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Accessing Sqlite Database for Android Mobile Apps Without Rooting

This document provides detailed instructions on how to access the SQLite database used by a production android app. It includes methods for extracting the database without rooting your Android device

Introduction​

The app used for this demo is a hymn app called theAPO Hymnal. The theAPO Hymnal app uses an SQLite database named tachymns to store hymn data, user preferences, and other information. My motive was to extract the hymns and other data in order to de-develop the app again since it has been dropped from the play store and people needed the app.

This database is stored in the app's private internal storage directory, which is not directly accessible without root privileges. However, there are alternative methods to access and manage this database.

Database Location​

The database file tachymns is stored in the following location on the device:

/data/data/<package_name>/databases/tachymns

So in this case the location of the database is:

/data/data/app.makerzgroup.apohymnal/databases/tachymns

This path is standard for Android apps and ensures that the database is securely stored in the app's private internal storage.

info

I reverse engineered the app to get the database location and name. If you're wondering how I did that, visit this docs.

Accessing the Database Without Rooting​

If you need to access the database without rooting your device, you can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to create a backup of the app's data.

Using ADB Backup​

  1. Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging

    • Go to Settings > About Phone and tap Build Number seven times to enable Developer Options.
    • Enable USB Debugging in Settings > System > Developer Options.

  2. Install ADB

  3. Connect Your Device

    • Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable or wireless debugging.
    • Ensure the device is in File Transfer Mode when prompted.

  4. Create a Backup

    • Open a terminal or command prompt and run the following command:

      bash
      adb backup -f app_backup.ab -noapk <package_name>

      where <package_name> is the package name of the app you want to back up. In this case, it's app.makerzgroup.apohymnal.

      bash
      adb backup -f app_backup.ab -noapk app.makerzgroup.apohymnal

    • -f app_backup.ab: Specifies the output file name.

    • -noapk: Excludes the APK from the backup.

  5. Authorize the Backup

    • A dialog will appear on your device asking for permission to back up the app. Confirm it.
    • the prompt will also require you to encrypt the backup with a password. Provide it and confirm.
    info

    This command creates a backup file called app_backup.ab in the current directory.

Extracting the Backup File​

  1. Download abe.jar

    • Obtain the abe.jar tool from here.

  2. Extract the Backup

    • Use the following command to convert the .ab file into a .tar archive: 
      java -jar abe.jar unpack app_backup.ab backup.tar

  3. Open the Archive

    • Extract the contents of the .tar file: 
      tar -xvf backup.tar
    • Look for the databases/ file in the extracted folder, and you should have a copy of the database.

Conclusion​

By following the steps outlined in this document, you can successfully access the SQLite database used by an app without requiring root access. You can use any sqlite tool to access and manage the database. This approach leverages ADB and backup extraction tools to securely retrieve the database file, enabling you to analyze or modify its contents as needed.