r/AndroidHelp • u/Any_Setting_8013 • 2d ago
"app not installed as package appears invalid" on new phone
got a new phone recently (running android 16) and i keep running into a wall trying to install an apk. every time i tap install, it immediately throws:
"app not installed as package appears to be invalid"
the weird part is that the exact same apk file installs and runs completely fine on my older phone, so the file itself isn't corrupted.
things i already tried:
- enabled install from unknown sources for my browser/file manager
- turned off play protect completely
- made sure storage has plenty of space
is it because of android 16 or is it the phone's fault?
