---
id: android-installation
title: Android application installation
sidebar_label: Android App
sidebar_position: 1
---

Our Android application is available on F-Droid and Google Play Store. This allows you to connect to your Meshtastic device from your Android phone.

<p align="center">
  <a href="https://mesh.tastic.app/fdroid/repo">
    <img alt="Get it on F-Droid"
      src="https://fdroid.gitlab.io/artwork/badge/get-it-on.png"
      width="49%"/>
  </a>
  <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geeksville.mesh">
    <img alt="Download at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geeksville.mesh"
      src="https://play.google.com/intl/en_us/badges/static/images/badges/en_badge_web_generic.png"
      width="49%"/>
  </a>
</p>

The application may not be found if your phone/Android version are too old. The minimum Android version is 5.0 (Lollipop 2014, first BLE support). However, Android 6, Marshmallow 2015, is recommended as the Bluetooth is more stable.

The app can also be sideloaded by downloading the .apk from the <a href="https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android/releases/latest">GitHub releases</a> page. If you do sideload, you may have to give your browser permissions to run a package installer. If you wish to view the code or contribute to development of the app, please visit the app's <a href="https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android">GitHub page</a>.
:::note
Be aware that you may have to open the drop down menu for "Compare" to see the latest alpha/beta builds. Generally the versions will follow the device versions.
:::

[![Messages page](/img/android/android-messages-sm.png)](/img/android/android-messages-sm.png) [![Nodes page](/img/android/android-nodes-sm.png)](/img/android/android-nodes.png) [![Channel page](/img/android/android-channel-sm.png)](/img/android/android-channel.png) [![Settings page](/img/android/android-settings-sm.png)](/img/android/android-settings.png) [![Debug page](/img/android/android-debug-sm.png)](/img/android/android-debug.png)

:::note
Be aware that Android versions have different ways of handling permissions. In order to prevent users from accidentally allowing background location services, the dialog box may not give you the option.

Click on the image to see a quick video of where I found it on my phone.

[![Background Permissions Video](/img/android/android-bg-location-permissions.png)](https://youtu.be/YAFLxoeVIHg)
:::

There is a [beta program](https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.geeksville.mesh) for the app, which will let you test the cutting edge changes, though this may come with extra bugs. You can join this via Google Play. It is recommended that you follow the [Meshtastic Discourse Alpha Testers](https://meshtastic.discourse.group/c/development/alpha-testers) channel if you decide to join this.

The app uses anonymous usage statistics and crash reports to allow us to catch problems with Meshtastic and fix them. You can disable this by unticking the checkbox on the settings page.

[![Settings page with statistics consent box highlighted](/img/android/android-stats-consent-sm.png)](/img/android/android-stats-consent.png)

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
