DJI Fly App not working? [10 easy fixes to try]

I sometimes run into issues with the DJI fly app when flying my drone using my smart device. There are many different reasons why your DJI fly app may not be working, and in this article, I am going to share with you some of the most common fixes that will almost certainly get your DJI fly app working again.

If your DJI fly app is not working, you can try installing the version appropriate for your drone model, updating the app and looking for beta versions on the forums.

Many different versions of the DJI fly app are released regularly. It can be confusing as to which one you should use. The correct version depends on your drone type and which ones are stable on your device.

You mustn’t blindly accept any updates if your app is working well.

I make sure that I do not update my app, especially if it is something I need to be working on in the next week for a client or fun.

Here are all the potential fixes you can go through if your DJI fly app is not working. These have been researched and tested on many different devices.

Why won’t the DJI app install?

Some people find that even though they can download the DJI fly app, they cannot install it on their phones.

In 2001, DJI removed the DJI Fly App from the Google play store. You must go to their website and download the official .apk file directly.

You have to you sideload the DJI app for it to run properly.

If you want to sideload an app, you must change the security settings to allow the device to install.

For security reasons, you cannot launch .apk files on your device without changing the security settings.

Because the DJI fly app is not on the android play store, you need to download the file directly from DJI and install it manually.

You can install it using these steps:

1. Open the File Manager on your mobile device… > Downloads. Click on the APK file. Follow the prompts and directions for the DJI APK to install.
2. Please enable the permission of “Install unknown apps” – “Allow from this source” on mobile device settings.
3. Please download a file manager app (if you don’t have one on your device) to install the .apk file on the file manager.

Make sure you install the APK file directly from DJI; otherwise, it could be malware or other malicious software that you do not want running on your phone.

Install the correct version for your drone

Because there are so many versions of the DJI Fly app, you must choose a version compatible with your drone model.

The DJI fly app may not always be backwards compatible with different drones that DJI has released in the past. Therefore, you should go to the download centre for your specific drone.

If you select the DJI mini 2, for example, the app version is V1.6.10 which is suitable for that drone.

Installing the correct app version for your drone will mean that it will not crash and will have better compatibility and feature set specific to your model of DJI drone.

Buy an officially supported smartphone

The smart device ecosystem is massive.

Unfortunately, not all devices can be fully compatible with the official DJI fly app.

Each manufacturer of smart device uses many different proprietary software and operating system versions that can cause issues with your DJI fly app not working.

If you have an old, lesser-known, jailbroken or rooted device, you may find that the DJI fly app will not work as smoothly as on other devices. Therefore, you should consider purchasing a device that will be specifically used to fly your drone.

What phones are compatible with DJI Fly?

Here is the official list of all Apple and Android devices that DJI officially recommends.

iOS (Requires iOS 11.0 or above)	Android (Requires Android 6.0 or above)
Compatible with iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8  For older versions: Click to download	Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S10+, Samsung Galaxy S10, Samsung Galaxy Note20, Samsung Galaxy Note10+, Samsung Galaxy Note9, HUAWEI Mate40 Pro, HUAWEI Mate30 Pro, HUAWEI P40 Pro, HUAWEI P30 Pro, HUAWEI P30, Honor 50 Pro, Mi 11, Mi 10, Mi MIX 4, Redmi Note 10, OPPO Find X3, OPPO Reno 4, vivo NEX 3, OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9, Pixel 6, Pixel 4, Pixel 3 XL

Making sure you have an official smartphone will ensure that it works well when plugged into the remote control and will run the software flawlessly.

Install the latest version of the app

Installing the latest app version is another way of ensuring that your drone is kept safe and you can avoid any errors.

DJI are quite quick at producing new versions of their fly app once the community notes large-scale issues.

Importantly, you should head to the product page for your drone and click on the download tab. This page will show you the latest stable version specifically for your drone model.

Sometimes the generic DJI fly App page can be incorrect for your drone model. The correct version will be listed under the downloads tab for your drone.

Note: Please make sure the previous version of the DJI FLY APP has been deleted before uploading the new one.

Check forums for a beta version

In rare cases when DJI notices a huge issue, they release a beta version of the drone Fly app.

Whenever I encounter an issue, I head to the DJI forum and look for other pilots with the same issue.

DJI often sends out a beta version of their drone fly app to patch any issue.

There was an issue recently where an android security update stopped the drone from working – the DJI team sent out a beta version of the app to users and helped solve many of the issues.

That special Fly App update v1.6.12 did the trick. The app now starts perfectly, and I can connect and fly my Mini 2 again. Thank You!

– Forum User

Beta releases are quick fixes, but they work until DJI can release a version of the app that is fully tested.

Use beta versions with caution and make sure that it is one that DJI has officially released. If DJI does not officially release it, you could install malware on your smart device.

If it is stuck on academy

One of the biggest issues with the DJI fly app is that the device appears stuck on academy mode.

The two best options for getting out of academy mode include resetting the font size and changing the screen resolution so that you can access the “next” button to continue on to the main screen of the DJI fly app.

Reset the font size

Sometimes the easiest fix is the best, and resetting the font size or changing the font size to the smallest setting will allow the “next” button to be visible so that you can leave academy mode.

 These are the steps to solving this font size issue:

• Exit the DJI Fly app. Set “Font Size” and “Screen Zoom” to default settings in the mobile device’s System Settings. Or change the font to its minimum. (Using Samsung mobile phones as an example: Settings – Display – Font and Screen Zoom).
• Then return to the app for operation. There should be a “Next” option in the blank area.
• If there is no “Next” option after zooming out of the interface, please click the blank area repeatedly (Under “How do I fly safely”).

If your phone or smart device font size has been changed for accessibility reasons, you may want to upgrade to a larger screen so that you can still have the large font and easily access all of the different functions and buttons.

Change the screen resolution

Should the font size setting not reveal the “next” button for getting out of academy mode, you can change the screen resolution of the smart device.

Some people have found that updating their screen resolution to “HD+ (1480 ×720)” has solved the issue of being able to get out of academy mode.

Play with different screen resolution settings of your phone or smart device until you can reveal the appropriate button for getting out all the academy mode.

Reboot your device

Sometimes it is as simple as turning your device on and off again.

I know that I forget to reboot my device regularly, and doing so maybe just the remedy for your app to stop throwing an error.

Try a Third party app

The issue can be so frustrating that some drone pilots opt for using third-party app for flying their drone.

The most popular of the bunch is Litchi.

There are over 4000 successful daily flights using this software, and it is available on the Google play store and the iTunes App Store.

The app is compatible with the DJI Spark, Mavic, Phantom, and Inspire series.

The user interface is very intuitive and offers a powerful waypoint mission planner. It is also available on all platforms and operating systems so that you can seamlessly sink your missions across many devices.

Here are all the features I particularly like about this software that make it perfect for beginners and advanced users.

• Focus mode – the software takes control of the gimbal and the drone’s yaw axis to concentrate on the horizontal movements, creating amazing shots easily for a beginner.
• Track mode – track mode allows your DJI drone to understand what it sees and keeps your selection perfectly framed while flying the drone. Orbit and follow are also incredible tracking options too.
• Intuitive mission hub – the mission hub allows you to plan waypoints from a desktop or laptop. It is intuitive and will enable you to discover other people’s missions.
• Visual mission planning with Google Earth – you can’t use Google Earth Pro two plan a mission in three dimensions.
• Litchi for flight controllers – you can also use this software on a smart controller, crystal sky, and Phantom 4 screens.

Overall, this software is a fantastic option for a relatively small price for planning your flights and getting your drone to execute various tasks during its flight.

The current price of this app is $22.99 (iOS) $24.99 (Android).

Consider purchasing a smart controller

If you need to ensure compatibility of your remote controller with your drone you should consider purchasing a smart controller.

The DJI smart controller has a fairly large display screen at 5.5”. It’s not a screen with poor quality, either. It easily shows you a 1080p display that is visible in bright conditions.

Because it has a screen, it’s more compatible with the fly app, and has it pre-installed this option may be the best for professionals and those who need to ensure that they can fly exactly when they want to and not run into issues with the DJI fly app running on their smart device.

The catch?

About $1000 difference. It also isn’t compatible with all DJI models.

Contact DJI with log files

If you have tried everything in this article and you can still not get your DJI Fly App to work you can reach out to DJI support to ask for specific information about your issue.

It helps if you send the log files for further analysis, and you can access them for your android device here:

APP log: internal storage/android/data/dji.go.v5/files/LOG

Working with your DJI support member and offering them as much information as possible will help them resolve your issue much quicker.

The log files will reveal to them exactly what the errors are, and it may even be incorporated into an updated release if enough people have the same issue.

Wrapping up

This article has covered everything you need to know about what to do when you find that the DJI fly app is not working.

Because the drone flight relies on a strong interaction between the remote control, smart device, and fly app, you may find that there are some bugs and issues that prevent you from flying.

Sometimes, security updates because the drone app to crash even when it is working in the past. However, checking the forums and ensuring that you have a stable version of the full your device will be the way to get the working again.

If you need specific feedback for your issue remember to export your log files for further analysis and send them to DJI customer support. The quicker they get their hands on the information of your particular problem the quicker they can come up with a solution for you.

Learning to fly a drone is very much about troubleshooting and it can sometimes become very frustrating.

However, assist with any problems you encounter and can almost certainly find a quick and easy resolution for your DJI fly app not working.

Happy flying!