Boost Your Flutter APK Builds Using --split-per-abi for Smaller App Size

🚀 Boost Your Flutter Release Builds Using --split-per-abi

When you're ready to release your Flutter app, build size matters — especially for users with limited bandwidth or storage. In this post, you’ll learn how the flutter build apk --release --split-per-abi command helps you generate smaller APKs and deliver better performance across different Android architectures.

🧠 What is --split-per-abi?

Android devices run on different CPU architectures like:

• armeabi-v7a – common in older devices

• arm64-v8a – used by most modern Android phones

• x86_64 – mostly for emulators

By default, flutter build apk creates a fat APK containing binaries for all these architectures, increasing app size unnecessarily.
Using --split-per-abi generates separate APKs for each architecture, keeping things light and efficient.

⚙️ How to Use the Command

flutter build apk --release --split-per-abi

📁 Output Directory:

√ Built build\app\outputs\flutter-apk\app-armeabi-v7a-release.apk (70MB)
√ Built build\app\outputs\flutter-apk\app-arm64-v8a-release.apk (30MB)
√ Built build\app\outputs\flutter-apk\app-x86_64-release.apk (34MB)

📦 APKs Generated:

• app-armeabi-v7a-release.apk

• app-arm64-v8a-release.apk

• app-x86_64-release.apk

📉 Size Comparison

APK Type Approx Size

Fat APK ~70 MB

 armeabi-v7a ~30 MB

 arm64-v8a ~34 MB

Smaller APKs mean:

• Faster downloads

• Less space usage

• Better install success rate on low-end devices

🔗 Further Reading & Backlinks

• 📖 Official Flutter Docs – Build and Release APK

• 📚 More guides at TechyCodex

• 🔧 Source code & sample repo: GitHub Repository

💬 About TechyCodex

TechyCodex is a dev-focused publication sharing hands-on tutorials, project ideas, and tools in Flutter, Firebase, and full-stack development.
Whether you’re a student, self-taught dev, or professional — we’re here to level up your coding game!

🌐 Visit: https://www.techycodex.com
✍️ Written by Parikshit Verma for TechyCodex