Can't install Nextcloud on Chromebook from PlayStore

📱 Desktop & mobile clients 🤖 Android
1
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The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • 32.3 But not relevant for this issue
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
    • ChromeOS latest (rolling updatees)
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
    • nginx but not relevant
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • envoy but not relevant
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • 8.5 but not relevant
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • No
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • Since 2 days on 2 different chromebooks
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • play store
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • No

Summary of the issue you are facing:

I am seeing the same issue as described here: Die Nextcloud App kann aus dem Google Play Store nicht auf meinem Chromebook installiert werden

installation from playStore end with a meaninglees “can’t download NextCloud”.

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

  1. open PlayStore on a ChromeBook

  2. hit the install Button

Log entries

unfortunately no logs.

Nextcloud

Nextcloud logs are not relevant for this issue.

PASTE HERE

Web Browser

Not using a WebBroser but PlayStore

PASTE

2

Did you try from F-Droid as well?

3

No, because the installation of APKs outside the PlayStore is only possible. (It is only possible if the Chromebook runs in Developer-Mode. Switching to Dev-Mode will wipe the full system, so Dev-Mode is not an option for that and other reasons.)

4

Hi there,

I am sorry to hear you are having trouble downloading the Android app from the Play Store. While I cannot directly fix the Play Store error, I would like to suggest a robust workaround. Since you are on ChromeOS, you can utilize the Linux development environment to mount your Nextcloud instance directly into the ChromeOS “Files” app.

This method often provides a better experience than the Android app, as it treats Nextcloud as a local folder, allowing you to open and save files using both Linux and ChromeOS applications seamlessly.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set this up using davfs2.

Prerequisites

  • Linux Environment: Must be enabled in your Chromebook settings.
  • Nextcloud WebDAV URL: You can find this in your Nextcloud web interface (Settings → Mobile & Desktop). It usually looks like: https://your-nextcloud.com/remote.php/dav/files/USER_ID/
  • Credentials: Your Username and Password (or an App Password if you use 2FA – highly recommended).

Step 1: Install davfs2

Open your Linux Terminal and install the necessary package:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install davfs2

Note: During installation, if asked whether non-root users should be allowed to mount folders, select Yes.

Step 2: Create a Mount Point

Create a folder in your Linux home directory that will serve as the entry point for your Nextcloud files:

mkdir ~/Nextcloud

Step 3: Securely Store Credentials

To avoid typing your password every time, save it in the davfs2 secrets file.

  1. Open the secrets file:

    sudo nano /etc/davfs2/secrets

  2. Add a line at the bottom in the following format:
    [WebDAV_URL] [Username] [Password]

    Example:

    https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/USER_ID/ my_username "my_password_or_app_token"

    (Note: Use double quotes around the password if it contains special characters).

  3. Save and exit (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

  4. Restrict file permissions for security:

    sudo chmod 600 /etc/davfs2/secrets

Step 4: Configure davfs2.conf (Important)

To prevent potential file locking/syncing issues, it is recommended to disable locks.

  1. Open the configuration file:

    sudo nano /etc/davfs2/davfs2.conf

  2. Find the line # use_locks 1.

  3. Uncomment it (remove the #) and change 1 to 0. It should look like this:

    use_locks 0

  4. Save and exit.

How to Use

To Mount:
Run the following command to connect (you can verify the path is correct based on your secrets file):

sudo mount -t davfs https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/USER_ID/ ~/Nextcloud

(Replace the URL with your actual WebDAV URL).

To Unmount:
When you are done:

sudo umount ~/Nextcloud

The Result

Once mounted, open the Files app on your Chromebook. Go to Linux files > Nextcloud. You will see all your cloud files there. You can now drag-and-drop, edit, and save files directly to this folder using any ChromeOS or Linux application, bypassing the need for the Android app entirely.

Hope this helps you get your work done while the Play Store doesn’t work!

5

Thanks @iosifidis, if I move to a linux side installation, why should I not use the nextcloud agent for Linux?
Can you give me some background?

Thanks and happy new year
Thomas

6

Hello,

same here! Also I’m unable to install nextcloud android on my chromebook (lenovo Ideapad 3 Flex). It’s on the latest chrome OS version.

F-Droid isn’t an option, because of required developer mode. The Linux workaround isn’t a good option for user without detailed OS background information.

What is the option to access nextcloud?

Regards
Andrku

7

Hi Thomas,

That is a great question! Both methods work, but they serve slightly different purposes depending on your hardware resources.

Here is the background on why davfs2 might be preferable on a Chromebook specifically:

1. Storage space (Mount vs. Sync)

  • The Desktop client: Traditionally performs a two-way sync. This means it copies your files from the server onto your Chromebook’s local storage (inside the Linux container). Since many Chromebooks have limited SSD storage (e.g., 64GB), syncing a large Nextcloud instance could quickly fill up your disk.

  • davfs2: Acts as a network mount. The files remain on the server and are only downloaded temporarily when you open them. This saves a massive amount of local disk space.

2. Resource usage
The Nextcloud Desktop client runs a “graphical interface” and background synchronization processes inside the Linux container. This can be heavier on RAM and battery life compared to davfs2, which is a very lightweight system service.

3. Integration
While the Desktop Client is excellent for offline access, davfs2 integrates into the file system more like an external drive, which feels very native when browsing via the terminal or simple file managers.

I hope this clarifies the difference!

Happy New Year to you too!

1 Like
8

Hey all,

interesting finding. Today I tried the Android nextcloud app on my other chromebook (Leneov Duet 3) and it installed. So it doesn’t seem to be the Android nextcloud app in general, but a combination of app and something else.

Regards
Andreas