How to Find Your Android Version and CPU Architecture (arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86_64)
How to check your Android version and supported ABIs (arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86_64), avoid the 32-bit and 64-bit traps, and pick the right APK build.
Download pages often offer the same app in several variants: one for arm64-v8a, one for armeabi-v7a, a "universal" file, sometimes builds for different screen densities or minimum Android versions. Picking the wrong one leads to "App not installed", or to an app that installs but won't start. Two facts about your phone settle the choice: the Android version it runs and the CPU architectures (ABIs) its system supports. Here's how to find both and how to match them to a file.
Find your Android version
The version number is in Settings, though the path differs by manufacturer:
- Pixel and most near-stock phones: Settings > About phone > Android version.
- Samsung: Settings > About phone > Software information > Android version.
- Other brands: usually Settings > About phone or Settings > My device. If you can't find it, type "Android version" into the search bar at the top of Settings.
Don't confuse the Android version with the manufacturer's own skin version (One UI, HyperOS, ColorOS and so on) or with the security patch date shown on the same screen. Download pages and app requirements refer to the Android version, sometimes as an API level:
| Android version | API level |
|---|---|
| 8.0 / 8.1 | 26 / 27 |
| 9 | 28 |
| 10 | 29 |
| 11 | 30 |
| 12 / 12L | 31 / 32 |
| 13 | 33 |
| 14 | 34 |
| 15 | 35 |
| 16 | 36 |
If a file says "Android 9+" or "minSdk 28", your phone needs Android 9 or later.
Find your CPU architecture
This one is harder, because Settings rarely shows it. The processor's marketing name doesn't answer the question either: what matters is which ABIs the installed system supports, and that isn't always the same as what the chip could run.
Option 1: a device information app
System information apps list the supported ABIs, usually on a "System", "CPU" or "Device" tab under a label such as Supported ABIs, Instruction sets or ABI. In the TechBigs catalog, DevCheck Device & System Info and G-CPU are hardware and system information tools of this kind. Label names vary between apps, so look for a list containing values such as arm64-v8a.
Option 2: adb from a computer
If you have USB debugging set up, these commands read the values straight from the system:
adb shell getprop ro.product.cpu.abilist
adb shell getprop ro.product.cpu.abi
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.sdk
abilist returns every ABI the system accepts, in order of preference, for example arm64-v8a,armeabi-v7a,armeabi. abi returns the primary one. The last two give the Android version and the API level.
What the ABI names mean
- arm64-v8a: 64-bit ARM. The primary ABI on the large majority of Android phones in use today.
- armeabi-v7a: 32-bit ARM. Found on older and low-cost phones, and supported alongside arm64-v8a on many 64-bit phones.
- x86_64 and x86: Intel and AMD processors. You'll mostly see these on emulators and some Chromebooks, plus a few older tablets.
- armeabi: an obsolete 32-bit ARM ABI. Modern apps don't ship it.
Three cases that catch people out
A 64-bit chip running a 32-bit system. Some budget phones, especially lightweight Android Go editions, run a 32-bit system on a 64-bit processor to save memory. Their abilist shows only armeabi-v7a (and maybe armeabi). An arm64-only build won't install, whatever the chip's spec sheet says. Pick armeabi-v7a.
A 64-bit-only phone. Some recent phones have dropped 32-bit support entirely, and their abilist shows only arm64-v8a. An app built only for armeabi-v7a won't install or run on them. Look for an arm64-v8a or universal build.
x86 devices running ARM apps. Emulators and Intel/AMD Chromebooks can often run ARM-only apps through a compatibility layer that converts ARM code, but not always, and performance and compatibility vary. If an x86_64 build exists, prefer it.
Picking the right build
Work through it in this order:
- Android version first. If the file's minimum Android version is higher than yours, no other choice will help. Look for an older release of the app that supports your version.
- Universal is the safe default. A universal APK contains native libraries for several ABIs. It's larger, but it installs on any supported architecture.
- Otherwise match the first entry in your ABI list. On most phones that's arm64-v8a. If your list starts with armeabi-v7a, use that.
- Screen density variants. Files marked
nodpiwork on every screen. If you're offered density-specific builds,adb shell wm densityprints your phone's density; Android uses buckets such as 320 for xhdpi, 480 for xxhdpi and 640 for xxxhdpi. When in doubt, take nodpi. - Bundles handle this themselves. In a split set, the CPU code sits in a file named like
split_config.arm64_v8a.apk, and a bundle installer selects the matching split. APK vs XAPK vs APKS vs APKM explains how split sets work.
Check which architectures an APK contains
An APK is a ZIP archive, and native code lives in lib/<abi>/ folders. On a computer:
- macOS or Linux:
unzip -l app.apk | grep lib/ - Windows 10 or later, in Command Prompt:
tar -tf app.apk | findstr lib/
If you see lib/arm64-v8a/ and lib/armeabi-v7a/, the APK supports both. If there is no lib/ folder at all, the app has no native code and runs on any architecture. A mismatch shows up at install time as INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS; the guide to fixing "App not installed" covers that and the other common error codes. While you have the file open on a computer, it's also a good moment to verify its SHA-256 checksum against the one on the download page.
FAQ
Is arm64-v8a faster than armeabi-v7a on the same phone? Usually it's the better choice: 64-bit builds can use more registers and newer instructions, and some phones no longer run 32-bit code at all. When your phone supports both, take arm64-v8a.
Does the amount of RAM decide which build I need? No, not directly. RAM affects how smoothly an app runs, not which ABI it needs. The only link is indirect: some low-RAM phones ship a 32-bit system, which then shows up in the ABI list.
I picked the right architecture and it still won't install. Why? The ABI is only one of the checks. Signature conflicts, downgrades, incomplete downloads and low storage all produce the same generic error. Browse apps or games for a fresh copy, and work through the install-error guide step by step.