Choose app version to install - downgrade

1

FDroid shows a list of available versions of an installed app. There used to be an install button on the not-currently-installed versions, which allowed to switch to an earlier version if some app update introduced a regression. But now I cannot find it. Was it moved to some “advanced action” thing that I did not remark ?

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2

Android does not allow “downgrading”, the button was useless.

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3

but with superuser it is possible

4

sure, superuser/root fans don’t need that button

5

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6

My phone have f-droid client installed since many years ago (sorry for my bad English). I remember f-droid client used to allow user to downgrade installed app.

But until recently I notice that under an app’s versions list, there are no “Install” buttons any more if the version is older than installed version. The “Install/Upgrade” buttons only appears if version is newer than installed version.

From what time did f-droid client decided to forbid user to downgrade app?

7

That’s not a function of F-Droid, that’s up to your Android. Hence the useless button was removed.

Android, officially, does not allow downgrades, if you are running root maybe you can force it.

Please use apps that don’t hold your data prisoner and allow you to backup&restore so you can uninstall and downgrade.

9

Really? But I’ve downgraded apps many times.

I’ve done these:

  • adb install -r -f -d can do it.
  • Installing an older .apk from phone’s file manager also can do it.

I’ve been doing that without root. 98% no problem downgrading.

I understand downgrading could cause app incorrectly recognizes its data. Though, I think F-Droid client should give advanced user the right to choose.

I recommend:

  1. Show downgrade button if user enables expert option. That button isn’t useless
  2. Show warning when user try to click downgrade button but give user the right to confirm
10

this is the F-Droid forum, not sure what adb has to do with this

I bet it does not, you’ll have to provide exact APKs for this to prove it…

Which Android version? 5?

We’ve removed that button since this does not work on 99% of devices. The other 1% will use adb/root as they know.

11

You might be able to use a Shizuku-enabled file manager to do it. Could this be what you used previously?