INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK 🤖 Android

INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK / INSTALL_FAILED_DEPRECATED_SDK_VERSION

The device’s Android version is lower than the app’s minSdk (OLDER_SDK), or the app’s targetSdk is too old for this Android version (DEPRECATED_SDK_VERSION).

Seen on: Android

Meaning

minSdk sets the lowest Android API the app runs on. Android 14+ also blocks installing apps that target very old APIs (below 23/24).

Common causes

  • Device API level below minSdk
  • Emulator image older than minSdk
  • targetSdk too low for Android 14+ (DEPRECATED_SDK_VERSION)

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Use a newer device/emulator image
  2. Lower minSdk if you really need older devices
  3. Raise targetSdk

Detailed fix by platform

Gradle

  1. kotlin
    android {
  defaultConfig {
    minSdk = 24
    targetSdk = 35
  }
}

How to diagnose

  1. Device — adb shell getprop ro.build.version.sdk
  2. App — minSdk/targetSdk in build.gradle

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