What Is Seal APK?
Seal APK is an open-source, ad-free media downloader for Android developed by JunkFood02. It functions as a graphical interface for the powerful yt-dlp (a successor to youtube-dl), enabling downloads from a vast array of sites. The app is built with Kotlin and follows Material You design principles, offering both simplicity and power in one package.
Version 1.13 Overview
The 1.13.0 version (released August 18, 2024) introduced several important fixes and enhancements. These include correcting issues with importing command templates from version 1.12.x, addressing unintended multi-format selection behaviors, updating the embedded youtubedl-android component to v0.16.1, and refreshing translation strings.Shortly after, version 1.13.1 was released on October 16, 2024. This update delivered stability improvements and can be found in F-Droid and official release channels.
Key Features in v1.13
Seal offers a wealth of functionality powered by its integration with yt-dlp, offering versatile downloading capabilities and customization.
Seal supports video and audio downloads from hundreds (even thousands) of platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Reddit, and many others. It allows users to choose between video resolutions (from 480p up to 2160p) and audio bitrates (ranging from 64 Kbps to 320 Kbps).
The app embeds metadata and thumbnails into extracted audio, enables entire playlist downloads with one tap, includes embedded aria2c to improve download performance, and allows embedding subtitles in videos. Custom yt-dlp command templates can be created and executed directly in the app, offering advanced flexibility.
Seal’s user interface is clean, intuitive, and built using Material Design 3 with dynamic theming. The architecture uses pure Kotlin with composable UI—no fragments, just a streamlined, centralized activity.
Installation Options (Official Sources)
Seal APK is not available on the Google Play Store due to policy restrictions but can be reliably installed from several trusted sources.
The official GitHub repository offers release APKs including version 1.13.0 and 1.13.1, available in multiple variants (arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86, x86_64, or universal APKs). These come with cryptographic signatures and checksums for verification.
Alternatively, the F-Droid repository hosts the v1.13.1 build, allowing easy installation and automatic updates with the reliability of F-Droid’s verified build system.
Uptodown also provides the 1.13.1 APK, sized around 41 MB. It includes reviewer ratings and download counts for additional context.
SourceForge mirrors the GitHub release of version 1.13.1 (updated October 16, 2024), and provides a convenient alternative for direct downloading.
You can also use trusted aggregator sites like APKMirror, which offers the Seal v1.13.0 and v1.13.1 variants, complete with verification details like MD5/SHA-256 checksums.
Safety, Transparency, and Support
Seal APK is licensed under GPLv3, emphasizing its open-source nature and freedom of use. The official GitHub releases are signed and verifiable, and using the F-Droid release adds an extra layer of transparency and trust.
Reddit users praise Seal’s performance and frequent updates. One comment highlights that “Seal works better, uses the latest yt-dlp versions and gets updated instantly after new updates. Also, yt-dl < yt-dlp.”
How to Install Seal v1.13
As long as your device runs Android 5.0 (Lollipop API 21) or newer, you’re good to go. Simply download the appropriate variant for your device’s architecture and install it sideload-style. For added security, verify the file’s checksum if available.
Using F-Droid streamlines the process and ensures future updates are handled automatically. If you opt for GitHub or mirrors like SourceForge or APKMirror, manual installation is required but skips third-party app stores.
Final Thoughts
Seal APK v1.13 is a polished, feature-rich, and trusted tool for downloading media from online platforms. The 1.13.0 update refined core functionality and addressed critical bugs, while 1.13.1 further bolstered stability. Its generous feature set, including yt-dlp power, playlist support, metadata embedding, and subtitle handling—wrapped in a sleek Material You design—makes it one of the most comprehensive mobile downloading solutions available.
