App releases

App releases shows every Android build on the download site and in the app's updater. Use it to move builds between the stable and beta channels, withdraw a bad build, edit release notes, and set the oldest version phones may keep using. Everyone on staff can look. Only admins can make changes.

How builds arrive#

You don't upload builds here. The Android release workflow adds each new build to the page automatically, with its version, size, SHA-256 fingerprint and notes. New builds and staff changes show under Recent changes.

The summary at the top#

• Current stable: the build everyone downloads and the updater offers, with its publish date.
• Current beta: the beta, while it is newer than the stable build. Otherwise "No beta newer than stable".
• Oldest allowed: the oldest version phones may keep using, or "No version has to update".

If there is no stable build that can be downloaded, the page warns Nobody can download the app.

The builds list#

Each build shows its version, version code, channel (Stable or Beta), publish date and state: Downloadable, Withdrawn or File missing (the build is listed but its file isn't available, so nobody can download it). Select Details for the SHA-256 fingerprint and the release notes.

Move a build to stable or beta (admins)#

Select Manage on a build, then:

• Move to stable: everyone can get it. If it is the newest stable build, it becomes the main download on the download site and the in-app updater offers it to every phone.
• Move to beta: only beta testers are offered it from now on. The previous stable build becomes the main download again. Phones that already have this version keep it.

There must always be one stable build people can download. A change that would leave none is refused.

Withdraw a build (admins)#

Withdraw a build with a serious problem, for example one that crashes on some phones.

The file stops downloading and the build leaves the download site. The in-app updater stops offering it. Phones that already have it keep working.

To undo it, select Restore. The file can be downloaded again and the build shows on the download site. If it is the newest build in its channel, the updater offers it again.

Edit release notes (admins)#

Select Edit notes. People read these on the download site and in the app's update prompt. Write one change per line, in plain words. You can write up to 20 lines of up to 300 characters each. The download site and the app show the first 12.

The oldest allowed version (admins)#

Phones on a version older than this are told to update before they can keep using the app, and they can't sign in until they do.

• To set it, choose the version under Oldest allowed version and select Require update.
• To remove it, select Remove minimum. No version has to update: phones on any version can keep using the app, and the updater goes back to offering updates without forcing them.

Related#

• Required updates (member guide)
• The beta (member guide)