Every previous LocalSend build in one place, with release dates and file sizes, plus honest guidance on when an older version actually helps and when it just holds you back.
There is a specific kind of frustration that brings people to a page like this. Maybe an update quietly changed a behaviour you had built a habit around, or the newest build stopped playing nicely with an older phone you keep in a drawer for exactly this sort of task. Whatever the reason, sometimes the version you want is not the newest one — it is the one that simply worked for you.
This archive exists for those moments. Below you will find older LocalSend releases with the details that matter, and further down, a clear walkthrough of how to install a previous version safely along with the trade-offs you are accepting when you do. I will also tell you plainly where I land on the question, because most of the time there is a better answer than rolling back.
These are recent LocalSend releases in descending order. The current build is highlighted; unless you have a specific reason to go older, that is the one to install. Always verify the package name org.localsend.localsend_app after downloading, whichever version you choose.
Most of the time, newer is better — but not always, and it helps to be honest about the handful of situations where an older LocalSend build is the pragmatic choice. The first is hardware. If you are keeping an ageing Android phone or tablet in service, a recent release may raise its minimum requirements past what that device can run. An older version that predates those changes can be the difference between a working transfer tool and an app that refuses to open.
The second reason is behavioural. Software changes, and occasionally an update reshuffles a menu, tweaks a default, or retires something you relied on. If a particular build fit your workflow perfectly, there is a reasonable case for staying on it until you have time to adjust. That said, rolling back should be a considered decision rather than a reflex — the newest version almost always carries security and reliability fixes you genuinely want.
The clearest benefit is running LocalSend on hardware the latest build no longer supports. Older releases target older Android versions, so a phone stuck on an out-of-date OS can still send and receive files. For anyone repurposing a retired device as a dedicated transfer station, this alone justifies keeping an older APK around.
If you have used LocalSend for a long time, an older version preserves the exact layout and defaults you already know. There is no relearning and no surprise when a button moves. For a tool you use reflexively, that consistency has real value even if it is not flashy.
Earlier builds are sometimes a touch lighter, which can matter on low-storage or low-RAM devices. The difference is small, but on a phone that is already stretched, every megabyte and every background process counts.
No release is perfect, and very occasionally an update introduces a bug that affects your specific setup. Staying on the last version that worked correctly is a legitimate stopgap while a fix is prepared, provided you plan to move forward once it lands.
If you are documenting a process, troubleshooting with someone remotely, or matching a colleague's setup, pinning to a known version removes a variable. Everyone on the same build behaves the same way, which makes problems far easier to reproduce and solve.
Rolling back is not free, and pretending otherwise would do you a disservice. Here are the real costs.
This is the big one. Older builds lack the newest security patches, and for an app that handles your files over a network, that matters. Every release that follows an old version typically hardens something; skipping those updates means carrying known issues that have since been resolved.
A sideloaded older APK will not update itself, so you are responsible for tracking new releases manually. It is easy to install an old version and then forget about it for a year, quietly falling further behind on both fixes and features.
As the devices around you update, an old build can start to feel out of step — a newer phone on the other end may expect behaviour your older version does not implement. What works today can quietly break as the rest of your ecosystem moves on.
The process mirrors a normal APK install with one crucial extra step: Android will not let you install an older version code over a newer one, so you usually have to remove the current app first. Back up anything important before you start.
Long-press the LocalSend icon and remove it, or delete it from Settings → Apps. This clears the way for an older build.
Pick a release from the archive above and save the APK to your Downloads folder.
Grant your browser or Files app permission to install unknown apps if Android prompts you.
Tap the downloaded file and confirm the app name and package before proceeding.
Tap Install, then Open, and grant local-network and storage permissions on first launch.
If it came from a store, disable automatic updates so it is not silently upgraded back to the latest build.
After years of watching people wrestle with version choices, my honest advice is this: reach for an older build only when you have a concrete, specific reason — an unsupported device or a confirmed regression — and treat it as temporary. For everyone else, the latest version is the right call, because the security and reliability improvements it carries are exactly the things you do not want to be missing on an app that moves your private files.
If you do install an older version, set yourself a reminder to revisit it. The goal is to solve today's problem without quietly stranding yourself on a build that stops getting fixes. When your reason for staying behind no longer applies, move forward — that is almost always where you want to be.
Reviewed and updated by Nadia Karim · July 2026
Older builds are safe to install if you get them from a trusted source and verify the package name org.localsend.localsend_app. That said, the latest version is recommended because it includes the newest security and reliability fixes.
The two most common reasons are running an older Android device that the newest build no longer supports, or rolling back after an update changed a behaviour you depended on.
You normally have to uninstall the current version first, because Android blocks installing a lower version code over a higher one. After removing it, install the older APK as usual.