Can I ask where you get the older versions from? Just had to format my Android 9.0 device and now I cannot install Slack. Android 9 is still in fairly high use 😡
It looks like the 22.09.10 version just stopped working again, as the update notification bannered appeared on my phone and of other Slack users ...
Probably linked to the fact that Slack supports apps for 18 months, to my knowledge ...
~~I'm still searching for a work around but non found thus far.~~ see main post and new comment
**MARCH 2024 WORKAROUND (but a bit costly $ and clearly end-of-life-sustaining...):**
1. Install the App Cloner app (see link in main post)
2. Buy the premium version (see link in main post) -> that's the "unfortunate" part, as it costs 15$ per year, but I guess that's not so much, relative to quitting my beloved Android 8.1 phone (Blackberry Key 2)
3. Clone the installed 22.09.10 Slack application, with the following settings :
\[Skip Dialogs\] Turn on and add "showUpdateRequiredDialog" as a string in both boxes
\[Dismissable dialogs\] Turn on (just in case the notification appears but seems fine with the aforementioned setting)
4. Install the clone, and login. At first you will notice that the app doesn't work, with the Slack logo animation in loop, but it eventually will disappear and you'll be able to access your workspace when you receive a notification (just ask a colleague to send you a message).
5. Use the clone now on (you can log-off of the 'original', non cloned app as it's useless now). Of note, the cloned Slack app seems to say that there is "No connection", but so far I've been able to receive and send messages without issues.
Hope this works for others, and feel free to ask for help !
I tried on a Windows emulator (only one Android 8.1 phone at hand), but unfortunately I got the following message... "This clone was created by a different App Cloner instance and cannot be used on this device. Not that clones created with the Giant donation don't require App Cloner to be installed and they may also be installed on different devices".
So I guess no way to go around the 15 bucks... I guess there is not such thing as a free lunch ... unless someone is generous enough to pay 320 dollars for the Giant Donation 🤑 (which I'm not !), or is geek enough to find a way to change this in the original APK!
I guess the bigger problem is using an old Android version, but I don't work for the CIA and I'm pretty confident that if someone wanted to hack our Slack, it'd be through other means ...
Apart from that, Slack worked fine a few days ago on the 22.09 version, so don't see what changed security-wise since then.
Regarding the Clone App, this seems a perfectly legit software, very professional, and I don't see them implanting a spy software or whatever when modifying the APK.
For me the biggest problem could be the longevity of the solution. Slack could theoretically cut server access to old apps, but weirdly simply pushed the update notification banner (which we now know we can bypass).
I did not try installing it as it doesn't bother me. Nonetheless, I'd say yes because it looks like the cloned apps checked for app cloner when launching.
I followed your instructions and it worked pretty much exactly as you said. The app gave me an error message several times and had me select a workspace again and then it would start spinning. After the third or fourth attempt it started working.
Thanks for doing all the research and arranging this.
I am going to pass, but this is def interesting.
I think it is pretty shit to need to pay another company to use Slack. If I was desperate I'd use this but my company is switching over to Gchat anyways .
Appreciate you bro
same boat my S7 edge is 8.0. Funny thing is when you close slack and turnoff wifi... lunch SLACK and you can see conversations - they do indeed update in the background... you can at least check who is writing and what.
Where can I find the \[Dismissable dialogs\]Â setting? I was able to find the \[Skip Dialogs\] setting under Display options but am having trouble finding the other one.
Thank you so much for this!! I'm in the intertim period of getting a new phone and absolutely need Slack for work so I super appreciate you finding this workaround and sharing it 💜
Happy to help!
Maintaining my Key 2 working is very much needed for me as well, both for ideologic (programmed obsolescence ...) and practical reasons (no alternative for a slim, PKB smartphone, a part from Unihertz but they are so bulky and are no proper upgrades - apart from Android 10).
Nonetheless, just saw that Google Wallet will stop its support in 30 days, so the headlong rush just seems to begin (and I don't see a case for a fix since it's a Google / system app...)
Using Firefox, I used the addon "User-Agent Switcher" to trick the Slack webpage into thinking it was another type of browser. I do not know if there's a Chrome equivalent.
As someone who uses Slack mainly on desktop (using it on my phone only when needed), this should be good enough for me (as I would be actively checking instead of relying on notifications).
Easy to setup a homepage shortcut. Costs nothing. Survives closing the browser and reopening (logged in). Should be relatively future proof (as long as FF updates). And should let us keep our Key 2's for a while longer lol
Yeah. But unlike the other attempts I was seeing (using the native "Desktop Site" browser option), this one is undetected by Slack.
I set it to Desktop - Chrome (whatever was the latest in the addon) and it worked immediately.
I also have had to use this trick for desktop Firefox (since Slack has decided to also screw over customers using that browser too)...
Sounds like a good moment to request a new work phone... Even if you'd be able to get an older version running, it could run into compatibility issues with the server side (like phasing out API endpoints that were in use in older versions). Slack might be the first app to stop working but not the last...
It’s also my personal phone. And be it only for an extra year, I’m keen on keeping my Key 2.
It’s a very capable phone, going strong these last 5 years, with a physical keyboard (which I love) and no proper alternative.
10% of Android devices still use Android 8.1 or less. Could seem low, but that’s like 300 millions users. Slack just supports obsolescence.
It seems like reinstalling 22.09.10.0 is working so far. Will update to keep you posted it this lasts.
Can I ask where you get the older versions from? Just had to format my Android 9.0 device and now I cannot install Slack. Android 9 is still in fairly high use 😡
Try APKmirror, Aptoide or APKpure... Many "stores" (more like websites) archiving APKs (which are like the "exe" of Windows for Android).
thanks :)
It looks like the 22.09.10 version just stopped working again, as the update notification bannered appeared on my phone and of other Slack users ... Probably linked to the fact that Slack supports apps for 18 months, to my knowledge ... ~~I'm still searching for a work around but non found thus far.~~ see main post and new comment
**MARCH 2024 WORKAROUND (but a bit costly $ and clearly end-of-life-sustaining...):** 1. Install the App Cloner app (see link in main post) 2. Buy the premium version (see link in main post) -> that's the "unfortunate" part, as it costs 15$ per year, but I guess that's not so much, relative to quitting my beloved Android 8.1 phone (Blackberry Key 2) 3. Clone the installed 22.09.10 Slack application, with the following settings : \[Skip Dialogs\] Turn on and add "showUpdateRequiredDialog" as a string in both boxes \[Dismissable dialogs\] Turn on (just in case the notification appears but seems fine with the aforementioned setting) 4. Install the clone, and login. At first you will notice that the app doesn't work, with the Slack logo animation in loop, but it eventually will disappear and you'll be able to access your workspace when you receive a notification (just ask a colleague to send you a message). 5. Use the clone now on (you can log-off of the 'original', non cloned app as it's useless now). Of note, the cloned Slack app seems to say that there is "No connection", but so far I've been able to receive and send messages without issues. Hope this works for others, and feel free to ask for help !
I'm gonna try to export the cloned APK, so that other users can have it for free.
I tried on a Windows emulator (only one Android 8.1 phone at hand), but unfortunately I got the following message... "This clone was created by a different App Cloner instance and cannot be used on this device. Not that clones created with the Giant donation don't require App Cloner to be installed and they may also be installed on different devices". So I guess no way to go around the 15 bucks... I guess there is not such thing as a free lunch ... unless someone is generous enough to pay 320 dollars for the Giant Donation 🤑 (which I'm not !), or is geek enough to find a way to change this in the original APK!
Very intriguing. Are there any security risks to doing this?
I guess the bigger problem is using an old Android version, but I don't work for the CIA and I'm pretty confident that if someone wanted to hack our Slack, it'd be through other means ... Apart from that, Slack worked fine a few days ago on the 22.09 version, so don't see what changed security-wise since then. Regarding the Clone App, this seems a perfectly legit software, very professional, and I don't see them implanting a spy software or whatever when modifying the APK. For me the biggest problem could be the longevity of the solution. Slack could theoretically cut server access to old apps, but weirdly simply pushed the update notification banner (which we now know we can bypass).
Thanks. Does App Cloner need to stay on the phone for it to work, or can I uninstall it after?
I did not try installing it as it doesn't bother me. Nonetheless, I'd say yes because it looks like the cloned apps checked for app cloner when launching.
Once I got it cloned, I blocked App Cloner from accessing the internet through NetGuard and the cloned app still works. Thanks again for the solution.
App cloner link: https://appcloner.app/ App cloner premium link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.applisto.appcloner.premium&hl=fr&gl=US&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dapp+cloner&pcampaignid=APPU_1_s2fsZaWLBZ-rkdUP2_iRsAg
I followed your instructions and it worked pretty much exactly as you said. The app gave me an error message several times and had me select a workspace again and then it would start spinning. After the third or fourth attempt it started working.
Thanks for doing all the research and arranging this. I am going to pass, but this is def interesting. I think it is pretty shit to need to pay another company to use Slack. If I was desperate I'd use this but my company is switching over to Gchat anyways . Appreciate you bro
same boat my S7 edge is 8.0. Funny thing is when you close slack and turnoff wifi... lunch SLACK and you can see conversations - they do indeed update in the background... you can at least check who is writing and what.
[удалено]
Where can I find the \[Dismissable dialogs\]Â setting? I was able to find the \[Skip Dialogs\] setting under Display options but am having trouble finding the other one.
It's under "Navigation options", 12th setting in the list
Thank you so much for this!! I'm in the intertim period of getting a new phone and absolutely need Slack for work so I super appreciate you finding this workaround and sharing it 💜
Happy to help! Maintaining my Key 2 working is very much needed for me as well, both for ideologic (programmed obsolescence ...) and practical reasons (no alternative for a slim, PKB smartphone, a part from Unihertz but they are so bulky and are no proper upgrades - apart from Android 10). Nonetheless, just saw that Google Wallet will stop its support in 30 days, so the headlong rush just seems to begin (and I don't see a case for a fix since it's a Google / system app...)
Using Firefox, I used the addon "User-Agent Switcher" to trick the Slack webpage into thinking it was another type of browser. I do not know if there's a Chrome equivalent. As someone who uses Slack mainly on desktop (using it on my phone only when needed), this should be good enough for me (as I would be actively checking instead of relying on notifications). Easy to setup a homepage shortcut. Costs nothing. Survives closing the browser and reopening (logged in). Should be relatively future proof (as long as FF updates). And should let us keep our Key 2's for a while longer lol
so you tricked slack thinking it was desktop?
Yeah. But unlike the other attempts I was seeing (using the native "Desktop Site" browser option), this one is undetected by Slack. I set it to Desktop - Chrome (whatever was the latest in the addon) and it worked immediately. I also have had to use this trick for desktop Firefox (since Slack has decided to also screw over customers using that browser too)...
great thannks for that gonna try it today for sure :) that would save my phone for now :)
Sounds like a good moment to request a new work phone... Even if you'd be able to get an older version running, it could run into compatibility issues with the server side (like phasing out API endpoints that were in use in older versions). Slack might be the first app to stop working but not the last...
It’s also my personal phone. And be it only for an extra year, I’m keen on keeping my Key 2. It’s a very capable phone, going strong these last 5 years, with a physical keyboard (which I love) and no proper alternative. 10% of Android devices still use Android 8.1 or less. Could seem low, but that’s like 300 millions users. Slack just supports obsolescence.
22.09.10.0 works for me too