Android App

Access Crow from your Android device with the native app or as a Progressive Web App (PWA).

Option A: Install the APK

Step 1: Download the APK

Download the latest Crow Android app:

Download Crow for Android

Step 2: Enable unknown sources

Before installing, allow your device to install apps from outside the Play Store:

1. Open Settings on your Android device
2. Go to Security (or Privacy on some devices)
3. Enable Install from unknown sources (or Install unknown apps)
4. If prompted for a specific app, allow your browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.)

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On Android 8+, this setting is per-app. You only need to allow the browser you used to download the APK.

Step 3: Install

1. Open the downloaded crow-android.apk file
2. Tap Install when prompted
3. Once installed, open the Crow app

Step 4: Connect to your gateway

1. Enter your gateway URL (e.g., http://100.121.254.89:3001 or https://your-server.ts.net)
2. Tap Test Connection to verify
3. Log in with your Crow's Nest password

Option B: PWA (no install)

If you prefer not to install an APK, you can add the Crow's Nest as a home screen app directly from Chrome:

1. Open Chrome on your Android device
2. Navigate to your Crow's Nest URL (e.g., http://100.121.254.89:3001)
3. Log in to the Crow's Nest
4. Tap the three-dot menu (top right)
5. Tap Add to Home Screen
6. Name it "Crow" and tap Add

The PWA runs in a standalone window without browser chrome, giving it a native app feel.

Tailscale Setup

If your Crow gateway runs on a home server or local network, install Tailscale to access it from anywhere:

1. Install Tailscale from the Play Store
2. Open Tailscale and sign in with the same account used on your server
3. Toggle Tailscale on
4. Use your server's Tailscale IP as the gateway URL (e.g., http://100.121.254.89:3001)

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Tailscale runs in the background with minimal battery impact. Your Crow connection stays available as long as Tailscale is active.

Push Notifications

The Crow app can send push notifications for reminders, peer messages, and system alerts.

1. When the app first launches, it will request notification permission — tap Allow
2. If you dismissed the prompt, go to Android Settings > Apps > Crow > Notifications and enable them
3. Notification preferences can be configured in Crow's Nest > Settings > Notifications

Features

All Crow's Nest panels are available from the Android app:

• Memory — Browse and search your stored memories
• Messages — AI Chat and peer messaging
• Blog — Read and manage posts
• Files — Upload, download, and manage stored files
• Podcasts — Subscribe to feeds and stream episodes
• Contacts — View and manage your contact list
• Skills — Browse available skills
• Settings — Full configuration access

Troubleshooting

"Connection refused" or timeout

• Verify your gateway is running (npm run gateway or Docker)
• Check that your device can reach the server IP — try opening the URL in Chrome first
• If using Tailscale, make sure it's connected on both the phone and the server

SSL certificate errors

• If your gateway uses a self-signed certificate, Chrome and the app may block the connection
• Use Tailscale Funnel for automatic HTTPS, or access via plain HTTP over Tailscale (the VPN encrypts traffic)

App not installing

• Make sure you enabled "Install from unknown sources" for the correct app (your browser)
• Check that your Android version is 8.0 or higher
• If storage is full, free up space and retry

PWA not working offline

The PWA requires a network connection to your gateway. It does not cache data for offline use — it connects to your Crow instance in real time.