FP2 OpenOS Android9 - APKs no longer run

[iantog]

Hello from Sweden. (New here as a post author, but have long been using the forum to fix small issues with my 2017 FP2.)

I installed the Fairphone OpenOS update to Android 9 this week.

Specific problem: can’t install new or update existing apps.

I used to download APKs (usually via apkpure.com) either directly on FP2, or on desktop Mac and then send over bluetooth to phone.
• Since the upgrade, APKs downloaded directly no longer launch. Ones that were already on my FP2 do.
• Bluetooth transfer of APKs no longer works, but JPEG and PDF files can be sent.

Feels like some sort of security setting that is blocking independent APKs.

Thanks for any advice you can offer. If I cannot run APK updates, then my FP2 is on borrowed time, just when I thought the upgrade would give me another 3-4 years of life. Ian

[urs_lesse]

Welcome to our community

Please check if you can enable your .apk files to install when you allow them in
Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access > Install unknown apps

[iantog]

Thanks. Brief investigation suggests that doesn’t help. Only apps previously installed are shown there. But I should ‘rtfm’ on Android 9 before troubling folk here further.

[AnotherElk]

@iantog

I used to download APKs (usually via apkpure.com) either directly on FP2, or on desktop Mac and then send over bluetooth to phone.
• Since the upgrade, APKs downloaded directly no longer launch. Ones that were already on my FP2 do.

I just installed Fairphone Open OS 21.03.0-rel.2 for testing, copied an APK from my computer to the Downloads folder on the phone and installed it from there by launching it in the Files App … after confirming the security message it installed without a problem.

Since in-place upgrades of an OS to a new major version number (without losing data) can result in glitches and quirks you might want to consider a factory reset (if you have a backup of all your important data).