Android is famous for its ability for users to install or sideload various third party games and apps according to their liking. This is the reason, why there is a huge demand and market for third party APK files. Usually, these are the apps and games which are not readily available for your device. For e.g., downloading and installing certain applications which are geo blocked for your region or device according to Google Play Store policies. However, in some cases, it can get difficult to install such third party apps or games even if you have sufficient permissions to do so. In such cases, people usually get the App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid error message while installing the app on their Android device.
While the Google Play store is one of the best places to download or install any apps, it still has some limitations. So oftentimes, users switch to different APK downloading websites in search of their favorite games and app APK files to install them manually on the device. However, this doesn’t always work as intended, as there are multiple challenges when it comes to installing raw APK files downloaded from the internet. Usually, these are device compatibility, GPU compatibility, or even screen size configurations. And hence, users have to deal with the App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid error message.
App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid is quite a common issue faced by Android users. This error message usually suggests that either the file is corrupted or there was some internet system error while installing the applications. It can be a perplexing situation, leaving users wondering how to overcome this hurdle and successfully install the desired apps on their devices. Fortunately, there are several methods to resolve this error and successfully install the desired apps.
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Fix: App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid
While Play Store is usually the go-to choice when it comes to installing an app, however, in some instances, you might have to look elsewhere too. On such occasions, you could sideload its APK from a trusted third party site. Likewise, if you want an older version of an app, then you will again have to sideload it. In this regard, numerous users have voiced their concern that they are getting several error messages and are not able to proceed with the installation. If you are also getting bugged by this issue, then the below troubleshooting methods will help you out.
Method 1: Re-Download APK file
In the majority of cases, the file is just corrupted due to a faulty download process or a slow internet connection. So make sure you try to re-download the same again. If this does not help, try switching the websites and downloading from different websites to see if their APK works.
Method 2: Verify Device Architecture
It is important that you install the correct APK files according to your device architecture. Usually, when you install the app directly from Play Store, you don’t have to worry about this factor, as Playstore automatically downloads the right app version. But since you are downloading the APK file manually, it’s important that you download the correct file. An app usually comes in various versions, including arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, arm64-v8a + armeabi-v7a, x86, x86_64, and not all of them might be compatible with your device. So check your device CPU architecture with any app and then download accordingly.
- Download CPU-Z from Playstore.
- Launch the app and navigate to the system tab.
- Here you will be able to see your device architecture type. For eg. aarch64.
- Now you need to download the APK files, which are compatible with the aarch64 architecture type.
- Once done, download & install the APK for that arch type, and see if the error permits.
Method 3: Delete Existing App Data
If you have previously installed this app from the Play Store and are now attempting to reinstall it through sideloading, it is important to ensure that you have removed the app’s data file from the previous installation. Failure to do so may result in conflicts between the older and newer data, preventing successful app installation. To resolve this issue, follow the steps below to delete the previous data and then proceed to check the results.
- Open any File Manager app on your device and navigate to the following folder:
Internal Storage > Android > Data
- Here make sure you delete the folder associated with the app you are trying to install. For eg. com.android.facelook
- Now go to the below location and delete the app data from there as well
Internal Storage > Android > OBB
- Once done, try to re-install the app again and see if this helps.
Method 4: Delete Existing App
Many users in the Android community have shared their thoughts on the problem as well. As a result, we are able to pinpoint the issue towards the same APK file with a different architecture version installed on the device. When you try to install any APK files over an already installed application on your device, such issues may arise, and you will get the App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid error message in return. To fix this, make sure to completely delete the application and then try to install the APK file.
Method 5: Reset App Preferences
In certain situations, existing configuring files for a specific app can cause such issues while installing an additional file. So it’s best to reset all app preferences to their default state. By doing so, you can reset disabled and default app settings, as well as remove any imposed restrictions (note that this action will not delete any app data). This will provide you with the original stock settings to work with.
- Open the settings app on your device and navigate to Settings> Menu > Reset action.
- Here search for the reset app preferences option.
- Once done, try installing the app again to see if this helps.
Method 6: Downgrade App
In certain scenarios, the most recent version of an app may contain bugs or issues that prevent it from being installed on your device. To resolve this, it is recommended to download an older version of the app from reputable sources such as APKMirror. By installing an older version, you can bypass any potential problems associated with the latest release.
Method 7: Change Package Name
If you are a developer and are facing the issue of App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid while installing your self-built app, it’s important to note the app compatibility for the device. Oftentimes there are small package issues while compiling, which may lead to this error. So try changing the package name and recompiling the APK file to see if this helps.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of this guide for fixing the App Not Installed As Package Appears To Be Invalid error message. Please note that installing any third party app or game can be dangerous for your device and may make you vulnerable to future cyber attacks. It’s important to make sure the APK file you are installing is properly checked and validated to come from a trusted developer only. The above methods shall help you fix the error code, but if you have any further questions, feel free to comment below.