It is forbidden to downgrade devices which previously used M permissions (phonegap build)

Question

Hello I am using Phonegap Build (online Tool) facing similar issue

Here's the error message :

This configuration cannot be published for the following reason(s): It is forbidden to downgrade devices which previously used M permissions (target SDK 23 and above) to APKs which use old style permissions (target SDK 22 and below). This occurs in the change from version 12 (target SDK 23) to version 45 (target SDK 0). It is forbidden to downgrade devices which previously used M permissions (target SDK 23 and above) to APKs which use old style permissions (target SDK 22 and below). This occurs in the change from version 12 (target SDK 23) to version 45 (target SDK 0). Version 44 is not served to any device configuration: all devices that might receive version 44 would receive version 45. Some devices are eligible to run multiple APKs. In such a scenario, the device will receive the APK with the higher version code.

For 44 I have set following in config.xml

<preference name="android-minSdkVersion" value="23" />

For 45 I have set following in config.xml

<preference name="android-minSdkVersion" value="16" />

what can i do to resolve this?

When are you getting this error ..When trying to upload in playstore ? — sunil sunny
yes it on playstore while going for beta testing I have tried target sdk version using preference tag in config file link still the problem persists It is forbidden to downgrade devices which previously used M permissions (target SDK 23 and above) to APKs which use old style permissions (target SDK 22 and below). This occurs in the change from version 12 (target SDK 23) to version 49 (target SDK 0). @sunil — Kaustubh Joshi

sunil sunny sunil sunny · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-31T06:44:44

I think the problem is not linked to the minSdkVersion, but to the targetSdkVersion. As you set target=23 in the previous build, all your Android 6 users currently runs your app with the new permission system.

So your current live users having Android 6+ are using the new permission system and it seems this is a problem for Google to downgrade those users to targetSdkVersion 22 where there is the old permission system.

So to fix it, you should update your new build to use targetSdkVersion 23 :

It is forbidden to downgrade devices which previously used M permissions (phonegap build)

1 Answers