[Sprint Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshoot] rsngfrce:
Hmm... I'd say what you are asking is NOT a N00b question, unfortunately. I'd say that editing an apk file is about the most complex thing I have done. But you can't learn if you don't try, right? :highfive:

First of all, I don't THINK that you want to edit your Settings.apk file (unless for some reason you know what you are wanting to edit is in there), you probably want to edit your framework-res.apk file, which is in the framework folder, in the system folder.

My experience regarding this is as follows... my previous phone was a Galaxy S2. At some point they added the text "Swipe screen to unlock" to the lockscreen and I COULD NOT STAND THAT. By some searching, I was able to find out that that text was contained in the framework-res.apk file.

You will have to edit this (or whichever) file on your computer. You will have to install the Android SDK and APKtool. I would also recommend installing the computer version of Total Commander (makes it easier to get the apk on and off your phone) and Notepad++ for editing the apk. BASICALLY, you decompile the apk, edit it, recompile it (there is a good chance it will not recompile due to errors, which you will have to correct), sign the apk, then push it back to the phone. Reboot... soft brick... hope you had a Nandroid backup! :p

Here is a link that I learned from for the Galaxy S2 (presented for reference only, as this is for ICS, which I had on my Galaxy S2):

[HOW TO] Compile/Decompile ICS Apk easily|100% working

Here are a couple fresher links that should get you started:

[UTIL][Feb 02 2013] Apktool v1.5.2 - a tool for reverse engineering apk files

[Share Latest Apktool 4.2.2/Guide/Tutorial/] How to Decompile/Compile/Sign Apk/Jar

Good luck!

NANDROID!

---------- Post added at 01:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:45 PM ----------

ATTN: rastapapa

I'm confused now... I had thought you were unable to save apps to your external SD card... can your phone write NOTHING to your external SD card, like media files for example?

By the way,

I KNOW

external SD card issues! My prior Galaxy S4 (which I had to replace because I stupidly destroyed the USB port trying to get USB cables to stay in) would randomly just decide I no longer had an external SD card in my phone. If I reboot, it was fine. Spent months attempting to figure it out, many posts here, multiple cards, never did get it resolved (I think the card port must have been bad...).

(UPDATE): OK, did some searching, I see that this seems to be a 'known' issue with NG2, being unable to write to the external SD card. Are you aware of ANYONE ELSE who can with NG2, or are you somewhat spinning your wheels, so to speak? I don't think Android Tuner would specifically help with this, it COULD probably move apps, but nothing else.

I DID however find what I think is a VERY interesting thread (different phone, same issue): New SEE Firmware N9005XXUFNG2. Read the four posts... not a bug, but developers must update their apps? Do any of your apps allow you to write to your external SD card?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Apparently I have never replied to two posts in a row, because I've spent about 15 minutes trying to figure out why the second is added to the end of the first instead of being seperate, which I find very annoying... :banghead: )