Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE] even if app appears to not be installed

Question

When trying to deploy my app to the Android device I am getting the following error:

Deployment failed because of an internal error: Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE]

I am aware of this question but the app is not installed. It has been removed/partially removed by Visual Studio during the attempt to deploy.

In the past I solved this by downloading the app from the google play store and then removing it from settings->Application manager. However, now i am getting the error "incompatible update" when it is trying to install it.

I tried to remove it using Titanium Backup and few other things but no luck.

EDIT 1

I realised (from @Motz) that I haven't mentioned that the obvious solution doesn't work. Namely, the app doesn't appear in Settings->Apps

Solution 1

I've seen this several times. Usually, it's due to having a signed release version on my phone, then trying to deploy the debug version on top. It gets stuck in an invalid state where it's not fully uninstalled.

The solution that works for me is to open a command prompt and type:

adb uninstall my.package.id

That usually completes the uninstall in order for me to continue development.

Solution 2

No need to do an adb uninstall, just go to your settings->apps and then do uninstall from there. You will see your application grayed out.

The issues usually has to do with a release vs debug version such as @Kiliman noted here.

Solution 3

Uninstalling the application would be enough to avoid this problem.

INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE

but sometimes even uninstalling the message is raised again, it occurs in Android OS 5.0 +, so this is the solution:

Go to Settings > Apps and you will find your app with the message:

"Not installed for this user"

, we have to uninstall manually for all users with the option:

"Uninstall for all users"

Solution 4

You have to make sure the application is uninstalled.

In your phone, try going to settings/applications and show the list of all your installed applications, then make sure the application is uninstalled for all users (in my case I had uninstalled the application but still for others).

Solution 5

I usually face this issue on Android 5.0+ version devices. Since it has multi-user profiles accounts on the same devices. Every app will install as a separate instance for all users. Make sure to uninstall for all the users as below screenshot.

View more solutions

Comments

[Haresh Chhelana]

Which version installed on your device ?

[Haresh Chhelana]

It may be happen if your app required minimum SDK version is higher to you device OS version.

[Jeffrey Mixon]

Check logcat for additional clues when trying to install the app. There should be a log entry with more details as to why it is failing.

[Darpan]

What version of Android your phone is?

[YKa]

My Android version is 4.4.2. The minimum SDK is fine because I installed the App before and because I checked it.

[alzee]

Another solution that works for me; configure android studio/gradle to sign the debug version with your normal key, rather than the default debug key.

[YKa]

Sorry @Motz, that was actually one of the first things I did but the app is not under apps... I edited my question now

[YKa]

UPDATE: When using Android 5.0 (lollipop) this now works too. The app with size 0.00KB shows and I can then easily uninstall it.

[SajithK]

If you are using an android device for testing and if you install your app in another machine, and then you try to install in your machine this error will appear. This solution works.

[wisbucky]

Settings > Apps > uninstall doesn't always work. Sometimes there's issues with multiple user profiles and not being uninstalled for all users. Or the app got halfway uninstalled in a bad state. adb uninstall would take of those scenarios.

[me--]

This is not always true. Often I have done this in the past and it has worked perfectly. But today my app was simply not there. And it wasn't at the end of the application list either (sometimes you have to uninstall for all users rather than just uninstalling for the current user). adb uninstall worked perfectly.

[Abdul Rehman]

I changed the "Target build version" of my application from 4.4.2 to 5.0.1. Now I cannot update latest version of my app over previously released version signed with the same key. Can you provide with any URL explaining/discussing this issue as I need to share it with my clients. I am using eclipse and have also tried to resolve this issue your way but cannot find "Android Manifest" section inside project properties. Can you please help? Thanks

[Karl]

I had installed my app thru google play store and tried to redeploy thru Visual Studio Code. To solve the problem I uninstalled the app on the device.

[Diego Somar]

Yes, it works. After unnistall for all users, ionic cordova run android --device works! Tks!

[blub]

Also happens if the emulator is accidentally running when you didn't expect it to

[jaquinocode]

I'm using React Native (for Android) and yeah having a signed release version already installed was the issue. I forgot I had built a release version beforehand, and then was surprised when trying to install a debug version was giving this error.