Obtainium: App Updates from Source

Obtainium is an Android update manager that downloads apps directly from developer repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg, F-Droid), bypassing third-party stores.

Why you need it:

• Get updates faster than Google Play / F-Droid
• Avoid trackers and ads from third-party stores
• Control which versions are installed (stable, beta, pre-release)
• Automate updates without manual confirmation

💡 Obtainium doesn’t host apps - it only points where to download them. You always know the source.

📦 Installation

Download

• F-Droid (recommended)
• GitHub Releases

First-run setup

1. Open Obtainium → allow “Install unknown apps” (for Obtainium only)
2. Settings → Installation method → select Shizuku (if configured) or System installer
3. Settings → Update check interval → set frequency (recommended: 6–24 hours)

Optional:

• ✅ Show notifications for new versions
• ✅ Auto-download updates (requires stable internet)
• ✅ Auto-install (requires Shizuku)

🔍 Adding apps

Method 1: By repository URL

Source: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/RikkaApps/Shizuku
Filter: Releases → Stable only
Format: APK (universal) or arm64-v8a (for performance)

Steps:

1. In Obtainium: “+” → “Add app”
2. Paste repository URL
3. Tap “Check” - Obtainium shows available versions
4. Configure filters (tags, pre-releases, architecture)
5. Save

Method 2: From catalog

Obtainium has a built-in catalog of popular apps:

• Menu → “Catalog” → select app → “Add”
• Filters applied automatically

Method 3: Import list

// backup.json - exported config
{
  "apps": [
    {
      "sourceId": "github",
      "url": "https://github.com/user/repo",
      "includePrereleases": false,
      "filterReleaseTitlesByRegEx": "",
      "filterReleaseNotesByRegEx": "",
      "versionExtractionRegEx": "",
      "apkFilterRegEx": "arm64-v8a",
      "invertAPKFilter": false
    }
  ]
}

Import: Settings → “Backup” → “Restore”

⚙️ Advanced settings

Version filters

APK filters

Notifications & auto-update

Settings → Notifications:
✅ Show on new version
✅ Sound / Vibration (optional)

Settings → Auto-update:
✅ Enable (requires Shizuku for silent install)
⏰ Interval: 6 hours
🌙 Only when charging + WiFi (recommended)

🔗 Shizuku integration

Why Shizuku for Obtainium

Setup

1. Ensure Shizuku is running (status “Running”)
2. In Obtainium: Settings → Installation method → Shizuku
3. Grant access on first install attempt
4. Test: update any app

Check logs (if something fails):

adb logcat | grep -i obtainium
adb logcat | grep -i shizuku

📊 Comparison with alternatives

When to choose Obtainium:

• You trust developers directly
• You want updates faster than official stores
• You need split-APK support and flexible filters
• Privacy and source control matter to you

⚠️ Common issues

# "Failed to fetch version info"
→ Check internet connection
→ Ensure repo is public (or add token in settings)
→ Try "Check manually" in app card

# "Installation canceled by user"
→ Without Shizuku: expected - confirm install manually
→ With Shizuku: check if service is running and permissions granted

# "Unsupported APK format"
→ Enable "Support split-APK" in settings
→ Update Obtainium to latest version
→ Use SAI as fallback installer

# "App not updating despite newer version"
→ Check filters: new version may be marked as pre-release
→ Clear app cache: Settings → Apps → Obtainium → Storage → Clear cache

🛡 Security

How Obtainium ensures security

Security recommendations

1. Add only trusted repositories (official developer accounts)
2. Enable “Verify signature on update” in settings
3. Use Shizuku only with trusted apps
4. Keep Obtainium itself updated

Links

• 📦 Obtainium on F-Droid
• 🐙 Obtainium on GitHub
• 🔧 Shizuku on F-Droid
• 📘 Obtainium Wiki
• 🔍 Regex tutorial