long story short
- Built-in app archives are now available in Android 15 Developer Preview 2.
- App Archiving will allow users to archive their apps from Android settings.
- Users will be able to choose whether they want the operating system to automatically archive unused apps.
Android 15 Developer Preview 2 introduces a slew of new features, from audio sharing to satellite connection support and more. The list includes built-in application archives and is now available in preview.
Back in February, we reported on code in Android betas suggesting that Google could add a built-in app archive. Earlier this month, we were able to activate this feature and demonstrate how it works. Now, anyone can start using the app archive feature if they install Android 15 Developer Preview 2.
As the name suggests, this feature allows users to save space by archiving apps. When an app is archived, it essentially contains just the icon of the original app, along with some code that allows it to be fully restored when the icon is clicked. Since the code has the same signature as the original application, it can be installed on top of the original application without clearing any data. For example, if you want to archive Instagram, you can restore it and you’ll still be able to log into the app.
To manually archive an application, you must go to the application’s information page, as shown above. The archive option appears just below the app icon. After you archive your application, you can choose to restore it.
Since 2022, users have been able to archive applications, however, this feature is not native to the operating system. This is a feature that exists on the Google Play Store. Now that the feature is built into the operating system, users can now archive apps in Android settings. Users can also have Android automatically archive apps if they don’t use them frequently.