How to revert to a previous version of an Android app

Sometimes, you need to revert to a previous version of an Android app. Whether the new one crashes, has introduced a new feature or an option that is useful to you, or simply because you don’t like the latest changes, there are ample reasons to reset Android apps. Fortunately, restoring Android apps to an older version is a rather simple process and through this article we explain how to do it. If you have to go back to solve a problem, the first step is to notify the developer of the problem with a report. This way, any issues encountered can be addressed via a future update and you won’t find yourself stuck on an outdated version, which can be a security concern for some of your favorite apps. Also, if you’re signed up for Google’s Advanced Protection Program, you won’t be able to restore apps. This means that while you will be able to uninstall the current version of a given app, you will not be able to manually restore Android apps to an older version and there is no easy fix.

How to revert to a previous version of an Android app

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1. Before you start with Android Application Recovery

To get started, you’ll need to uninstall the app in question, and sometimes that’s easier said than done. Most third-party apps can be easily removed, but the system apps provided by your phone may not be uninstallable. The best you can do in these cases is to uninstall all updates. System or otherwise, the simplest and most universal way to uninstall an app is via the Settings app. You can uninstall third-party apps or updates via other ways, such as long-press app icons in some launchers or via the Play Store, but this method should work on almost any Android device. Feel free to skip this part if you have a different method you prefer to use.

For versions similar to Android 8.0 Oreo and above (including Android 9, 10, 11 and 12), go to Settings -> Apps & Notifications and select the app if it is in the recently opened apps list or select ” See all ## app ”and find it. In Android 5.0 to 7.1, including Nougat, Marshmallow, and Lollipop, that list is accessible via Settings -> Apps. For older versions of Android or for software with a heavier skin, that workflow may be slightly different, but an app-related option is usually found somewhere on the first screen of the Settings menu, after which you may have lists of apps sorted by tabs. You may also need to enable an option to show system apps if the app you want to roll back was released with your phone. If so, you can typically view those apps via the three-dot menu at the top right of the full app list page (though they can also be on a separate tab).

When you’ve found the app you want, tap it to access the app info screen. On its “App Info” screen, which should be displayed, we recommend that you do two things. First, select “Force Stop” to make sure the app is not running while we are manipulating it. (This isn’t always necessary, but better safe than sorry.) Note that it can sometimes be helpful when troubleshooting to make a note of the current version by scrolling to the bottom of the app info box (after tapping “Advanced” in some Android versions) and take a screenshot of the current version number, or even just write it down. However, it is not required.

Once blocked, we will need to determine how to uninstall the current version. For third-party apps, it’s as simple as selecting “Uninstall”, next to the “Force Quit” button. Follow the simple on-screen instructions and the app should be gone. For pre-installed system apps, you’ll need to select the slightly hidden “Uninstall updates” option in the three-dot menu at the top right instead. A similar message will appear informing you that the factory version will replace the currently installed update and all data will be removed. Note: you will probably not be able to revert to an earlier version of the app than this factory version.

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2. Reinstall desired Android app

Again, we must point out that if you are part of the Google Advanced Protection Program, you will not be able to perform the steps described below. The whole process won’t work because you won’t be able to sideload apps. Once the app is uninstalled, it’s time to reinstall the desired version. If only there was a vast historical archive of almost any Android APK you could possibly want or need for easy installation. Oh wait, there is, and it’s called APK Mirror. Just go there and search for the app you need. If you don’t know which version you want and are going back to fix a problem, try remembering the date you started having a problem and look for a version or two behind that periods.

Also consider contacting the developer with a report of your issue and double-check later that it is fixed – staying on an outdated version for too long can be a security issue. Some apps also have multiple versions for different architectures and DPIs, so you’ll need to do a little research to determine which one you need. Most modern phones will be arm64. Once you’ve found the version of the app you need, installing it is sometimes as simple as downloading it from APK Mirror and, well… installing it. Just tap on the download notification to begin the process. In older versions of Android (pre-Android 8.0 Oreo – consider updating for your safety if your phone is that old), you’ll need to manually enable a separate switch to install apps from unknown sources.

It is usually in Settings -> Security, or you can search in the Settings app for “Install app” or “Install unknown apps”. In Android 8.0 Oreo and later, this is considered a per-app permission. Your phone may indirectly ask you if you want to change it for a particular app, asking you to enter the settings and enable the “Allow from this source” setting, at which point you can go back to the installation screen and proceed. In older versions of Android, like Nougat, you will have to manually activate a global setting that allows installation from “Unknown sources” in Settings (Settings -> Security -> check the box or slide the switch for Unknown sources.). Once you’ve enabled that feature, go back and try installing the app again and it should work. However, if the app you need is labeled “APK Bundle”, you’ll need the supplied Mirror APK app to install it and the process is a bit more tedious.

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Come installare XAPK, APKs (App Bundle), ZIP (APK + OBB)?

To install an App bundle, select “Download APK Bundle” for the app you need in APK Mirror and a file will be saved locally on your device. So you will need to make sure you have the APK Mirror Installer app installed on your phone. You can download it from Play Store o install it from the site APKMirror: Both are fine, but the Play Store is simpler. Once the Mirror Installer APK has been installed, you can try to open that APK Bundle file. You can do this via the notification that you may still have from the download completed, or you can access your download folder in a file browser. If you’ve used Chrome, you can also access it via the three-dot menu -> Downloads.

After opening the APK Mirror installer app, tap “Browse Files” and confirm the media permission by pressing “Allow” if necessary. When prompted, open the file with the APK Mirror Installer app. APKMirror Installer will give you a bunch of details about the app you are installing, such as the architecture and DPI needed, but you can ignore most of this, it’s only there if you know you need to change something about the installation to fit your device. The default settings will probably be fine.

Tap “Install App”. In recent versions of Android, you will be asked to allow the APKMirror Installer app as a source for app installs as a simple toggle (seen above). While you shouldn’t enable this setting for any app, it’s fine for APKMirror. But it’s there to protect you from apps that might install malware. In older versions of Android (pre-Android 8.0 Oreo – consider updating for your safety if your phone is that old), you’ll need to manually enable a separate switch to install apps from unknown sources. It is usually in Settings -> Security, or you can search in the Settings app for “Install app” or “Install unknown apps”.

In Android 8.0 Oreo and later, this is considered a permission per app. Your phone may indirectly ask you if you want to change it for a particular app, asking you to enter the settings and enable the “Allow from this source” setting, at which point you can go back to the installation screen and proceed. In older versions of Android, like Nougat, you will have to manually activate a global setting that allows installation from “Unknown sources” in Settings (Settings -> Security -> check the box or slide the switch for Unknown sources.).

Once the permission is granted, you can either go back until you return to the APKMirror app, which will continue the installation process, or you can start over, attempting to run / install the app you downloaded from your browser or file manager. APKMirror will prepare the installation, then your phone will ask you (again) if you want to install the app. Tap “Install” to continue and that’s it. Once the APKMirror Installer has finished installing the app, you will be prompted to open it, but you should be running the version you installed. If you run into any problems during this process, APKMirror Installer will notify you, spitting out a big warning if the app installation fails for any reason.

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3. Disable updates if necessary

Once you have installed the version of the app you want, your goal has been achieved you were able to restore an older version of an Android app. However, you will need to keep in mind that subsequent updates are likely to replace the restored version you have installed. Also in this case, this can turn into a security issue if you get stuck on too old a versionbut you can disable automatic updates to make sure the app isn’t accidentally replaced. This setting can be changed on a per-app basis in the Play Store by tapping the three-dot overflow menu at the top right of a given app list and unchecking “Enable automatic update”.

Note that this may leave you open to security vulnerabilities that may later be fixed in a particular app, and without updates, you will never see the fixes. If you need to restore Android apps due to an issue, be sure to contact the developer with a report regarding your issue and check back regularly to see if it’s fixed, that way you don’t get stuck on the old version of an app for too long. time. And that’s all there is to it to restore Android apps. You should be able to restore any version you need for a given app.