This free online tool can extract the content of Android's boot, sparse, or regular ext4 image files (Linux kernel, files from rootfs, boot arguments, content of system partition...) and RPI/Linux ISO images

Note: This is a completely client-based app and all processing is done on your computer. That means your files are not transferred to the server.

If you you're an Android enthusiast that likes to learn more about Android internals, I highly recommend to check out the Bugjaeger app. It allows you to connect 2 Android devices through USB OTG and perform many of the tasks that are normally only accessible from a developer machine via ADB directly from Android phone/tablet.

What This Tool Can Do

This tool can currently process standard Android boot images, sparse images, ext4 partition image files and RPI/Linux ISO partition files.

The tool allows you to do the following

  • show information from boot image header (like version, kernel size, RAM disk size)
  • show kernel boot arguments
  • unpack kernel and RAM disk from boot.img
  • browse through and extract files inside of RAM disk (initrd)
  • browse and extract files from sparse and ext4 partition images (e.g. system, cache, data)
  • show various information about sparse image format
  • view content and extract files from Raspberry Pi and Linux ISO 9660 images

How to Get Image Files

Google offers factory image files for Pixel and Nexus devices for download directly on the developers page. The zip files listed there will contain boot, recovery, and system images that you should be able to read-only "mount" with this tool and extract the files you are interested in.

Additionally, if you have Android Studio installed, you can check you emulator images. Just go to Tools -> AVD Manager, click the down arrow next to your emulator device and click on View Details. There you can find the path where the emulator images are stored.

You can also grab the images directly from your device (requires root) or possibly download the images from your device manufacturer.

Android Boot Image

The boot image usually contains the Linux kernel and ramdisk.

The kernel can be downloaded directly by clicking on Download Kernel button after you've selected the boot image.

Ramdisk allows to load an initial root file system after device boots up. This tool will allow you to browse and extract files from the root file system.

Android Sparse Image

The sparse image format allows to reduce ext4 image size by removing unused space from the file system. This not only reduces space, but also allows faster flashing via fastboot. During flashing the empty space that was removed from sparse image is again recovered to reproduce the original ext4 raw partition.

This tool allows you to read-only "mount" sparse and raw ext4 .img partitions and extract the content of the partition.

Raspberry Pi & Linux Images

Linux distros used on PCs or Rasberry Pi (like Ubuntu, Raspbian, Noobs, ...) are often distributed via the ISO 9660 image format. ISO 9660 is a filesystem format for optical discs that allows to boot and install Linux from CD, DVD, or even USB drive.

This tool enables you to explore and extract the files inside of Linux installation ISO file.

Recommended Apps & Tools

For those of you who like to hack around Android and see more of its internals, I highly recommend to check out my Bugjaeger app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.sisik.hackendebug

If you want to analyze APK files located directly on your Android device, you can try my Power Apk Android app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.sisik.apktools

I also created a more generic tool that can give you information about binary and textual file types. You can use it for example for getting ABIs of your native .so libraries www.sisik.eu/file

Reporting Bugs/Requesting Features

If you experienced some issues using this tool or you'd like to have some additional specific features, you can write directly to my email address roman@sisik.eu.

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Sixo Apps

If you're curios about the technical aspects of Android or you like image & video processing apps, you might find something interesting amongst the apps that I've published on Google Play