Error installing ad blocking app

Hello,

I am trying to install an adblocking app.
I downloaded adblock plus, but I couldn’t install it. Clicking the install-button just didn’t do a thing. No error message, just as if it was a non-clickable.
Then I downloaded F-droid (to download adaway) and the same thing happens. I cannot click the install button, nothing happens.

Can someone help me?
Thanks!

Does your phone allow installation of apps from unknown sources? The option ‘Unknown Sources’ (Settings > Security) should be checked to allow this.

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Hey thanks for replying!
Yes it is checked.
(Before I downloaded these two things, I looked at a manual to install, and I saw this box had to be checked. So I set it right before I started.)

Just checked what happens if it isn’t enabled, and you even get a polite warning - so that can’t be it. Problem is that I can’t replicate it (yet), for me it just installs normally. If something comes to mind, I’ll report back - hopefully someone else on the forum will be more quick-witted than me though!

Hey did you assign me a “read faq” badge?
If you did, can you please explain why? I don’t understand.

  • I checked the box to allow unknown sources, because I did read the installation faqs of these apps.
  • I checked (or I tried to check) if this topic is already somewhere else on this forum. I didn’t find it.

Please can someone help me with this problem, I’m really stuck on this.

I think Johannes is on the right track. And I don’t want to sidetrack or confuse you here.

But I somehow remember that F-droid sometimes hangs without a lot of useful error messages and is hard to debug without logcat output.

But if you have adb installed, you can install apks like this pretty quick without an “app store”. If not, don’t worry.

Download the apk:
wget/browser https://f-droid.org/repo/org.adaway_55.apk

Install it:
$ adb install org.adaway_55.apk

10076 KB/s (5546301 bytes in 0.537s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/org.adaway_55.apk
Success

Nope, this gets assigned automatically by the forum when you’ve read the frequently asked questions topic. (So it’s a positive thing to have)

Other than that things that did come to mind:
Are you running any security software that could interfere? Also, you could try to clear the cache from recovery mode, this sometimes helps (but be careful not to accidentally wipe your phone).

One more: I found a report that bizarrely some apps that change screen brightness can block installation. If you’re using any of those you may want to stop them before trying to install.

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hey @fp1_wo_sw_updates

A little ashamed to admit, but I do not totally understand what you’re saying.

I downloaded the apk with the link you provided, but the issue is the same: I cannot click the install button.

Can you explain me what to do different?

(I have to go though, I’ll be back on saturday.)

Looks like I managed to confuse you :frowning:

Normally your software should give you some feedback why it cannot install/do something. Like not enough space on the device left, the file is not found … It looks like F-Droid is not doing that for you right now. So we just don’t know what’s wrong on your end right now, we need more info.

So with adb it would be possible to get more information, but this would need a laptop and a phone. But hey, we figure that out on the weekend, maybe :slight_smile:

Just out of curiosity: Don’t adblockers need root privileges? Did you grant them?

I didn’t read all the answers you got so far, but:
Can you install other apps?

I’ve had the “Clicking the install-button doesn’t do anything”-problem sometimes and it was always an app causing this. E.g. the apps OpenWLANMaps and Lux cause this.

EDIT: I overread the fact that you can’t install F-Droid either, so guess you do have the same issue I had

The main problem is that he is “just” downloading stuff with the browser. We think he has not installed anything yet. But we wait for him to come back, so we can figure what causes this, currently there is not enough info.

Interesting I did not know that apps can do this. Do they remove .apks from the list the browser works with?

The possible scenarios are:
0) Download app with browser on the phone and you try to install from there (currently not working for him)

  1. Download app with F-Droid (not working, F-Droid does not install, see above)
  2. Download app with a laptop and install it from there with adb so we can see error messages (I think I confused him here :slight_smile: )

No, they simply disable the install button. You can reproduce this by installing OWM and run it. Then try to install a new app, you won’t be able to tap the install button. Closing OWM is not enough, you’ll have to exit it, then you can install apps again.
I once asked the guys from OpenWlanMap about this and they said it’s not a bug in OWM but an Android Security “feature”.

Everything is working again! Thanks a lot everybody! :slight_smile:

I am totally emotional about my fairphone: if it’s broke I feel sad and then afterwards I can really enjoy it working. With my laptop I don’t do this. (I just get frustrated.)

So:

@Johannes It was the screen brightness app! Thanks for solving the problem! (I used Twilight)

@fp1_wo_sw_updates Thanks for explaining, but I don’t need this adb-thing anymore. Interesting feature though, I’ll remember this! For now, I’ve had enough settings and configs for a while :slight_smile:

@jftr Yes they do, and yes I did :slight_smile: I know this is somewhat dangerous, especially if you’re not a developer. I always read manuals and reviews before I download an app like this. And when I’m stuck, I come to this place.

PS @fp1_wo_sw_updates I am a girl :blush:

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