Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK

Question

I am new to Android development and I want first to get the Hello World application running. I am using Eclipse IDE and the Android 4.0.3 version 15 SDK. I copi

Answer 1

It is due to android:targetSdkVersion="@string/app_name" in your manifiest file.
Change it to:

<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="15" android:targetSdkVersion="15"/>

The targetSdkVersion should be an integer, but @string/app_name would be a string. I think this causing the error.

EDIT:
You have to add a default intent-filter in your manifiest file for the activity. Then only android can launch the activity. otherwise you will get the below error in your console window.

[2012-02-02 09:17:39 - Test] No Launcher activity found!
[2012-02-02 09:17:39 - Test] The launch will only sync the application package on the device!

Add the following to your <activity> tag.

<activity android:name="HelloAndroid" android:launchMode="standard" android:enabled="true">  
  <intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
  </intent-filter>
</activity>

Answer 2

In my case I edited a project having this in the AndroidManifest.xml file, and which was ginving me the above error, at runtime:

<uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="17"
    android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

What I did just, was to change minSdkVersion="17", to minSdkVersion="16". My resulting tag was:

<uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="16"
    android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

Now I'm not getting the error anymore..

Hope this helps

Answer 3

I am on Android Studio. I got this error when min/targetSDKVersion were set to 17. While looking thro this thread, I tried to change the minSDKVersion, voila..problem fixed. Go figure.. :(

    android:minSdkVersion="17"
    android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

Answer 4

This error occurs when the sdk-version installed on your device (real or virtual device) is smaller than android:minSdkVersion in your android manifest.

You either have to decrease your android:minSdkVersion or you have to specify a higher api-version for your AVD.

Keep in mind, that it is not always trivial to decrease android:minSdkVersion as you have to make sure, your app cares about the actual installed API and uses the correct methods:

AsyncTask<String, Object, String> task = new AsyncTask<String, Object, String>() {
    @Override
    protected Boolean doInBackground(String... params) {
        if (params == null) return "";
        StringBuilder b = new StringBuilder();
        for (String p : params) {
             b.append(p);
        }
        return b.toString();
    }
};
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB) {
    task.executeOnExecutor(AsyncTask.THREAD_POOL_EXECUTOR,"Hello", " ", "world!");
} else {
    task.execute("Hello", " ", "world!");
}

Using the android-support-library and/or libraries like actionbar-sherlock will help you dealing especially with widgets of older versions.

Answer 5

If you are totally new like me, you must install the minimum SDK at first. Check the link.

This worked out perfectly for me:

Same problem other post with a good solution

Regards,

Khaled.

Answer 6

This means the version of android of your avd is older than the version being used to compile the code