Why do some apps need to be installed using root, and others do not?

3 years ago by yaaaaayPancakes to c/revanced

Basically, the title. I've used revanced to patch YouTube and Reddit's app. YouTube only seems to work if I install as root. Reddit's app only seems to work if I don't use root. Wondering why that is.

raldone01 11 points 3 years ago

YouTube works without root. It's just an issue with the proprietary split APK format Google introduced. You have to download the APK manually from a site like apkmirror.

Google creators of the still too open android os.

Edit: The information above is only partially correct. https://issuetracker.google.com/... The issue is that when Google introduced split apks and bundles it did not provide a standard implementation in AOSP leading to fragmentation and proprietary formats by third parties. In the past AOSP could just install apks but these new split APK formats need separate apps to handle them if they are available.

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glibg10b 2 points 3 years ago

Google creators of the still too open android os.

I'm not finding anything.

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raldone01 -4 points 3 years ago

Right. Google primary developers of the still too open android os.

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pimento64 4 points 3 years ago

This is nonsense. What are you trying to say?

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raldone01 1 point 3 years ago

Maybe I am wrong but they are developing the AOSP primarily right? I read a few things in the past that they are dropping lots of standard apps which custom ROMs have to implement themselves.

This is the event I remembered but I think there were some more: https://www.androidauthority.com/...

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yaaaaayPancakes 1 point 3 years ago

Interesting. It doesn't seem like that works for me.

I've been getting the universal apk from apk mirror since using revanced. If I use the non root method of install (after selecting the apk from storage) it just exits. But if I install the universal apk first, then use the root method to install after patching the installed apk, it works.

I probably just don't understand something correctly.

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raldone01 1 point 3 years ago

Maybe root vs nonroot microg mismatch?

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yaaaaayPancakes 1 point 3 years ago

I don't use microg. I still have play services installed.

It feels like I have the best success downloading the universal apks from apk mirror, installing them, patching the installed apk, and installing the patched apk as root. And when I upgrade to the next version, uninstalling the app first, and repeating the above steps with the new version.

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raldone01 1 point 3 years ago

Yeah but as far as I know YouTube revanced uses microg regardless of you having the gapps.

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