Install guide

Set up Small Print in about two minutes.

Small Print isn't on the Play Store yet, so Android asks you to confirm a few things along the way. Here's every screen you'll see, in order. Your phone's wording may differ slightly depending on the make.

Download Small Printsmall-print.apk · under 1 MB

Download and open the file

  1. On your Android phone, open this page and tap Download.
  2. When the download finishes, tap Open. You can also find small-print.apk in your Downloads.
  3. If your phone says it isn't allowed to install apps from this source, tap Settings, switch on Allow from this source, then press Back.
This only lets your browser install the app you chose. You can switch it off again once Small Print is installed.

Switch on "Allow from this source".

Install it

  1. Android asks Do you want to install this app? Tap Install.
  2. If Google Play Protect says it doesn't recognise the app, tap More details, then Install anyway.
  3. When it says App installed, tap Open.
Why the Play Protect message? Play Protect flags any app it hasn't reviewed, which includes every app not yet on the Play Store. Only install Small Print from thesmallprint.app.

Tap Install.

Allow restricted settings

On Android 13 and newer, your phone blocks the setting Small Print needs for apps from outside the Play Store. If you try to switch it on first, you'll see App was denied access. That's expected. Tap Close and unlock it like this:

  1. In Small Print, tap Open App info. Or go to Settings › Apps › Small Print.
  2. Tap ⋮ in the top corner.
  3. Tap Allow restricted settings and confirm with your PIN, pattern or fingerprint.
  4. Press Back to return to Small Print.
Don't see Allow restricted settings in the menu? Try switching Small Print on once (step 4), let Android refuse, then come back. The option only appears after Android has blocked it once.

Expected: tap Close.

⋮ › Allow restricted settings.

Turn on page checks

  1. In Small Print, tap Turn on under Turn on page checks.
  2. Switch on Small Print.
  3. Android asks Allow Small Print to have full control of your device? Tap Allow.
  4. You'll be taken straight back to Small Print.
That message sounds scary. Here's what it means. Android shows it for any app that can read the screen, because that's how Small Print finds the small print. Small Print has no internet access, so what it reads never leaves your phone. It never taps or types anything for you.

Switch it on, then tap Allow.

Allow reminders

Tap Allow under Allow reminders, then Allow again when Android asks. This lets Small Print remind you to cancel a trial before you're charged, and check that the company has confirmed your cancellation.

Tap Allow.

Turn on bank alert checks (recommended)

The safety net for when you've already paid. When your bank app or Google Wallet shows a small payment to a company you've never paid before, Small Print asks if it was a trial.

  1. On Small Print's home screen, tap Turn on bank alert checks.
  2. Switch on Small Print and tap Allow.
This also lets Small Print notice when a company replies to your cancellation email. It only looks for payment and reply wording, and keeps just shop names.

Switch on Small Print.

Check it's working

Small Print's home screen should say You're protected, with page checks, bank alert checks and cancel reminders all On.

Then open our safe test page. It's a pretend "IQ test" checkout with nothing to pay. Within a second or two, the red warning should appear.

Open the test page

All three should say On.

Stuck on a step?

The help centre covers the common snags: a greyed-out switch, a warning that didn't appear, or setting it up on someone else's phone.

Troubleshooting help