What do you check when testing app installation and upgrades?

Most users don’t install the app fresh; they update it. So upgrade testing is critical.

Fresh install

• Installs from the store or test channel, opens without crashing.
• Onboarding, permission prompts and default settings are correct.
• Works on the oldest supported OS version.

Upgrade (the important part)

1. Install the current production version.
2. Use it like a real user: log in, create data, change settings, save drafts, download offline content.
3. Upgrade to the new build without uninstalling.
4. Check: still logged in (or asked nicely to log in), data and settings kept, database migration worked, no crash on first launch.
5. Repeat from an older version (for example two or three releases back), because users skip updates.

Uninstall and reinstall

• Local data is gone, but server data comes back after login.
• On iOS, Keychain data can survive uninstall; check the app doesn’t log in as the old user unexpectedly.

Edge cases

• Low storage, download interrupted, forced update screen when the version is too old.

On Android, adb install -r upgrades a build in place, which makes this quick.

Learn more: Install, Update and Uninstall