidApplication>

If a dependent library project still has <OutputType>Library</OutputType>, that’s fine — only the main app project must be Exe

Use the correct MSBuild
/t:Restore;Build;SignAndroidPackage

SignAndroidPackage is the only MSBuild target that produces a signed .apk.

you can find signed apk here

ProjectFolder\bin\Release\android\com.xxxx-Signed.apk

answered 12 hours ago

Arti

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