How To: Recover SQLite database from installed Android App

Five „easy“ steps:

  1. Install Helium Backup on your Android device and on your PC
  2. Backup your app’s data using the PC Download option
  3. Extract the *.ab file from the downloaded backup.zip
  4. Download Android Backup Extractor and execute the following command (watch your path and file names): java -jar abe.jar unpack backup.ab backup.tar
  5. Download TarTool and execute the following command (watching path/file names again): TarTool.exe -x backup.tar backup-unpacked

Why TarTool?

The Android Backup Extractor produces a TAR-file but this file uses the POSIX file format (ustar) which isn’t well supported by typical Windows archiving apps. Without it you won’t be able to access the contained files (as with typical command line tools) or only a reduced set of files will be shown (as with typical GUI tools).