How to downgrade Apps on Android
App updates are generally good for you, yet there are instances when an update can backfire on you. For example, the newest version of your favourite app is missing a detail that you liked or the app is too much for your device to handle and the performance that used to be smooth is now a drag.
On most devices, upgrading an app is easy. The app usually lets you know when an upgrade is available. However, this is usually a one-way process and reversing it is not as simple.
Do not worry! Read on and find out how to downgrade apps on Android devices.
1. Backup Before Upgrading
With an upgrade, your Android does not save the APK files of your apps automatically. Yet, to recover an app directly on your phone you need to have a backup. The easiest way to make sure you have one is to download an app that does the backup for you such as App Backup & Restore or Helium – App Sync and Backup. These apps will not only save the old version of your app but also tell you how to restore it.
2. Downgrading after Upgrade
To return back to the old version of your favourite app you need to:
a) Enable installation from ‘unknown sources’
b) You need to root your device.
Once this is in order, get your hands on an APK for AppDowner by XDA developers, which is totally free. Once, you have it installed, you will need to browse the web for repositories which store the APK files of older apps, such as Android Drawer or F-droid. There are plenty of sites to choose from however, you always need to be careful when downloading apps from sources other than Google Play.
After you download the desired app version, open AppDowner and click ‘Select APK’ then tap ‘Install APK’. Then, simply open your app drawer and check out the app you downloaded.
This is our short guide to downgrading your apps.
Have you tried it or do you know about another way to do it? let us know!
