# Existing sketches not working with new Android Version

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/existing-sketches-not-working-with-new-android-version/47813>\
**Category:** Processing for Android\
**Created:** [January 27, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/existing-sketches-not-working-with-new-android-version/47813 "2026-01-27T16:39:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/existing-sketches-not-working-with-new-android-version/47813/4 "2026-06-10T13:38:58Z")

</div>

> [@glv](#):
>
> At first glance it seems that the new SDK is missing the required base `platforms/android-33` package and only contains `platforms/android-33-ext*`.

Further exploration suggests that this may be an issue here:

> <https://github.com/processing/processing-android/blob/main/processing/mode/src/processing/mode/android/SDKDownloader.java>

Replace this:

```auto
// Platform
// Matches platform packages by target SDK number, so it may match an ext package.
expr = xpath.compile("//remotePackage[starts-with(@path, \"platforms;\")" +
                     "and contains(@path, '" + AndroidBuild.TARGET_SDK + "')]");

```

With this:

```auto
// Platform
// Require the exact base platform package:
expr = xpath.compile("//remotePackage[@path=\"platforms;android-" + AndroidBuild.TARGET_SDK + "\"" +
                     " and display-name=\"Android SDK Platform " + AndroidBuild.TARGET_SDK + "\"]");

```

I also wrote a small Processing sketch to test this by extracting the relevant selection logic code from _SDKDownloader.java_. The sketch showed that the current selector picks the Android SDK Platform 33-ext5, while the stricter selector picks the Android SDK Platform 33 package.

I am not posting the sketch and leave that as an exercise for enthusiasts!

It looks like changes in the Android SDK repository may be the issue: the repository now returns an SDK Extension package before the base platform package. This is the case even in an older Processing version from which I borrowed the base platform package.

That was fun!

See also:  
_[Android Mode Compiler, problem not solved yet](https://discourse.processing.org/t/android-mode-compiler-problem-not-solved-yet/48739)_

\*\*\* _ **UPDATE** _ \*\*\*

Hello folks!

I did a fresh install of Processing 4.5.2 for Windows to test Android Mode.

My environment:

- Windows 10
- Processing 4.5.2
- Android Mode for Processing 4.6.1
- Android 15 on a MotoG

_ **Make sure you have a backup of your files before proceeding!** _  
_ **You are responsible for this!** _

While Processing is closed:

- Delete the contents of the _preferences folder_.
- Delete the _android folder_ from the _Sketchbook folder_
- Delete _AndroidMode folder_ from the _mode folder_ in the _Sketchbook folder_

Contents of _preferences folder_:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/d/f/df5937e50136fa0fc2861441f64338614dab9ac4.png)

The SDK install first installed:

- _android-33-ext5 folder_

When building the first sketch it then installed (this was shown in console):

- _android-33 folder_

I then deleted the _android-33-ext5 folder_ and it was still able to build and run on my Android phone with just the _android-33 folder._

I did add the SDK folder location to the preferences as well otherwise I was prompted with each run to install or locate.

_I made several efforts to be thorough testing this before and can’t comment on why this did not work at that time._  
I saved a backup of the working _android folder_ for future.

I will update if I have anything new to add.  
An older install did NOT work but I deleted that in my cleanup efforts and can’t examine that.  
I learned a lot along the way!

I will try this on a W11 machine when I get the chance.

`:)`

---

_[View the full topic](https://discourse.processing.org/t/existing-sketches-not-working-with-new-android-version/47813)._