Auto Updater for Chromium Help

This article addresses some frequent issues with Auto Updater for Chromium for Android.

Important: as of 2020, this app is obsolete, use the Bromite F-Droid repository instead.

Why is this app not available from Google Play anymore?

Google Play policies have changed, they don't allow apps to install third party APKs anymore, and as a result, the app was removed in March 2019.
The app remains available on F-Droid, or as an APK download.

Why do I need a rooted device? Can it work without root?

A rooted device allows apps to make changes to system files and install applications silently. This is why root is required for this app to operate.
The app can work without root but when an update is available it will require you to confirm installation.
Google Play is a "special" system app and can install updates silently without root. Third party apps cannot do this.

I already have Chromium installed, can I use this updater app?

Yes. If you're using the official Chromium builds you can safely ignore the warning, otherwise it is better to uninstall Chromium to avoid a signature conflict.

What happens if it's time to update Chromium but there is no Internet?

The update will be delayed and will start as soon as a connection is avalable.

What happens if the download stops or fails while updating? (for instance if the Wifi is weak)

The update will restart as soon as a connection is avalable.

I can't login to Chrome

This problem has nothing to do with the updater.
Chromium dev builds may not have the API keys required to login with Google. You'll still be able to use all Google services, but Chrome's sync features are unavailable.

Chromium crashes / A site or feature does not work properly / Other Chromium-related issues

Issues regarding Chromium should be reported to the Chromium developers.
This app is merely a downloader and updater and I am not in any way involved with the development of Chromium.

Chromium is not installed/updated

There may be several causes:

If you installed Chromium from another source, it's likely to be a signature conflict. Uninstall Chromium and let the updater download it.
If you deny root access to the device and hide other requests from the app, the update will not work. Reinstall the updater and this time allow it root access without asking.
Did you play around with the date/time?

Reinstalling the updater generally solves these issues.

I hid the app icon, how do I get it back?

Reinstall the updater app.

Where does the app download the builds from? And how?

This app downloads official Chromium builds. By default, the updater uses stable builds, but in the advanced settings you can choose to download the latest build if you want, but they may contain bugs.
The download is done via HTTPS.

Why does the app ask for permissions to read user data (photos, videos, ...)?

While being downloaded, Chromium is temporarily stored in the device's main storage. Using it requires this permission. Temporary files are deleted when the update is complete.
Source code is available if you don't trust the app.

Where can I report issues related to this app?

You can use the comments area below, or open an issue on Github.

Can I make changes to the app?

Absolutely. This app is licensed under the GNU GPLv3 license, which allows you to study the code, make changes, redistribute the app and modified versions of it, as long as it remains under the same license.