Version 1.74 · Android 8.0 or newer · no account, no sign-in
Same app either way
The APK is the exact build that goes to Play. Every feature is in it, there is no trial, and nothing is locked. The one real difference is updates: Play installs them for you, while a sideloaded copy needs Obtainium or a fresh download now and then.
If Play works for you, it's the easier route, and buying it there is what pays for the time that goes into this. If not, the APK is here and it isn't going anywhere.
Installing it
- Download the APK above
- Open the file
- The first time, Android asks you to allow installs from your browser. Flip the switch and go back
- Press home and pick Meridian
Updates
Obtainium is a free, open-source app that updates sideloaded apps from their release pages. Install it from its releases page, tap Add App, paste the address below and tap Add. Every Meridian release goes up there, so new versions show up with their release notes like any other update.
github.com/tjsouthern3/meridian-launcher-releases
Or come back here now and then and grab the newest APK. It installs over the old one and keeps your setup.
APK or Play?
| Sideloaded APK | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $2.99 once |
| Features | All of them | All of them |
| Updates | Obtainium, or by hand | Automatic |
| New releases | Same day | Same day, after Google's review |
| Ads, analytics, accounts | None | None |
Releases go to both at the same time. Play holds a new version for a day or two of review, so the APK sometimes shows up first.
Switching between the two
Android won't install one over the other, because they're signed with different keys. It's one extra step:
- In Meridian, make a backup (
Settings › Backup) - Uninstall the version you're leaving
- Install the other one
- Restore the backup
Your Spaces, layouts, gestures, icon edits and settings all come across.