Overview
If something isn't right with your Android APK v2 player, this guide walks through the most common issues.
1. What is the Android APK v2 Player?
The Android APK v2 player is Yodeck's recommended setup for Android digital signage. The Yodeck app installs as an APK directly onto your device. With Device Owner permissions (Production Setup), it unlocks automatic updates, remote management, auto-launch on boot, and Kiosk Mode support (when released).
Is this the right guide for you?
Yodeck app installed from the Google Play Store: see the Android Play Store App Troubleshooting Guide.
Device on Android 7 or earlier running the original APK: see the Legacy Android Player Troubleshooting Guide.
How to confirm you're on APK v2: Open the Yodeck Portal, go to your screen's Status tab, and check the isDeviceOwner flag. true means APK v2 Production Setup. false or missing means APK v2 Test Setup (or Play Store App, which has its own guide).
⚠️ A registration code starting with 3 could be APK v1 or APK v2. The prefix alone does not distinguish them. Check the isDeviceOwner flag and the installed app.
Latest APK v2 versions (as of May 2026):
Version | Sprint | Release Date |
2.2.0 | Sprint-221 | 23 April 2026 |
2.1.2 | Sprint-218 | 4 March 2026 |
2.1.1 | Sprint-211 | 23 December 2025 |
2. Production Setup vs Test Setup
APK v2 has two installation modes. Knowing which one your device is on matters.
Feature | Production Setup (Recommended) | Test Setup |
Automatic updates | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Remote management | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Auto-launch on boot | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Device Owner mode | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Kiosk Mode (when released) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
⚠️ Test Setup is for trial only. If you tapped "Skip for now" during setup, the app will not update automatically and cannot be managed remotely. Many production devices end up stuck on Test Setup by accident.
How to tell if you're on Test Setup:
An in-app notification asks you to update the APK manually.
Your app version hasn't changed in months.
How to move to Production Setup: Re-run the Yodeck Android Setup Helper from your phone. When prompted, choose Option B: Finish Setup from Your Phone to grant Device Owner permissions.
3. Things the Android APK v2 Player Cannot Do
These aren't bugs. They're platform limitations.
Feature | Supported? | Notes |
Turn the screen on/off remotely via CEC | ❌ No | The screen turns black instead |
YouTube Live and Vimeo Live | ❌ No | Pre-recorded videos play normally |
Google Chromecast (original) | ❌ No | Chromecast with Google TV is supported |
Apps with custom script code | ❌ No | See the App Compatibility Table |
Custom scripts on web pages | ❌ No | Standard web pages display normally |
Webpage layering in layouts | ❌ No | Webpages always render on top in the same region |
Sound output selection | ❌ No | Audio plays through the device's default output |
USB to HDMI Video Capture | ❌ No | - |
Security Configurations (SSH, custom certificates) | ❌ No | - |
Custom Boot Logo | ❌ No | - |
Custom NTP / Timezone from Portal | ❌ No | The device uses its OS-level time settings |
Network configuration from Portal | ❌ No | Configure network settings on the device |
Kiosk Mode | ⚠️ Not yet | Workaround in Section 15 |
4. What Do the On-Screen Messages Mean?
Message | What It Means | What To Do |
Running startup diagnostics  | The player is booting | Wait 2 minutes. If it persists, check network connectivity |
Registration Code  | New installation or device re-registered | Enter the 9-digit code in Screens > +Add Screen > Android Player |
Downloading | Player is receiving new content | Wait. If it takes more than 5 minutes, check your internet |
Internet Access Required  | Offline for 30+ days, deleted and re-registered, or storage was swapped | Check the Last Online date. Reconnect to the internet |
Apply Needed  | Schedule file expires within 3 days | Click Push to Players right away |
Device Deactivated | The screen quota was reduced on the account | Upgrade your plan or delete unused screens |
No Content Assigned to Player  | No Playlist, Layout, or Schedule assigned | Assign content and click Save & Push |
ℹ️ Internet Access Required can persist for up to 45 days after going offline. A reboot may restore playback for a brief period before the message returns.
5. Registration Code Not Appearing?
Check your internet connection. Wait 30 to 60 seconds after connecting.
Reboot the device. Wait 2 minutes.
Check storage. Minimum 500 MB of free space is required.
Try Ethernet to rule out Wi-Fi issues.
Update Android System WebView. An outdated WebView causes a blank screen with no code. See Section 16.
6. Blank or Black Screen Issues
After a fresh installation, with no registration code visible
The most common cause is an outdated Android System WebView. See Section 16.
Other causes:
Cause | Fix |
Missing permissions | Re-run the APK v2 Production Setup |
Insufficient storage (less than 500 MB) | Free up space |
External storage not accessible | Check the SD card or internal storage. Verify the |
Invalid configuration | Re-register the device |
During normal operation, after the player was working fine
If the player is Online in the Portal, wait up to 3 minutes for a fresh screenshot. If outdated, check for a network issue. Verify the screen is on, set to the correct HDMI input, and has a Schedule or Default Content assigned.
If the player is Offline, check the Last Seen Online date. If older than 30 days, the device may have been auto-disabled. Reboot and check whether it comes back online.
To isolate content vs network issues: Create a new Layout with a simple full-screen image (no expiration). Set the Assigned Schedule to None and the new Layout as Default Content. Click Push to Players. If the screen still shows Downloading after 5 minutes, it's a network issue (Section 7). If the screen recovers, it's a content or scheduling issue.
If the device is stuck on the Android boot logo, factory reset and re-run the APK v2 Production Setup.
7. Player Shows as "Offline" in the Portal
Work through these in order:
Step | What To Do |
1. Test your internet | Confirm that another device on the same network can browse normally |
2. Reboot the player | If it drops again after 15 to 20 minutes, contact Yodeck Support |
3. Switch to wired | If on Wi-Fi, try Ethernet |
4. Check for an HTTP proxy | Proxies can block player communication |
5. Check the firewall | Add an exception for the player's MAC address. Boot without a network to display the MAC |
6. Confirm required ports | See the Network Ports article |
7. Check for a captive portal | The network admin must place the device's MAC address on the allow list |
If the player has no IP address, temporarily connect via Ethernet, then use the Wi-Fi wizard to reconnect wirelessly.
Transparent HTTP proxies can cause the player to appear online but still fail to download content. Contact Yodeck Support.
8. Content Not Updating on Screen
Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
The screen is blank | No content assigned, or no active schedule rule | Assign content and click Push to Players |
"No Content Assigned" error | No Playlist, Layout, or Schedule assigned | Edit the screen, assign content, and click Save & Push |
Wrong content playing | A Schedule is overriding the Default Content | Review the Schedule and confirm which rule is active |
Content is updated, but the screen didn't change | Push to Players was not clicked | Always click Push to Players after editing |
Content downloading for 5+ minutes | Network issue or web filtering | See Section 7 |
ℹ️ Schedules take priority over Default Content during active time slots. Check both when troubleshooting.
9. Video Playback Issues
Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
Videos play standalone but not inside a Layout | Older APK build | Update to the latest APK v2 version |
Video appears behind other content | The content above is a webpage (always on top) | See Section 12 |
Video glitches in 4K | GPU memory issue | Fixed in APK v2.1.2 (Sprint-218). Update the device |
Video stutters in vertical orientation | Chromium WebView quirk on certain chipsets | Check for a firmware update from the device manufacturer |
Black screen on video | Encoding or APK build issue | Re-upload in MP4 (H.264). Push a new APK build if it persists |
Recommended video specs: MP4 container, H.264 codec, AAC audio, up to 1080p at 30 fps. Higher specs depend on the device's GPU.
10. No Sound / Audio Issues
Sound output selection (HDMI, Analog, Muted) is not supported. Audio plays through the device's default output.
Check that volume isn't muted or set to zero.
Verify the HDMI cable supports audio passthrough.
Confirm the media file has an audio track.
11. YouTube and Streaming Issues
Stream Type | Supported? |
YouTube and Vimeo (pre-recorded) | ✅ Yes |
HLS streams (HTTPS) | ✅ Yes |
DASH streams | ✅ Yes |
YouTube Live, Vimeo Live | ❌ No |
RTMP / RTSP, UStream | ❌ No |
Symptom | Fix |
The YouTube video shows an error | Try a different video. Geo and age restrictions cannot be bypassed |
YouTube content skipped when offline | Keep the player online, or use local media as a fallback |
YouTube embed API error | Fixed in APK v2.1.1. Update the device |
HLS stream won't play | Switch to an HTTPS version of the stream URL |
⚠️ The Android player uses the web player engine. If a stream doesn't play in a regular web browser, it won't play here either.
12. Webpage Display Issues
Webpages always render on top. On APK v2, webpages display above all other content in the same region, regardless of layering order.
Transparency vs scripting trade-off:
Mode | Transparency | Scripting |
Webview (Default) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
iFrame mode | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Symptom | Fix |
Webpage looks broken or doesn't load | Try a different URL, or screenshot the page and use it as an image |
Webpage scaled incorrectly | Viewport fix added in APK v2.1.1. Update the device |
The custom script on the webpage doesn't run | Custom scripts not supported. Use a static version of the page |
Webpage zoom doesn't behave as expected | Use a page already sized for your display resolution |
13. Scheduling and Timezone Issues
Android APK v2 does not support timezone or NTP configuration from the Portal. The device uses its OS-level time settings.
Symptom | Fix |
Content plays at the wrong time | Set the device's timezone in Android system settings to match your Portal account |
The schedule doesn't activate | Confirm the Schedule is assigned in the Portal. Click Save & Push |
Default content plays during the scheduled time | Review the schedule rules. Time slots may not cover the current time |
The schedule worked before, but stopped | Bring the player online and click Push to Players. The schedule file may have expired |
ℹ️ A Schedule takes priority over Default Content during its active time slots. Default Content is your fallback.
14. Registration and Account Issues
Registration code prefix: 3 (same as APK v1). Check the isDeviceOwner flag in the Portal to distinguish v1 from v2.
Symptom | Fix |
"Player Already Registered" | The device is linked to another account. Contact Yodeck Support |
"Registration code does not match player type." | In +Add Screen, choose Android Player |
Registration code not appearing | Confirm internet access. Try Ethernet. If still blank, see Section 16 |
The code shows briefly, then follows a black screen | Reconnect to the internet. The code will reappear |
Setup errors:
Error | Fix |
"Installation failed. Check Logs for details." | Reconnect via USB or Wireless Debugging and retry the Setup Helper |
"Device owner setup failed." | Sign out of all Google Accounts on the device. Factory reset if it persists |
"Failed" during Setup Permissions | The device has a pre-existing Device Owner app. Factory reset and retry |
⚠️ Before starting setup, sign out of any Google Accounts on the device. Once Production Setup is complete, the app fully controls the device. Removal requires a factory reset.
15. Kiosk Mode and Auto-Start
Kiosk Mode is not yet supported on APK v2. It's on the roadmap and requires Device Owner access.
Workaround: Set Yodeck as the device's home app. The Back and Home buttons stop working, which reduces accidental navigation. This is not a full kiosk lock.
Third-party kiosk apps (SureLock, KioWare, Fully Kiosk Browser) have not been tested and are not officially recommended.
Auto-start after power loss: Most devices restart with the Yodeck app automatically. If yours doesn't, enable auto-start for the Yodeck app in the device's Auto-start or Startup Manager settings, or set Yodeck as the default Home app.
16. WebView Issues (Blank Screen Fix)
The Yodeck APK v2 app uses Android System WebView to render web content, apps, and the player interface. An outdated WebView is the most common cause of a blank screen after installation.
Signs of a WebView issue: the app launches but shows a blank screen, or web content fails to load.
How to manually update Android System WebView
⚠️ Unofficial last-resort fix. Requires technical knowledge and ADB access, which was already enabled during APK v2 Production Setup.
Visit
apkmirror.comand find a System WebView version compatible with your Android OS.Download the
.apk(not.apkm) forarm-64architecture.Save the file as
webview-{version}.apk.Install it:
adb install ./webview-{version}.apkOn the device, go to Developer Options and change WebView Implementation to the new version.
⚠️ Some devices don't show the WebView Implementation option. Without it, the new WebView won't take effect. Contact Yodeck Support if this happens.
17. Factory Reset and Reinstalling the Yodeck App
A factory reset is performed in the Android device's own settings. After resetting, re-run the full APK v2 Production Setup.
Situation | What to Do |
The Yodeck app is crashing | Reboot. If it persists, re-run the Setup Helper to reinstall |
You want to start over | Factory reset, then re-run the APK v2 Production Setup |
Device stuck on the Android boot logo | Factory reset, then re-run the Production Setup |
The old screen still shows in the Portal | Delete it from the Screens, then register again using the new code |
⚠️ A factory reset cannot be undone. If you only need to re-register, delete and re-add the screen from the Portal first.
18. Supported Devices
The APK v2 player runs on commercial Android devices without requiring access to the Google Play Store.
Minimum requirements:
Android 7 or later (Android 8+ recommended)
At least 500 MB of free storage
Network connectivity (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
Supported categories: commercial Android TV displays (Sony Bravia Professional, Philips Professional, and similar), Android-based digital signage boxes, and Android tablets used as signage players.
⚠️ Some chipsets have rendering or video playback limitations. For the latest list of tested devices, visit our Android Supported Devices page.
Need Help?
The Yodeck Support Team can help you out! Log in to your Yodeck account and send us a message from the bottom right corner!