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Help How to get older versions of YouTube app?

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poseidon_05

Lurker
Here's my problem. I hate pretty much every change that youtube is making to the YouTube app these days. So I want to use the older versions. I can download old version apks, but I can't actually install them because it says that the app is already installed. If I delete the YouTube app(through ADB), then I can install them. But the YouTube app stays on my phone, it just doesn't appear like it, so I can't install any YouTube apks from before my phone's latest software update. The only solution I can think of is to root my phone and properly delete the YouTube app, but I don't want to root my phone so I'm just wondering if there's any other solution.
Also don't say "use YouTube vanced" because I don't want to use that, I want to use the actual YouTube app.
 
I'm not sure if this will work, but if you go to settings, apps, YouTube, hit the 3 dots upper right, uninstall updates, then storage, clear cache and data.
Go to your playstore settings and make sure apps do not auto update.
Reboot
 
Do as @Dannydet has suggested, and if the device's version does not work,
then get onto UpToDown.
This site will allow you to download and install older versions of Youtube.

Youtube versions that are too far out of date will not work, so the version built into your device may need another version just to work.

Also, be aware that you will be constantly pestered to update the app, probably every time you open it.

I use NewPipe instead.

https://youtube.en.uptodown.com/android/versions
 
I was going to add the same warning that at some point Google will "force" changes by stopping older versions of the app from working. Can't say when that would become a problem for you, but an older version of the app will at some level be a temporary solution.
 
Yeah as I said I can download older version apks, but I can't install any of them that were from before my phone's latest update(which was a couple months ago). So I will just try rooting my phone and completely deleting youtube to reinstall an older version. But I will test it out on an old phone first.
 
Bypassing the issue of having a pre-installed app like Youtube could be something of a challenge -- depending on what phone model you have, your carrier (some make unlocking the boot loader a pain), and which version of Android it's running all add up to making a phone relatively easy to 'safely' root or not.
If you do root it, install the Titanium Backup Pro app, it's a great utility to enhance the management of a rooted phone:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackupPro&hl=en_US&gl=US
One of its handy features is the ability to backup apps and their respective settings. You can then 'freeze' or 'defrost' the app, or delete it. In your instance, do a backup before you start experimenting with older versions of the Youtube, and in the TB app's menus you can selectively restore just that original, archived Youtube app if necessary.
(You should do a full backup of your phone anyway, especially if you're going do something like root it.)
 
How do I backup my phone? I've looked for ways to do it in the past but they all only backup things like contacts, messages and images. I want to also backup appdata and settings and homescreen arrangement and everything.
 
poseidon_05 said:
How do I backup my phone? I've looked for ways to do it in the past but they all only backup things like contacts, messages and images. I want to also backup appdata and settings and homescreen arrangement and everything.
Click to expand...
On youtube? You cannot do that anyways, it is impossible, try to read the above posters, we have helped several android people out to date.
For the app data too? Home screen arragement, well try screen shooting everything and then save it as a photo or two, have that to be honest is the best bet I can think of ontop of my head.
 
poseidon_05 said:
How do I backup my phone? I've looked for ways to do it in the past but they all only backup things like contacts, messages and images. I want to also backup appdata and settings and homescreen arrangement and everything.
Click to expand...

Depending on the phone you've got, the manufacturer may provide a complete backup and restore solution, like Samsung Smart Switch for Samsung devices, HiSuite for Huawei and Honor, Mi PC Suite for Xiaomi, etc.
 
poseidon_05 said:
Yeah as I said I can download older version apks, but I can't install any of them that were from before my phone's latest update(which was a couple months ago). So I will just try rooting my phone and completely deleting youtube to reinstall an older version. But I will test it out on an old phone first.
Click to expand...

This is because you skipped an important step...

you must first uninstall all updates from your Youtube app.

That means clearing all data from it.
All of your settings for Youtube will return when you log back in.

Then you might need a newer version for it to work, and this version must be compatible with the arm of your device.

Keep in mind that you must leave auto update off in Google Playstore, or else the blasted thing will just update the app for you all over again after you have gone through all of this effort.

Going through this, along with the endless pestering to update from Youtube and Google, and the constant addition/subtraction of features/anti-features is why I just use NewPipe instead.
 
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