You see, apps keep their secrets in a private vault on your phone ( /data/data ). When you upgrade, the app gets a chance to migrate that data to a new format. When you try to downgrade, the old app reads the new data format and has a seizure. To successfully downgrade, you must choose your weapon.
The button you used to press with your thumb is now in the top left corner. The dark theme is gone, replaced by blinding white. Or worse, the app now crashes every 10 seconds because your "ancient" phone (which is only two years old) can't handle the bloat. apk downgrade android
The -d flag stands for It's the secret handshake. It forces the old APK on top of the new data, praying that the old app is forgiving enough to read the new database without crying. You see, apps keep their secrets in a