If youre an Android user, youve probably downloaded an app or two that doesnt quite work for what you need. Maybe its not intuitive enough to use and navigate through the menus is difficult, or maybe there are better features on other apps. It can be frustrating when your favorite app isnt working as well as it should be! Luckily, theres a way to downgrade an Android app so you dont have to worry about these problems anymore. Show
In this article, were going to show you the steps you need to take to downgrade any app on Android. How to Downgrade an App on Android?Whenever theres a new app update from the developer, Google Play automatically executes the update, essentially upgrading to the latest version of the app. The update usually occurs in the background without your knowledge. As a result, you may find yourself having to work with an app version thats either too buggy to use, too complicated, or simply lacking the features that are necessary for your lifestyle. Downgrading the app reverts it to an older version. Ways to Downgrade an App on AndroidDowngrading an app takes two forms: with root access or without it. Lets look at the difference. With root access, your device must be rooted. Rooting is the process of unlocking the operating system of a device to attain administrative privileges. These include modifying the software code and installing apps that would normally be blocked by the manufacturer. Rooting is the equivalent of jailbreaking on iOS devices. Rooting is a risky process. Making modifications to the manufacturers code makes your device more vulnerable to hackers and malware. Also, you lose your phones warranty. However, a rooted device comes with a lot of freedom. You can even uninstall the inbuilt apps you dont need. Downgrading an app without root access means you revert to an older version of your favorite app without unlocking the operating system. Its what experienced developers call the safe downgrading method because it carries less risk. If you decide to reinstall the latest version of the app, you do so without any problems. The only catch is that you remain locked out of dozens of apps not found on the manufacturers official app store. Now, lets look at the steps you need to take to downgrade an app on Android with and without root access. How to Downgrade an App on Android With Root?For rooted users, downgrading is not too difficult to accomplish. To downgrade your device, follow these steps:
How to Downgrade an App on Android Without Root?If you choose to take the safer approach and downgrade without root, you can do it in three ways: 1. Uninstalling the Most Recent UpdatesNot all updates work as intended. If your device is running on an outdated version of Android, for example, the newest version of your favorite app may not be compatible with your devices old operating system. In these circumstances, you need to uninstall the most recent updates. Heres how to go about it:
At this juncture, youll have restored the most basic version of the app which should work without any problems. The only problem with this approach is that it may not work for all apps. Some updates on certain apps simply cant be uninstalled. 2. Installing an Older Version From a Third-Party App StoreCurrently, you cant downgrade an app directly from Google Store. However, you can easily find older versions of todays most popular apps on third-party app stores. These include ApkMirror, UpToDown, and ApkPure. Now lets use ApkMirror to demonstrate just what you need to do to downgrade the app of your choice:
The challenge with this approach is that you lose all your app data. So before uninstalling the current version, be sure to back up your data. 3. Downgrading Using Android Debug Bridge (ADB)Having to start from scratch after losing all of your app data can be quite annoying. Luckily, theres a way to avoid that. It involves Android Debug Bridge, an innovative technique used to safely run commands and install apps on your device. Before starting the process, there are two things you must do:
Once thats out of the way, do the following:
In the command above, app.apk should be the name of the APK file downloaded. If youre downgrading Instagram, for example, the command should appear as follows: After successfully running the command above, youll have downgraded the app. You may proceed to open the app as normal. Additional FAQsWill I Lose My Data When I Downgrade My Android App?It depends on the method used. If you uninstall the current version and replace it with an older version from a third-party app store, youll lose all your data. If you downgrade using ADB, you get to keep all of your data. Can I Upgrade to the Latest Version After Downgrading My Android App?Yes, you can! You just need to visit Google Store and install the current version of the app. You can also get it from third-party app stores. Is Rooting My Android Safe?If youre not installing any software that could jeopardize your device or send your personal data over the internet, rooting is completely safe and beneficial for many reasons. Rooted devices can allow users to do things like use custom firmware and third-party applications that are often unsupported by carriers. Choose What Works Best for YouFrequent app updates are necessary especially for the security of your device, but not every update may work for your device. Some may alter the feel and general design of your favorite software and make it less intuitive. Whenever you find yourself in such a situation, downgrading to an earlier version of the app should always be an option. Thanks to this article, you now have step-by-step instructions on how to downgrade any Android app on the market. Whats your experience with app downgrade? Let us know in the comments section below. |