Install Joinero on Android
Joinero ships as a signed APK from joinero.app instead of the Play Store, so installing it takes a few extra taps compared to an app you'd get from the Store. This page walks through every screen you'll see, honestly — including the Google Play Protect warning, which is expected and not a sign anything is wrong.
1. Download the APK
Release info below is fetched live from our server, so the version, size, and checksum are always accurate.
Checking for the latest release…
- Version
- Size
SHA-256 checksum (select all to copy — see "Verify your download" below)
Requires Android 6.0+
Download APKWe couldn't check the latest release right now. Reload the page to try again, or email help@joinero.app if this keeps happening.
2. Verify your download (recommended)
A SHA-256 checksum is a short fingerprint of the exact file we published. If even one byte of the download is different — corrupted in transit, or tampered with — the checksum won't match. Comparing it takes a minute and confirms you have the real file.
On a computer
If you downloaded the APK on a laptop or desktop before transferring it to your phone, open a terminal in the download folder and run:
macOS / Linux: shasum -a 256 joinero.apk
Windows (PowerShell): certutil -hashfile joinero.apk SHA256
Compare the result to the checksum shown in the download section above. They should match exactly, ignoring capitalization.
On your phone
Android doesn't include a built-in checksum tool, so this step is optional if you
downloaded directly from joinero.app over HTTPS (the connection itself is verified).
If you want to double-check on-device, a file manager with a "hash" or "checksum"
feature (for example Solid Explorer), or the sha256sum
command via Termux, will do the same comparison.
If the checksums don't match: don't install the file. Delete it, re-download from this page, and check again. If it still doesn't match, email help@joinero.app before proceeding.
3. Step-by-step install
These are the real dialogs Android shows when installing an app from outside the Play Store. Wording varies slightly by phone maker and Android version, but the flow below is the common path.
-
1
Tap "Download APK"
Chrome (or your default browser) shows a download progress notification in the status bar. Wait for it to finish — the file is under 100 MB, so it's usually quick on Wi-Fi.
Chrome download notification Screenshot coming soonDownload in progress -
2
Open the downloaded file
Tap the "Download complete" notification, or open your Downloads app or folder and tap
joinero.apk.Download complete notification Screenshot coming soonTap to open -
3
"Install blocked" appears
Android blocks installs from outside the Play Store by default. You'll see a dialog like "For your security, your phone is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source." Tap Settings on that dialog.
"Install blocked" dialog Screenshot coming soonTap "Settings" -
4
Turn on "Allow from this source"
You'll land on a settings screen naming the app you opened the file with (usually Chrome or Files). Toggle Allow from this source on. This only whitelists that one app for installs — it doesn't disable Android's other protections.
"Allow from this source" toggle Screenshot coming soonToggle on, then go back -
5
Go back and tap Install
Use the back button to return to the install screen (or reopen
joinero.apkfrom Downloads) and tap Install.Install confirmation screen Screenshot coming soonTap "Install" -
6
Google Play Protect scan
Play Protect briefly scans the file. Because Joinero isn't distributed through the Play Store, it doesn't have Play Store "reputation" yet, and Protect may warn you. We're being upfront that this can happen — it's not a bug, and not unique to Joinero. Two things you might see:
Variant A — soft warning
"Unknown apps not supported" or "App not recognized" with an Install anyway option. Tap Install anyway (or More details → Install anyway) to continue.
Variant B — hard block
On some devices Protect blocks the install with no "install anyway" button. See Play Protect fully blocked the install in troubleshooting below.
Play Protect scan / warning Screenshot coming soonScanning, then a warning card -
7
Installed — tap Open
Android shows "App installed." Tap Open to launch Joinero straight away, or Done to launch it later from your app drawer.
"App installed" confirmation Screenshot coming soonTap "Open"
4. How updates work
Joinero isn't on the Play Store, so there's no automatic background updating — but the app doesn't leave you to remember to check manually either. Each time you open Joinero, it checks for a newer version and lets you know right in the app if one's available.
- 1. On launch, the app checks for a newer release — this works even before you sign in.
- 2. If a newer version exists, you'll see an in-app update banner with a link back to this page.
- 3. Download and install the new APK the same way you installed the first one (steps above). Because it's signed with the same key, Android treats it as an update to your existing app — your account and data stay intact, nothing is wiped.
You can also check the changelog any time to see what's new in the latest release.
5. Troubleshooting
This is Android's generic install failure. The common causes, in order of likelihood:
- A different version is already installed with a different signature — this can happen if you previously sideloaded a build from somewhere other than joinero.app. Uninstall the existing Joinero app first, then install the fresh download.
- Not enough storage — free up at least 200 MB and try again.
- The download is corrupted — delete the file, re-download it, and verify the checksum before installing.
- Android version too old — Joinero requires Android 6.0 or newer.
- Switch to Wi-Fi — some carriers throttle or block direct APK downloads on mobile data.
- Turn off any browser "data saver" or "lite mode" setting, which can interrupt large file downloads.
- Free up storage space — a full device will silently fail downloads.
- Cancel and retry the download from the download section above rather than resuming a partial file.
On some devices, Play Protect blocks the install outright with no "Install anyway" option shown. Before working around this, verify the checksum matches what's published on this page — only proceed if it does.
To temporarily allow the install:
- Open the Play Store app.
- Tap your profile icon → Play Protect → the settings gear icon.
- Turn off Scan apps with Play Protect.
- Reinstall the APK.
- Turn Scan apps with Play Protect back on afterward — this setting only needs to be off for the install itself.
Being honest about the tradeoff: disabling Play Protect scanning, even briefly, removes a layer of protection against malicious apps. Only do this if you trust the source (joinero.app) and have verified the checksum.
Manufacturer skins (Samsung One UI, Xiaomi's HyperOS/MIUI, OnePlus's OxygenOS, and others) sometimes rename or relocate this screen. If tapping "Settings" from the install-blocked dialog doesn't take you there directly, go to:
Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps
Select the app you used to open the APK (Chrome or Files), then allow it as the source.
Stop — don't install the file. Delete it, close and reopen this page (so you're comparing against the current published checksum, not a cached one), and re-download. If a fresh download still doesn't match, email help@joinero.app with the version number and the checksum you got before doing anything else.
Restart your phone and try opening Joinero again — this clears most one-off launch failures. If it still won't open, uninstall and reinstall using a freshly downloaded, checksum-verified APK. Still stuck? Email help@joinero.app with your phone model and Android version.
Still stuck after trying the above? Email help@joinero.app and we'll help you sort it out.