Troubleshooting and FAQ

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Installing and updating

Android says it cannot install apps from this source. Android asks once for each app that installs another app. Tap Settings, turn on Allow from this source for your browser or file manager, go back, and tap Install again. See Installing the App.

Play Protect shows a warning. Play Protect notes any app that does not come from the Play Store. The app is signed with this project's certificate and its source is public here. Choose Install anyway. You can check the APK first, as Installing the App explains.

"App not installed" when updating by hand. Android installs an update only when it is signed with the same certificate as the app on the phone. Download the APK from this repository's Releases page, or use Account → Updates → Check in the app.

The app did not offer an update I can see on Releases. The app checks at most once a day, and offers each version once. Open Account → Updates → Check to check now.

Using the app

The first screen takes a while to load. The shop's server runs on a free hosting plan and rests after about 15 quiet minutes. The first request after that can take up to a minute; the app shows a note while it waits, and everything is quick afterwards.

The Cart or Wishlist asks me to sign in. Both are kept with your account, so they work the same in the app and on the website. Sign in from the Account tab.

I did not get my sign-up or password-reset code. Check Spam and Promotions. Codes expire, so ask for a new one rather than using an old one.

A security check appears when I sign in. The shop uses Cloudflare Turnstile to keep automated sign-ins out. It usually finishes by itself in a second or two. If it does not load, check your connection and try again.

Continue with Google does not appear. It appears when the shop has Google sign-in turned on. Signing in with your e-mail and password works for every account, including one created with Google once a password is set on the website.

Voice search does nothing. Voice search uses your phone's speech recognition, which comes with the Google app on most phones. Allow the microphone when asked.

The app shows a strip saying I am offline. Your phone has no connection. Screens you have opened before show their saved copy; placing an order and changing your cart wait until you are back online.

The app is in the wrong language or theme. Choose it in Account → Language and Account → Appearance. "Same as the phone" follows your phone's settings.

I signed in on someone else's phone. Sign in on your own phone, open Account, and choose Sign out everywhere else.

Developers

Which server does a debug build use? The live site, unless built with -Pbookstore.debugSite=<url>. See Developer Setup.

A debug build cannot reach my local server. Run adb reverse tcp:<port> tcp:<port> and build with -Pbookstore.debugSite=http://127.0.0.1:<port>. Plain HTTP is allowed only for 127.0.0.1, localhost and 10.0.2.2, in debug builds.

A test is reported as skipped on Windows. One DataStore test replaces a file that Windows keeps locked while it is open, so it runs in CI on Linux instead. Every other test runs on all platforms.

More questions? Ask in Q&A or e-mail support.utsha@gmail.com.