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Using your export

Draft. This page is awaiting review and may change.

Once an export finishes and you download it, here's what to actually do with each format.

Kohana Package (.koha)

Not covered here — see Share a package.

HTML Export (.html)

You get a .zip file. Unzip it: inside is an index.html and its supporting files. Together they're a small website that plays your novel in a browser, with no server-side code needed.

  • To try it locally, open index.html in a browser. Some browsers restrict local file access; if it doesn't load, use a host instead.
  • To host it for others, upload the whole extracted folder (not just index.html) to any static web host: GitHub Pages, Netlify, itch.io, Cloudflare Pages, or your own server. Keep the folder structure intact, and point people to wherever index.html ends up.

Android Package (.apk)

An .apk installs directly on an Android phone or tablet, without the Play Store.

  1. Send the file to the device (download link, email, cable, cloud storage).
  2. Open it on the device. Android blocks installs from outside the Play Store by default, so you'll be prompted to allow installs from that source (Settings > apps that can install unknown apps, wording varies by Android version). This warning is normal for any app installed this way, not specific to your novel.
  3. Tap through the install, then open it from the app drawer like any other app.

Android App Bundle (.aab)

An .aab isn't installed directly — it's the format Google Play itself wants, so you upload it there.

  1. Create a Google Play Console account (a one-time registration fee applies) if you don't have one, and create a new app.
  2. In your app's dashboard, go to Release > Production (or Testing first, if you want to try it with a small group before a public release).
  3. Create a new release and upload the .aab file.
  4. Fill in the store listing (description, screenshots, icon, content rating, privacy policy) and submit for review.

This is entirely Google's process from here — Kohana only produces the file. See Google Play's own documentation for details on the console.

Windows Executable (.exe)

A single .exe file. Send it to a Windows PC and double-click it to run — no installer needed. Since it isn't code-signed, Windows SmartScreen may show a warning the first time; click More info > Run anyway to continue. This is normal for any small, unsigned app.

Export as an app · Export requests · Share a package