Your First Android App in Android Studio (2026)

Quick answer: After installing Android Studio (our Windows install guide covers setup), creating your first app is one wizard: New Project → Empty Activity → name it → Finish. Android Studio generates a working app; you press the green Run button and it launches in the built-in emulator. This guide walks the wizard, explains the files it creates, and makes your first change — the classic “hello world” upgrade.

The New Project wizard, field by field

Wizard step	Choose	Why
Template	Empty Activity	The blank canvas — no confusing sample code
Name	MyFirstApp	Shown under the icon on the device
Package	com.example.myfirstapp (default)	Unique app identifier; fine for learning
Language	Kotlin	Google’s recommended language since 2019 — start here, not Java
Minimum SDK	API 24 (Android 7.0)	Covers ~97% of active devices while allowing modern APIs
Build config	Default (Kotlin DSL fine)	Leave as generated

The files that matter (Kotlin view)

• app/src/main/java/.../MainActivity.kt — your screen’s logic. One activity = one screen; this is where you live at first.
• app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml — the screen’s UI. Modern Android builds layouts in Jetpack Compose (Kotlin code) or the older XML editor; Empty Activity now generates Compose.
• app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml — declares the app’s components and permissions.
• app/build.gradle.kts — dependencies and SDK versions.

Run it, then change it

Press the green Run ▶ button. First launch downloads and boots an emulator (several minutes — this is normal; later launches are fast). You should see your app name centered on screen. Then open MainActivity.kt and find the setContent block — change the text to your own message:

setContent {
    MyFirstAppTheme {
        Surface(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()) {
            Text(
                text = "I am building Android apps!",
                fontSize = 24.sp,
                modifier = Modifier.padding(24.dp)
            )
        }
    }
}

Press Run again (or Apply Changes) — the emulator shows your text. That loop — edit Kotlin, run, see it on a virtual phone — is the entire learning cycle for your first weeks. Where to go next: the layout editor’s basics, or connecting your real phone via USB (Settings → About → tap Build Number 7 times → enable USB debugging, then pick your device in the Run dropdown).

For instructor-led Android training with real apps as the curriculum, Ampersand Academy teaches Android development one-to-one.

Frequently asked questions