News: Android

Our first summer update updates the build parameters to fully comply with Google Play's Android 15 requirements. This change may cause minor issues with window decorations—please let us know if you notice any problems.

As always, this release includes a few user interface and stability improvements.

The May update addresses an internal issue that caused problems with books opening on some devices.

It also includes a few minor improvements, such as enhanced detection of book language for better hyphenation.

The update is available now on our website and will roll out via app stores once it passes their reviews.

This minor update focuses on improving the stability and reliability of background services.

The most notable change: FBReader no longer automatically rescans your library at startup. Instead, you can manually initiate a rescan from the Library view menu. If you prefer automatic rescanning at each launch, you can enable this in the Library section of the preferences.

For users on older Android versions (9 and below), there's now an optional setting to use the Storage Access Framework (SAF) for file access. This may allow access to files on secondary storage (e.g., SD cards) that were previously inaccessible. Please note: this option is experimental and potentially unsafe. To enable it, go to About FBReader → Developer options.

This update addresses file access issues affecting some devices. If you continue experiencing difficulties, please consult our F.A.Q.

Additional improvements in this version:

• Notifications permission is no longer required
• Updated Chinese interface translations (both Simplified and Traditional)
• On Android 9 and earlier, the old file dialog is now used for folder selection
• Fixed crashes occurring specifically on Honor devices

We’ve identified an issue affecting FBReader version 3.8.* on some Android devices, where FB2 files fail to open, even though other formats continue to work as expected. Unfortunately, there is no definitive fix at this time.

However, we’ve published an article outlining the issue and suggesting possible workarounds. We're actively working on a more reliable solution and hope to resolve this soon.

Thank you for your patience and understanding!