When we download an application from Google Play Store, it downloads and then magically installs on the Android device.
But supposing we do a Factory Reset, or that we upload a new firmware or simply suppose we have another Android device at home and we would like the same application to be installed there too.
Is it possible to somehow maintain the installation files and be able to copy these files off the Android device and then use them on another device?
Yes. An app comes as an 'apk' installer file that can be transferred to another device and installed or re-installed on the same device. But to get the apks of apps installed via Playstore, you will need an app like "App Backup and Restore".
P.S. Sharing apks of paid apps is illegal and not recommended. :good:
immortalneo said:
Yes. An app comes as an 'apk' installer file that can be transferred to another device and installed or re-installed on the same device. But to get the apks of apps installed via Playstore, you will need an app like "App Backup and Restore".
P.S. Sharing apks of paid apps is illegal and not recommended. :good:
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Click to collapse
I have this "App Backup" but I am trying to understand the mechanism a bit more.
The apk file is not the end of the story. Try the game "Yesterday". It is a 1GB download, however the .apk is only a few MBs and the rest is the actual game. However this 1GB file comes straight from the app store, so there is a mechanism that App Backup does not cover.
I managed to restore this game by saving the data myself, but every application is different.
So I was working fine on Marshmallow MMB29K, rooted, with Xposed, and Franco Kernel r78. Google Wallet was installed and working fine. Just sent money with it yesterday. I kept getting messages my device was low on space which made no sense since I don't have many very large apps and not many pictures. I discovered my device was suffering from the Bug that Google still hasn't fixed where 32 GB devices only show 16 gb of storage. I had to reflash to the stock recovery over TWRP and then do a Factory reset on the device to get Android to see my other 16 GB of space. So since I had to do this anyway when I reflashed the stock recovery, I just went ahead flashed MMB29S build to have the latest security updates. Rebooted device, did a factory reset, and then verified all my space was showing up in the new MMB29S installation. Restored all my apps via the play store and restored backed up data for some of the apps from my Titanium Backup. Finally, go everything back in order with the exception of Google Wallet. I am now on MMB29S with SuperSU 2.66 flashed, Xposed and Franco kernel re-installed and working good. For whatever reason Google Wallet will not install on my device. It downloads fine from the Play Store but fails the install with error (-506), Google Wallet could not be installed.............and then displays a very unhelpful troubleshooting link. I have tried to download the latest Google Wallet apk, version 12 via apkmirror and manually install it, but that install fails saying my device doesn't have enough free space! WTH? I"m currently using only 9 of 26.x gb. I tried clearing data and cache for the Play Store app, but that didn't help. All other apps install just fine. I also tried uninstalling the Xposed Installer app and disable SuperSu via it's GUI. (I don't think this is the issue because the app should install fine, just might have issues working with root). I REALLY do not want to do a full unroot since I just got everything else working, as I don't think this is going to fix the installation issue I'm seeing. I can find no trace of error -506 via a google search. Any idea how to fix this and get Google Wallet to install on my device? I'm about ready to pull my hair out on this one.
In case anybody else runs into this issue, I was able to resolve it by using root explorer to browse to the data/data folder from root and located the folder for the Google Wallet app. After deleting that folder I was able to successfully re-install wallet from the play store. Must have been caused by a failed Titanium backup data restore or something.
I recently started using a G3 again and I have flashed different roms and had the same problem (currently on the latest pie Pixel Experience) . The problem I have is that some apps won't install (Snapchat, FB, IG) I've tried clearing caches, data, removing and readding my Google account with no luck. I've tried installing the apks but they either don't install or they do install but won't work either see the app as a package name or they disappear and then I'm unable to install or update the apps as it says another user has installed an incompatible version.
Is there anyway to fix this as I'm missing out on some apps I use frequently.
Thanks for your help.
I have the same problem on AOSP Extended 5.8 when i updated it, i no longer could install Instagram from Play Store, i dont use Fb or Snapchat so maybe i cant install these apps either.
I downloaded OGInsta + and use instagram that way. I suppose installing simple Instagram apk will do.
So, this is my first time rooting a phone, and once I managed to get it to work, I started playing around to see what capabilities I had now.
In doing this, I uninstalled the play store. I've tried multiple methods to reinstall it, but none have worked so far.
I've tried installing a new play store apk and used systemize to turn it into a system app, but that didn't work (the app crashed on launch)
I've also tried using link2sd but the app wouldn't let me convert to system app.
If anyone else has any tips for me I'd be grateful.
Using a samsung running android 11 - rooted with magisk, recovery method.
Copy it from another device using ApkExport then transfer the installable copy over to the victim device and install.
I haven't tried it with Playstore but it works on other apks even if the donor device is on a different Android OS version.
blackhawk said:
Copy it from another device using ApkExport then transfer the installable copy over to the victim device and install.
I haven't tried it with Playstore but it works on other apks even if the donor device is on a different Android OS version.
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sadly the only other device i have is a samsung galaxy S2 that is barely functional. I doubt that'll work.
Before you do anything I'd make sure you have a good backup of your device. Copy text messages, contacts, photos, etc all to external storage.
My first thought was just download install APK, but I see you've done that.
Someone else may have a better suggestion, but, if nothing else works, I'd try installing pico GApps to restore Playstore functionality.
https://opengapps.org/
Pico PackageThis package is designed for users who want the absolute minimum GApps installation available. In this package you will find the core Google System Base, Google Android Shared Library, Google Play Store, Google Calendar Sync, Dialer Framework and the following Play Store applications:
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FreSchDude said:
sadly the only other device i have is a samsung galaxy S2 that is barely functional. I doubt that'll work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try it. It will copied system apks and updates.
I copied apks from a S4 running on Kitkat to my Note 10+. If it loads Playstore will need to update, that may be a problem... or not.
APK Export (Backup & Share) - Apps on Google Play
Manage and extract your apps.
play.google.com
blackhawk said:
Try it. It will copied system apks and updates.
I copied apks from a S4 running on Kitkat to my Note 10+. If it loads Playstore will need to update, that may be a problem... or not.
APK Export (Backup & Share) - Apps on Google Play
Manage and extract your apps.
play.google.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No dice. App crashes on launch.
SMcC2 said:
Before you do anything I'd make sure you have a good backup of your device. Copy text messages, contacts, photos, etc all to external storage.
My first thought was just download install APK, but I see you've done that.
Someone else may have a better suggestion, but, if nothing else works, I'd try installing pico GApps to restore Playstore functionality.
https://opengapps.org/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ill give it a shot, thanks
FreSchDude said:
So, this is my first time rooting a phone, and once I managed to get it to work, I started playing around to see what capabilities I had now.
In doing this, I uninstalled the play store. I've tried multiple methods to reinstall it, but none have worked so far.
I've tried installing a new play store apk and used systemize to turn it into a system app, but that didn't work (the app crashed on launch)
I've also tried using link2sd but the app wouldn't let me convert to system app.
If anyone else has any tips for me I'd be grateful.
Using a samsung running android 11 - rooted with magisk, recovery method.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Play Store app by type is a normal 3rd-party app. Wondering why you want to convert it to a system app?
jwoegerbauer said:
Google Play Store app by type is a normal 3rd-party app. Wondering why you want to convert it to a system app?
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it's originally a system app. trying to get mine fixed because no matter what I do the app crashes on launch.
FreSchDude said:
it's originally a system app. trying to get mine fixed because no matter what I do the app crashes on launch.
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Click to collapse
Yeah it's a system app on my Note 10+, can't be uninstalled*.
Normally it doesn't crash although it's common for it to not connect to Playstore. It does that if Google play Services is disable but even then it doesn't crash.
* I think, it has a disable option but to find out if there's an uninstall I would need to revert to the factory load first... which isn't something I want. It appears to be as I originally stated.
blackhawk said:
Yeah it's a system app on my Note 10+, can't be uninstalled*.
Normally it doesn't crash although it's common for it to not connect to Playstore. It does that if Google play Services is disable but even then it doesn't crash.
* I think, it has a disable option but to find out if there's an uninstall I would need to revert to the factory load first... which isn't something I want. It appears to be as I originally stated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is no uninstall option. I uninstalled it through other means as my phone is rooted. Now I'm having issues re-installing it and getting it to work.
My last 2 cents here:
Per definition only apps that are needed by Android OS to work are called system apps and are stored in /system/apps. Other apps - called 3rd-party apps like Google Play Store - may be stored in /system/priv-apps.
BTW:
If you manually install Google Play Store APK then it installs to /data/app directory - as expected.
I installed an apk app mod on my Samsung galaxy. the apk is an older version of the app but when i went to uninstall the app as usual to install the latest release off google play instead of downloading and installing it just installed the previous apk installed from google which i havent seen before. i have tried clearing the data and using app cleaners such as sd maid but its still installing the unofficial version. i also tried to install a newer version of the app from an apk off google and it wont install at all. i believe that after uninstalling the app that some of the files have not been deleted and google recognises these as the correct app files. using sd maid i traced to this path:
/data/app/~~HQ5E7AhU5J2CuBMCGbfjTg==/com.snapchat.android-PWYp8D9k00ttRuj98fIkTA==
im pretty sure this is what needs deleting to get google to download the official version but due to samsungs security rules i cant delete it. i dont want to root or factory reset my phone
any help is much appreciated
Restart phone?