Xmader/google-recorder

Get the powerful Google Recorder app run on any Android device (Android >= 9).
Fuck off, device restrictions.

Google Recorder is only officially available for Pixel >=2 phones currently.

Requirements

• OpenJDK
• Apktool
• a keystore for jarsigner to sign the apk file

Usage

export KEYSTORE_FILE=<path to your keystore file>
export KEYSTORE_ALIAS=<your keystore alias>

./patch.sh

How

Google added some restrictions if you want to sideload the app to install it on other Android devices.

The Google Recorder app checks for the com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE system feature to ensure that it is running on Pixel 2 or later phones.

If the system feature doesn't exist, it throws an error and the app exits immediately.

• pseudocode by decompiling / analysing the com/google/android/apps/recorder/ui/application/RecorderApplication.java file

package com.google.android.apps.recorder.ui.application;

import android.app.Application;

public class RecorderApplication extends Application {
    // …
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        if (isDevBuild() || getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature("com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE")) {
            // …
            return;
        }
        throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot start Recorder on unsupported device");
    }
    // …
}

This patch replaces the com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE string with android.hardware.microphone that every phone / Android device should have this system feature if the device can record audio,
so that the patched app will only check for the android.hardware.microphone system feature, and won't exit immediately.

• patch.sh#L14-L16

STR1="com.google.android.feature.PIXEL_2017_EXPERIENCE"
STR2="android.hardware.microphone"
sed -i "s/$STR1/$STR2/" $FILE_TO_PATCH_0

Download Artifacts

Github Release

License

MIT