# ELI5 how to target a different Android version

**URL:** <https://forum.ionicframework.com/t/eli5-how-to-target-a-different-android-version/46256>\
**Category:** ionic-v3\
**Created:** [March 12, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.ionicframework.com/t/eli5-how-to-target-a-different-android-version/46256 "2016-03-12T21:23:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![utter\_gibbon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ionicframework/user_avatar/forum.ionicframework.com/utter_gibbon/32/98209_2.png) [@utter\_gibbon](https://forum.ionicframework.com/u/utter_gibbon)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.ionicframework.com/t/eli5-how-to-target-a-different-android-version/46256/1 "2016-03-12T21:23:00Z")

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I wish to build against API version 19 (Kitkat) rather than the default version 23. How do I achieve this ?

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**Author:** ![swarner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@swarner](https://forum.ionicframework.com/u/swarner)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.ionicframework.com/t/eli5-how-to-target-a-different-android-version/46256/2 "2016-03-14T12:38:56Z")

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After you add the Android platform, change the target version in platforms/android/AndroidManifest.xml

You should see a line that looks something like:  
`<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="16" android:targetSdkVersion="22" />`

Change it to something like  
`<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="16" android:targetSdkVersion="19" />`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mhartington](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ionicframework/user_avatar/forum.ionicframework.com/mhartington/32/137757_2.png) [@mhartington](https://forum.ionicframework.com/u/mhartington)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://forum.ionicframework.com/t/eli5-how-to-target-a-different-android-version/46256/3 "2016-03-14T18:21:21Z")

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I want to add, that even if the target sdk is set to 23, it will still run on version 19 without any issues.