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Can I simply copy an app from one phone to another?

M

mcf57

Newbie
Me and the wife have android phones. There is the same free app on both of them, but hers was set up to NOT automatically update. Mine was set up to automatically update. She has v2.0 of an app (Samsung Charge) while I have v2.2. I would like to go back to v2.0 on my phone (Motorola BIONIC). I have since turned my auto updates off too.

I can't seem to find an old version 2.0 of this app so was wondering if I could simply copy the app from her phone to mine. Is this possible? Can I just go into her phone and "copy" the app's folder/files? Do I maybe need to first move it to the memory card before attempting to copy it? Or is there more involved than just this?
 
Yes, you can. This is part of the beauty of Android. Here is the way I do it, which I feel is easiest and requires no technical knowledge.

1) Download MyBackup Pro/ Titanium Backup
2) Backup the app you wanted to copy
3) Navigate to the path where you saved the app using a file manager
4) (Optional) Upload to dropbox (I do this to be sure I will always have it
5) Share the app via your preferred method to the other phone
6) Install

Very simple, hope it helps!
 
Only issue you will have with using Titanium Backup is that the phone has to be rooted. ExtremeNerd is absolutely correct on the process (done it many times myself) but I believe rooting is required to access the files necessary to copy the .apk's.
 
eirrom said:
Only issue you will have with using Titanium Backup is that the phone has to be rooted. ExtremeNerd is absolutely correct on the process (done it many times myself) but I believe rooting is required to access the files necessary to copy the .apk's.
Click to expand...

I may be mistaken, but I don't think it requires root to back up only the .apk. I personally use MyBackup Pro, and it only requires root for the app data. I would recommend MBP anyway. Well worth the $5.
 
eirrom said:
Only issue you will have with using Titanium Backup is that the phone has to be rooted.
Click to expand...

Correct.
I advise the OP to root only if they know what they are doing, or let someone else, a trusted party, do it for them.

ExtremeNerd is absolutely correct on the process (done it many times myself) but I believe rooting is required to access the files necessary to copy the .apk's.
Click to expand...
Rooting is not required to make an .apk file or copy it to the other phone. Several free apps can do it.
 
It's easy to back up an .apk file of a free app at an unrooted phone :)

Start a file manager like EStrongs File Explorer and choose App Manager, long press at the choosen app will pop up a option menu with the 'Back up' option.
The app's .apk file will be in the folder 'backups' at SD card or at phone storage.

If EStrongs installed on the other phone too, you also can use EStrongs for to install the .apk :)

Harry
 
I use Apk Share. Free and very easy to use. You can transfer any app in apk format, even over bluetooth.
 
Good information here. There are some apps that (mostly paid from my experience) require a check to the market to validate ownership.
 
Appcombine backup apk's to card.

Bluetooth File Transfer for erm, transfering files.
 
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