Android just won't recognise apk files

[doug horrigan]

Hi,

I'm running android 9, all up to date, using firefox, also up to date.

Tried building the most simple app from Mike McGraths 'building android apps' using this software but no matter how many times I try I just can't get the downloaded app do do anything when I click it on the phone - Android isn't giving me any options to run it.

I've tried downloading it, copying it via a cable from the pc, generating a qr code (which just doesn't even download, just leaves the little circle going round endlessly) but I can't get it to work.

I've tried setting Android to allow files from other sources (not easy on an android 9 on a nokia 6.1) but nothing works.

If I can't even get a silly little app that just puts 'hello world' on the screen I'm not going to have much hope of doing anything else with this software am I?

Oh, and I tried emailing it from my pc, using yahoo to send it to gmail, trouble is gmail won't accept it as it's executable so issn't allowed. Thanks google, that's really helpful

Regards,

Doug

[Chris Ward]

Hello Doug

You seem to be along the right lines. Let's just stick with the one ultra reliable method, moving the APK to the phone via USB.

Allowing files from other sources is good. You can also allow debug APKs by switching on Developer Mode, see my site on how to do that:

https://www.professorcad.co.uk/smartphonescreensizes#SetDebugMode

Where exactly are you putting the APK on your phone? Most phones have a folder named "downloads" which is a very good place for it :)

You need to navigate the phone, using it's file browser, to the folder containing the APK. From there, manufacturers and models differ on how the APK is handled - generally, you will either have to tap on the APK file to initialize installation, or (Samsung S8 and up) the phone 'sees' the APK and asks if you wish to install.