Carliv Image Kitchen (CIK) is a powerful Windows application that allows you to unpack, modify, and repack Android boot and recovery image files with ease. If you’ve ever used the Android Image Kitchen (AIK) on Linux or Windows, CIK is a much better and improved alternative with a more user-friendly interface.
With CIK, you can edit ramdisk files, add or remove components, and customize boot and recovery images for Android versions 2.3 through 13. This makes it an invaluable tool for developers and Android enthusiasts who want more control over system images.
Some key features and benefits of Carliv Image Kitchen include:
- Intuitive GUI for unpacking, modifying, and repacking Android image files. No need for command-line experience.
- Support for editing recovery and boot images from Android 2.3 to 13.
- Add or delete files and components in ramdisk with a few clicks.
- Repack images after making modifications for flashing on devices.
- Useful for porting custom recoveries to devices without official TWRP.
- Sign and verify boot and recovery images after editing.
- Actively developed and updated by the Carliv community.
Compared to Android Image Kitchen (AIK), CIK offers a more user-friendly Windows interface while providing extensive control over Android images. If you need to unpack, customize, and repack boot, recovery, or ramdisk images on Windows, Carliv Image Kitchen is the go-to tool.
Read also: 11 Best Android 12 GSI ROMs You Can Install On Your Device
How To Use Carliv Image Kitchen Tool
CIK is pretty easy to use. Its GUI provides you with all the information you need to get your image modification done with ease. Follow the steps below to unpack and repack your Android boot or recovery image files.
- Download the latest Carliv Image Kitchen Tool from here.
- Extract the zip file content to a new folder on your desktop.
- Open the new folder; you’ll find a carliv.bat executable command file and an input folder.
- Double-click on the Carliv.bat file to launch the tool.
- On the main menu, you’ll find the image menu, clear folder, clear output, see instructions, and exit options.
- Copy your boot or recovery.img files into the input folder or copy both into the folder (You can have multiple boot.img and recovery.img in the input folder, as long as they have different names).
- In the terminal, press I on your keyword to open the image menu, where you’ll find all the boot and recovery.img files in the input folder.
- Select the boot or recovery file you want to unpack with respect to their numbers.
- On the img script section, press 1 on your keyboard to unpack the .img file you selected.
- The unpacking process will begin automatically, and once completed, you’ll be prompted to press any key on your keyboard to continue.
- Minimize the CIK tool and open up the new folder you created earlier; you will now find a new folder named after the img file you selected. In our case, it is a boot folder.
- You can now make the edits you want in your boot or recovery.img file.
- When you’re done making the changes you want, open the CIK tool again and in the img script section, press 2 on your keyboard to repack the individual files back to a boot.img or recovery.img file.
- Accept the avb1 signing request and choose the file you’re signing if you boot.img or recovery.img is not signed. If you used a signed img, you wouldn’t get the prompt on repacking.
- The img file should be ready now and exported to a new output folder in the new folder you created earlier.
That’s it; you have successfully unpacked and repacked your device boot.img or recovery.img file.
Carliv Image Kitchen V3.4 Download Link
To see how we use the tool to unpack and repack boot/recovery image files, watch our video guide on how to port TWRP for MediaTek devices below.
Read also: How To Install GSI (Generic System Image) On Project Treble Devices.
