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Android build settings reference

Reference documentation for Android build settings.
Read time 6 minutesLast updated 22 days ago

Use the Android build settings to configure and build your application for Android platform. The Android build settings are included in the Platform Settings section of the Build Profiles window.

Property

Description

Texture Compression
The texture compression format to use for the build. The options are:
  • Use Player Settings: Uses the texture compression format you set in Player Settings.
  • ETC (GLES 2.0): Uses ETC format.
  • ETC2 (GLES 3.0): Uses ETC2 format.
  • ASTC: Uses ASTC format.
  • DXT (Tegra): Uses DXT format.
For more information about texture compression formats, refer to Recommended, default, and supported texture compression formats, by platform.
Notes:
Export Project
Exports the Unity project as a Gradle project that you can import into Android Studio. For more information, refer to Export an Android project.
Symlink Sources
Indicates whether to share Java, Kotlin, and Android Library plug-in source files between Unity and the exported Gradle project. Android Library plug-in source files can be shared only if it includes
build.gradle
file in the plug-in folder.
Enable this setting to create symbolic links so the Gradle project references Java, Kotlin, and Android Library plug-in (.androidlib) source files in the Unity project. This helps you test and iterate Java, Kotlin, and Android Library plug-in code because it means any changes you make to these source files in the exported Gradle project persist if you re-export the Unity project.
Disable this setting to make Unity copy Java, Kotlin, and Android Library plug-in source files from the Unity project into the exported Gradle project.
Note: You can only interact with this setting if you enable Export Project.
Build App Bundle (Google Play)
Indicates whether to build the application as an Android App Bundle (AAB) to distribute on Google Play. If you enable this setting, Unity builds the application as an
aab
. If you disable this setting, Unity builds the application as an
apk
.
Note: This setting is visible only if you disable Export Project.
Export for App Bundle
Configures the exported Gradle project to build as an Android App Bundle.
Note: This setting is visible only if you enable Export Project.
Debug Symbols
Specifies how Unity generates a symbols package when it builds your application. The available options are:
  • Disabled: Unity doesn’t generate a symbols package.
  • Public: Unity generates the symbols package containing only the symbol table section and not the debugging information.
  • Debugging: Unity generates the symbols package containing the symbol table section and debugging information.
You can upload the symbol package with your apk or Android App bundle (aab) in three ways:
  • As a separate zip file for an apk build.
  • Embed directly in the Android App bundle. This requires you to enable the Build App Bundle option.
  • As a separate zip file for the Android App bundle. This requires you to enable the Build App Bundle option.
Symbols output options
Specifies how Unity includes the symbols with the application build.
  • .zip: A separate zip file containing the symbols package. You can upload this zip file with the apk.
  • App Bundle: The symbols get embedded in the Android App bundle.
  • .zip + App Bundle: A separate zip file containing the symbols package. Additionally, the symbols get embedded in the Android App bundle.
Symbol file extension
Specifies the symbol file extension as per the selected symbols package type. You have an option to create symbol files with the legacy extension.
  • .so: Specifies the legacy
    .so
    extension for the symbols package which you can upload on distribution services that don’t recognize the
    .so.sym
    or
    .so.dbg
    extensions.
  • .so.sym: Specifies the extension for the public symbols package.
  • .so.dbg: Specifies the extension for the debugging symbols package.
Run Device
Specifies which attached device to test the build on. Devices connected via USB appear in the list automatically. If you connect a new device or don’t find an attached device in the list, select Refresh. To connect a new device wirelessly over Android Debug Bridge, select the <Enter IP> option. For more information, refer to Debug on Android devices.
Build to Device
A build pipeline that doesn't create a full build and instead deploys single files that changed since the last patch directly to the device. Patch deploys changed files to the devices and Patch And Run deploys changed files and then runs the application on the device. For more information, refer to Application patching.
You can only interact with this setting if you enable Development Build.
Development Build
Include scripting debug symbols and the Profiler in your build. Use this setting when you want to test your application. When you select this option, Unity sets the
DEVELOPMENT_BUILD
scripting define symbol. Your build then includes preprocessor directives that set
DEVELOPMENT_BUILD
as a condition.
For more information, refer to Platform dependent compilation.
Autoconnect Profiler
Automatically connect the Unity Profiler to your build. For more information, refer to Profiler.
Note: This option is available only if you select Development Build.
Deep Profiling
Allow the Profiler to process all your script code and record every function call, returning detailed profiling data. For more information, refer to Deep Profiling.
This property is available only if you enable Development Build.
Note: Enabling Deep Profiling might slow down script execution.
Script Debugging
Attach script debuggers to the Player remotely.
This property is available only if you enable Development Build.
Wait for Managed Debugger
Make the Player wait for a debugger to be attached before it executes any script code.
This property is visible only if you enable Script Debugging.
Compression Method
Specifies the method Unity uses to compress the data in your Project when it builds the Player. This includes Assets, Scenes, Player settings, and GI data.
  • Default: On Windows, Mac, Linux Standalone, and iOS, there's no default compression. On Android, the default compression is ZIP, which gives slightly better compression results than LZ4HC. However, ZIP data is slower to decompress.
  • LZ4HC: A high compression variant of LZ4 that is slower to build but produces better results for release builds. For more information, refer to BuildOptions.CompressWithLz4HC.

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