Install This ‘Dark Sky’ Android Clone While You Can

Dark Sky was the go-to weather app for many Android users. That is, until it was removed from the Google Store after Apple scooped it up and made it a first-party product. Several Android apps offer similar, super-localised weather reporting, but some of us just aren’t over the loss of Dark Sky. Luckily, an anonymous developer pulled a Frankenstein and resurrected Dark Sky as “Darker Sky” on Android.

Darker Sky is the original Dark Sky Android app recreated as a separate application. It looks and works almost identically to the dearly departed original, with some key exceptions.

You won’t be able to use Dark Sky’s paid features like severe weather alert notifications or submitting your own weather reports, even though they’re listed in the Darker Sky app. The anonymous developer tells XDA Developers they have no intention of making these work, so you’ll be stuck with the free forecasting features — which are some of the best around, to be fair. The app shows temperature, wind, and precipitation reports, plus other helpful tools like radar views and the “Time Machine” tool. The dark theme also works.

One other quick caveat: Reverse engineering and rebuilding an app is a bold move, but doing it to an Apple-owned app is openly inviting retribution, as most attempts to play god often face. Chances are Darker Sky’s lifespan will be short, so here’s how to download and install it while you can.

Darker Sky has to be sideloaded onto your device — you won’t find it on Google Play, for obvious reasons. Sideloading is easy, but installing unofficial .APK files can infect your Android phone with malware. That said, I’m fairly confident in recommending Darker Sky; I’ve downloaded and tested the app without any issue, and XDA Developers reports similar smooth, malware-free operation. It’s worth knowing the potential risks, but you’re probably fine this time.

How to install Darker Sky on Android

1. Install the Telegram app if you don’t already have it (you need it to download the app file).
2. Open this link on your phone to view the Darker Sky app’s official Telegram group.
3. Tap the “Download Darker Sky” link from the chat history. (You don’t have to join the group if you don’t want to.)
4. Tap the download banner or find and tap the Darker Sky APK in your device’s “Downloads” folder to install.
5. Allow Telegram to install apps if prompted.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
7. Run Darker Sky from your device’s app launcher screen.

Any future updates will be posted in the app’s official Telegram server as long as it’s available. You’ll need to install these new versions if you want to use any new features that Darker Sky’s developers add.

If Darker Sky gets hit with a take-down notice, it’ll probably stop working. If that happens, you’ll have to seek out an alternative weather app to get your meteorological fix. Thankfully, you have plenty to choose from.