Android App Not Available for Latest Version of Android

A number of members have reported via email that the Android app is not available for the newest Android OS. When attempting to access the app, they receive the following message: "This app is not available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android."

Developers are aware of this issue, and are working to resolve it. When we have more information, we will post it here.

>1 AbigailAdams26: I was able to install and use the app by downloading the .apk of the latest version from an outside website, and so far it seems to be working fine. Google play just doesn't recognize it as being an official app.

Don't know if this information is helpful to you all, but I thought I'd give whatever info I could.

We believe we've made the Android LT App available for download again on newer devices. Can anyone who was having trouble, previously, let us know?

Update on this bug: another member has reached out via email to report that they are not able to download the app. When they try, they receive the same message mentioned in post one: "This app is not available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android."

The reporting member has a Samsung S22 phone running Android version 13.

What's the apps api level at? fyi..https://apilevels.com/

Zynkei, yes the apk works fine and I prefer them anyway and avoid the Play store whenever possible as Google is evil.

LT, maybe host the apks on LT for people who think the play store has gotten too authoritarian and bureaucratic for their own good. It's like they think they're Apple *rollseyes*

Another +1 here. just signed up for LT and cant use the app. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G. Android 13

Exact same setup as >6 feamsr00: but confirming.

(I generally use LT on desktop, so I hadn't noticed yet)

I have another new member reaching out via email, with this same issue. She is using a Samsung Galaxy Ultra S22.

An additional email from a member experiencing this issue. He is using a Motorola g200 phone, with Android 12, and gets the same message, regarding the app not being available, "because it was made for an older version of Android."

I'm having the same issue: Android 13, exact same error message as mentioned above.

When I click the LibraryThing home page link to the Android app, the Play Store offers to install it on my ancient Nexus 7 tablet, but not on my Pixel devices nor my Chromebooks. If I open the Play Store on those devices, I get the "older version" error.

I receive the same message on my Samsung. Does the app need an upgrade or is this an error with google playstore? Is there another on-line store to download it?

Same issue here on a new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. "This app isn't available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android."

Confirming this is still a thing, not compatible with my Galaxy A70.

Same message here, "This app isn't available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android."

I'm using a OnePlus 8 Pro running Android 13.

I just found this service. I was excited to begin inputting all my books, but the app wont even try to download, giving the "This app isn't available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android." error

I'm debating going to something that has a scan app.

I'm using Pixel 7, Android 13.

>13 FrArthur: - >17 NDRedman:

Google is evil. You can side load the app via its apk.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=librarything+apk&hps=1&ia=web

https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-sideload-install-android-app-apk/

Latest version is 1.1.2 build 29 from 2021

>18 Taliesien: It worked. You're the best!!

Interesting. I have it installed on my Pixel 5a running 13 - have had the LT app installed for literally years. Also, I'm a beta tester, so I actually have version 1.1.3. And it's running fine and never gave me any problem. I've had apps refuse to update when they went out of scope, but not LT. Also, I'm not at all sure whether I installed the LT app to start with, or if it got auto-added when I switched from my previous phone by using my Google backup.

This may or may not be helpful...not to users, anyway, possibly to developers.

I asked in the Litsy group, but was referred here.

I just bought a new tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab 7A Lite; I thought it came with Android 11, but maybe it's already updated itself? Not sure.)

Anyway, I can't even find Litsy in the Google Play store.

On my Pixel 6 (running Android 13) I cannot see Litsy in the Google Play store either. I get a result for LibraryThing but only because I have it installed - it just lets me open the app, it doesn't have any of the information apps available in the store do. I see the same on my tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab A) running Android 11. I know LT is an iOS-first shop but unless the Android app is formally being deprecated they really need to fix this. Anyone have an old device kicking around they can use to check on Android 10 or older?

I have a Lenovo tablet with Android 10 on it, can't see Litsy in the App store.
Same problem as >22 lorax: for LT app, in that it's already installed, but no details beyond that.

Anyone for Android 9?

>22 lorax: Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the LibraryThing App? Curious what that does. conceptDawg thought he had this fixed already, so we'll need to test some more I suppose.

According to our store listing it should be available to every device and every OS version. So I'm curious as to what's going on.

kristilabrie (#25):

No, because according to everything on this thread if I uninstall it I will not be able to reinstall it. I can try it on the tablet, I suppose, but I'm not willing to risk it on my phone.

>21 LibraryCin: It was removed from the Play Store in Apr/May iirc. APK is still available for side loading.

>28 Taliesien: I don't know how to do that. Maybe I'll try to use the website instead.

I'm running on an older phone on Android 9 and I can't see LT or Litsy in the Play store either, unless they're hidden way, way down the list when searching by name.

Can you find it here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.librarything.librarything&... ?

>30 melannen: As I mentioned a couple days ago in reply to LibraryCin, the Litsy app was removed from the Play store some time ago, so it is expected that you don't see it. I just searched, found and installed the most recent (1.1.3) Librarything (using "Librarything app" for the search) on an old phone running Android 6.0.1 without any issues. If you search for LT in the Play store and get zero results, try clearing the Play services & store caches. See the following instructions: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/9037938?hl=en

It's showing the LT app now and it definitely wasn't yesterday! I'm not sure what changed, but something did, and it wasn't me.

I have a Pixel 7a with Android 14. I've had the app forever, but it was being buggy (taking forever to load, not reading UPCs, etc.), so I decided to uninstall it. Unfortunately, it's not in the Google Play store anymore. Any ideas? Should I try the workaround mentioned in previous comments, or is this something that's going to get fixed?

I am also having the problem with not finding the app in Google Play.

moto g stylus 5G (2022) on Android 13

We are working on this. Part of this is because of some red-tape situation from Google and part of it is a problem with some legacy library code that we're trying to upgrade and it is taking us some time. But we're on it.

I got a new phone, Google pixel 9, and the LT app didn't transfer over with all of my other apps, and isn't showing up at all in the playstore.

The UPC scanning is timing out / not working on the current app anyway. Times out + bad response. Will have to wait for the update anyway it seems.

Today we submitted the latest red tape—our certificate of incorporation and the front and back of my driver's license. I'm hoping they don't mind that I'm Timothy Spalding on one and Timothy E Spalding on the other. Sigh.

Haha! Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Thanks for the update!

How exactly does one do this. What outside website and what is apk?

>37 mmking108: Same! I thought I did something wrong. I hope they're able to fix this soon!

>39 timspalding: Fingers crossed. Really miss the app (is not available currently - my Phone is a Google Pixel 6 on Android 15 Vanilla Ice Cream - the newest Android Version)

We are currently trying to change our registered name, because they don't think LibraryThing is the same as LibraryThing.com, Inc.

>44 timspalding: Next thing, changing your registered name will be seen as suspicious activity.

Thanks to bnielsen to pointing me to this thread. I did a search of Talk, but with so many topics didn't see this.

I can confirm that I use to be able to use the LT app on my Pixel 5. Today, 25/10/2024 (Australia) I upgraded to a Pixel 9 Pro XL and I'm unable to find the LT app in the Google Store. I thought I'd post to share what type of Android phone I have. It is also Android version 14.

>34 kemh178: I did this EXACT thing. Last time I ever try an uninstall/reinstall without double-checking its still available in Google Play! Lesson learned :(

fwiw the android app works for me now

I recently changed phones, and can no longer find the app in the app store to download it and update my library...

I haven't tried it with the LT app, but I've rescued other not-in-the-Play-Store-anymore apps by backing up the APK from my previous phone (if you still have it - I hang on to mine, for various purposes). Use a file explorer app (I use CX File Explorer, I'm told VS File Explorer works too), open the Apps library, find your app, long-press and choose Backup. It will copy the APK to root (possibly also to the cloud, or you can copy it over). Open it on your new phone, it will complain that the file explorer (or cloud provider) doesn't have permission to install apps; you can give it that permission for just this once (safer that way). Install and it should show up. It won't, of course, update, but until it gets back into the Play Store this might work.

Sorry, no idea for iOS.

As of today 10-29-2024 it appears as though the Librarything App is gone from the Google Play Store. I updated to a new Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 on Android 14. Even the straight link to the app on the Librarything Website is a dead link that says not found on Google Play, so it's nowhere on play as far as I can tell. What's happening with this? An update would be nice. We use the app regularly.

See >36 conceptDawg: and subsequent posts from LT staff. Google red tape, mostly.

would it be possible to add the app to another store, like F-Droid?

The latest version of the LibraryThing App (Android) is...
LibraryThing 1.1.3 (Build 30)
Which I have and use. Unless there is an update I don't know about.

Any updates or timeline on this? The app has disappeared from Google Play entirely; the link from librarything.com is broken.

We have been working on providing authentication to verify the verification....put on us by Google. At least that's the latest update I got this week. :) The limitation is not on our end, as far as I know; hopefully we'll have it back up ASAP. We appreciate your patience in the meantime! (We're exercising all of ours...)

Trying to download the app for my new phone - is there anywhere we can download it at the moment?

A quick google search and I found the latest version at apkpure.net. I am sure it is at other apk sites as well. But you need to be configured to install 3rd party apk's.

Hi,
I'm a new user and I have an Android phone, and while I hope this gets resolved soon, I suggest linking this thread from the homepage perhaps? Where the Android app link is?
I only found it by Googling and even then it was linked from another topic...
Also, I wonder if all the Android users were able to email a single point of contact at Google would they maybe stop the red tape shenanigans???
Thank you,
grh

>59 limatangobravo: Thanks for the suggestion. Exactly where/which page are you hoping to see a link to this Talk thread? I can take a quick look if it makes sense to do so.

On the Home Page, under the heading "Official Apps" there are links to the apps and then there is an "App Help Page" so perhaps that page. From the App Help Page there is also a link to an Android Blog post which might be a good place as well.
Thank you.

>61 limatangobravo: I didn't see anything on the actual home page, but I know we have our App section on the "More" page https://www.librarything.com/more, so I'll edit the Help Wiki linked there to note Google Play's issue. Thanks!

>62 kristilabrie:

There is a home page module called "Welcome to LibraryThing" that is on my home page as well (after logging in) which is what they're referring to. It has a bunch of sections with links to different parts of the website, and one of the sections is called "Official Apps" with a link to the Apple app, the Android app, and the App Help Page (which has been updated with information about this issue).

>62 kristilabrie: >63 darius52: I think that's a module that many older users have shifted to Unused or Folly because they don't need it as new users do.

>63 darius52: Ah! That's what I was looking for and was just scanning over it on my Unused page. I'll see if the developers want to add a note or remove the link to the Android app for now. (Probably not, but we'll see.)

Has there been any updates about the app being available again or will it be a while?

Any updates yet? I miss being able to use the app. I don't want to keep using my old phone just for this app. I want to get it on my new phone

Can we get an app anywhere other than Google playstore

We are still working through the hell that is bureaucracy of the Play Store. Filing paperwork and trying to, essentially, get publishing permissions back. This has meant changing official documents, resubmitting with official entities, then using those documents to submit to google and then getting a rejection because a second document doesn't match the first letter-for-letter, etc. It's a lot of fun and every step takes unreasonable amounts of time because we are talking about government agencies (and google). Sometimes we don't even know why they rejected the document submission, only that "something" is wrong. And don't even try to get an actual person to answer questions.

TLDR: we are working on it.

It looks like as of today it is now back in the Play Store.

>70 kevfowler: It displays there but we're working on a necessary app update first, before we announce it as live for Android again. Thanks for ALL the patience! :)

The LibraryThing Android App is now fully available for download on the Play Store (as of this past Wednesday). Thanks so much for all of your extended patience!