What Android version do I need for Moonfade?

Moonfade runs on Android 8.0 and later. That is the app's requirement, but it is only part of the answer: the OS minimum does not guarantee your media player will pause when the timer ends. Playback response depends on the media app and the Android device, so confirm it with a short timer. Official product overview.

Check your device version

If you are not sure what your phone runs, use Google’s Android version instructions to check Settings, About phone or About tablet, and Android version; labels can vary by device. You are looking for the Android version number, not the app version or a security patch date.

• Android 8.0 or later: your device meets Moonfade’s minimum OS requirement; check Google Play for availability on your actual device.
• Older than Android 8.0: the current Moonfade release is not supported.

The documented timer range is 1 minute to 24 hours, with five built-in presets: 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes. Meeting the OS minimum does not prove identical behavior on every supported phone.

Why the OS minimum does not guarantee a pause

With Stop audio & video enabled, countdown completion starts the configured 0–60-second media-volume fade, followed by an audio-focus request to pause playback. Moonfade then separately requests display lock when Turn off the screen is enabled. Disabling Stop audio & video skips both fade and audio focus. These requests do not prove that the player paused or the physical display locked. See the countdown and fade order.

The pause part is a request, not a command Moonfade can enforce everywhere. With Stop audio & video enabled in Moonfade Settings, the app lowers the Android media-volume stream and requests audio focus. Whether a player acts on that — and how quickly — is up to the media app and the device. A newer Android version does not change that, so treat the OS minimum as a compatibility floor, not a promise about playback.

This is also why the outcome can differ between two phones on the same Android version running different players.

Set up and test in a few minutes

1. Start playback in your usual media app.
2. Open Moonfade and choose a short duration — for example 1 minute with the dial. Enable Stop audio & video and note the fade value before testing.
3. Tap Start. The current version prompts for Android Device Admin activation for screen lock; complete that prompt before the countdown can run.
4. Let the countdown finish and wait through the fade interval you selected.
5. Check the player's actual state: did it pause, keep playing, or only get quieter?

If it kept playing, work through why media keeps playing after a Moonfade timer ends. If you changed media apps recently, retest after changing player, because the response can differ even on the same device.

What else stays the same across Android 8.0 and later

• The timer runs from 1 minute to 24 hours, or from the 15, 30, 45, 60, or 90-minute presets.
• The active timer notification lets you add time, subtract time, or stop the timer without reopening Moonfade.
• Screen lock uses Android Device Admin to turn off and lock the display. If you turn off Turn off the screen in Moonfade Settings, the app removes that access, and starting another timer asks for it again.

No Moonfade account is required. Timer settings, presets, themes, and fade choices are stored locally, so the same version guidance applies whether you install fresh or restore on a new phone. Clearing app data or uninstalling removes those local settings, and they do not transfer to a different installation.

Bottom line

Android 8.0 or later is the requirement to install and run Moonfade. It is not a guarantee that your specific player will pause at the end — that depends on the app and device. Set a short timer with the player you actually use and watch what happens after the fade.

Next step: install Moonfade, set a 1-minute timer with your usual player, and observe whether playback pauses after the fade interval.

Get Moonfade on Google Play