How to roll back to an older version of an Android app
Sometimes, an update can break an app, get rid of a useful feature, or introduce a redesign that you don’t like. The easiest way to fix those problems is to roll back the app to an older version. I’ll show you three ways you can do just that.
Sideloading from APKMirror
Sideloading in this context means that you install the app from an APK package instead of the Play Store. APKMirror is a trusted repository of such APK files. You can find pretty much any app here, as well as all the past versions of that app.
Start by opening the APKMirror website and looking up your target app.
You’ll see a list of all available versions of the app, tagged by date. Tap the app release you prefer and scroll down to see which variants are available for download.
For most people, the ‘arm64-v8a’ should work. However, you can verify your device’s architecture with an app like Hardware Info. There are also ‘universal’ variants which work on all devices. The variants labeled ‘Android L’ are meant for tablet devices.
Tap the variant meant for your device and scroll down to the blue ‘Download’ button.
Often, you’ll get a simple APK file to download. In that case, just tap the button, download the file, and tap it once to install it. Grant any permissions and accept any security warnings, if prompted. The app should be installed and ready right away.
Sometimes, however, you’ll get what’s called an ‘APK bundle.’ To install an APK bundle, you’ll need to first get the APKMirror Installer from Google Play Store. Open the APK bundle file in the APKMirror Installer and complete the installation.
I suggest the APKMirror route if you don’t frequently need to roll back apps. For one-off jobs, downloading a simple APK file from this website and sideloading it should work just fine.
Downgrading an app using the Aurora store
If you have to roll apps back to older versions more frequently, the Aurora Store is the fastest and most convenient way to do so. It’s an open-source client for the Google Play Store with the same library of free apps. Essentially, any free app available on the Play Store is also available on the Aurora Store.
Naturally, Aurora Store isn’t available on the Google Play Store. You can install the Aurora Store from F-Droid (a free and open-source app store for Android). If you don’t have F-Droid installed, you can grab the APK file for the Aurora Store from the website and sideload it.
Once installed, the Aurora Store will ask for a bunch of permissions. Grant those and tap ‘Next.’ You’ll now be asked how you want to log in. You can choose to log in anonymously or use your Google account. I always choose the anonymous login.
We’re now ready to roll back our target app. Make sure you’ve backed up your data because installing an older version of the app will overwrite the current version.
Look up your target app in Aurora Search and uninstall it. Click the three dots next to the app’s name. Select ‘Manual Download.’
You’ll need to enter the exact release version you prefer. You can find this version code by browsing through the release history on APKMirror. The version code is usually a small tag under the release date.
Punch in the target version code and wait for the Aurora Store to detect it. If it’s available, you’ll see a toast confirming that. The Aurora Store will take over from then on and automatically downgrade the app to the target version.
Using Shizuku to roll back an app without losing data
If you downgrade an app using an older APK file, you have to reinstall the app, which means you lose your data. However, there is a way to seamlessly downgrade an app to an older version without reinstalling the app or losing any data.
You’ll need to set up Shizuku and install ShizuTools. Shizuku is an open source tool that grants system-level access to apps without root.
You can install it from the Play Store and pair it via Wireless Debugging. You’ll see a code under Developer Options > Wireless Debugging that you’re supposed to enter into the Shizuku notification that shows up when you initiate the pairing process.
Then tap ‘Start’ to launch the Shizuku service.
Now download and install ShizuTools from this GitHub repo. Launch ShizuTools while Shizuku is active in the background.
Tap the ‘Lookback’ tab and then ‘Start.’ Select the APK file for the older version you’re trying to downgrade to. That’s it
If you’re okay with losing your data and reinstalling the app, try the Aurora Store or sideloading an APK downloaded from APKMirror. To preserve your data and settings while rolling back to an older version, consider ShizuTools.
How to Find Your Android Device’s Info for Correct APK Downloads
In the process of sideloading an app on your Android phone, you may run across multiple APK variants to choose from. Certain apps are designed for specific specs—such as display and processor—so how do you know which one to download?
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