How to download, install, and update Timety from China?

[Benji377]

I have received feedback that some users in China are unable to download Timety because the official F-Droid servers and GitHub Releases are frequently blocked or heavily throttled by the local network.

Since Timety is an offline-first app, is there a reliable way to download and keep the app updated inside China without needing a VPN?

[Benji377]

Yes! Because Timety is published on the official F-Droid repository, it is automatically mirrored daily by several major Chinese universities.

You can download and update Timety at high speeds without a VPN by pointing your F-Droid client to a local Chinese mirror.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install F-Droid: Download and install the F-Droid client APK on your Android device.
2. Open Repository Settings: Inside the F-Droid app, go to Settings -> Repositories.
3. Disable the Default Repo (Crucial Step): Find the default "F-Droid Main Repo" and toggle it OFF.
   • Note: If you leave this turned on, the app will continuously try to connect to the blocked global servers and will endlessly time out or freeze.
4. Add a Chinese Mirror: Tap the "+" icon in the top right corner to add a new repository, and paste one of these official university mirror URLs:
   • Tsinghua University (TUNA): https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/fdroid/repo/
   • Nanjing University (NJU): https://mirror.nju.edu.cn/fdroid/repo/
   • ISCAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences): https://mirror.iscas.ac.cn/fdroid/repo/
5. Refresh and Download: Return to the F-Droid home screen and swipe down to refresh the data. Once the sync finishes, search for Timety to download the app. It will now automatically fetch updates from the high-speed local mirror.

If you run into any issues or timeouts during the repository sync, please drop a comment below!