# Why It’s Currently Impossible to Publish a Properly Responsive Android App in Thunkable **URL:** \ **Category:** Issues / Bugs\ **Created:** [October 30, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844 "2025-10-30T14:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/1 "2025-10-30T14:53:34Z")
Hi all, I wanted to share some very simple but very telling test results about what’s happening with layout rendering on Android builds right now. If you’ve been pulling your hair out wondering why your pages suddenly clip through the bottom of the screen or why scrollable pages no longer scroll to the end, congratulations, you’re not imagining it. Layouts on Android are _quite seriously broken_. This isn’t speculation. It’s a confirmed regression, acknowledged by Thunkable staff back in August (see my original post [here](https://community.thunkable.com/t/major-issue-with-the-latest-thunkable-update/4075810)). Two months later, there’s still no fix, no date, and no explanation of what changed. To make this as clear as possible, I built a four-page test app that anyone can open and check on their own device. Each page demonstrates a different layout configuration, with colored backgrounds and red borders so clipping is obvious. **The Test App** Each screen has navigation buttons along the top so you can switch between them easily. 1. **Two stacked 50% containers** , no scrolling. 2. **Two stacked 43% containers** , no scrolling. 3. **Two stacked 500px containers** , _Layout_ set to scrollable. 4. **Two stacked 500px containers** , _Page_ set to scrollable. Top container = 🟩 green. Bottom container = 🟨 yellow. Everything outlined in a 🔴 red border. [Project link](https://x.thunkable.com/copy/6d9f57acd15457e96d98c4900543ea5b) so others can reproduce this. **Results on Thunkable Live App (Android)** ![Screenshot_20251030-140259](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/2/6/269c7120e15fce89bdf4379d125761cc6773e75f.png) Screen 1: Displays perfectly, the Thunkable toolbar hides the last few pixels and the bottom red border, but that’s normal. ![Screenshot_20251030-140312](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/c/8/c874431e3e46fafb064f298d4c46b32d3e2985c3.png) Screen 2: Displays perfectly, covers about 86% of the screen with even white space top and bottom. ![Screenshot_20251030-140357](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/0/d/0da1a01f4772130f6b79aa906a701b9fe1e3ed06.png) Screen 3: Scrolls beautifully. Same minor toolbar offset at the bottom, but otherwise perfect. ![Screenshot_20251030-140426](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/9/0/909f7b876321698bc152cf8713dfdafe14ace6df.png) Screen 4: **Broken.** Containers shrink to less than full height, and the app lets you scroll into empty white space. Not ideal, but not a huge problem if scrollable layouts work. ### Results on Exported .APK (Android Build) ![Screenshot_20251030-141455](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/7/3/7392270eb546c86e5629e7000aab803e50ec8c37.png) Screen 1: **Broken.** Bottom of the page is clipped. ![Screenshot_20251030-144338](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/c/1/c1adbc74140c16f141d3e146feefc97de74a9446.png) Screen 2: **Broken.** Whitespace appears at the top, and the bottom of the page is clipped. ![Screenshot_20251030-144357](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/0/0/006062ae117ff33b72bbbe7be625a2dd5389d72d.png) Screen 3: **Broken.** Bottom 10-15% of the screen is clipped. (This is me scrolling all the way to the bottom of the screen) ![Screenshot_20251030-144409](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/e/0/e01f5e43c4d156c2cc90995b479a90698fa303ed.png) Screen 4: **Still broken,** though amusingly this is the _only_ test that doesn’t clip the content, it just gives you a full scroll of useless white space instead. **TLDR / Conclusion** Until this regression is fixed, it is _literally impossible_ to create a properly responsive Android app in Thunkable. - Using percentages? Your layout will clip. - Using pixel heights? Your layout will clip. - Making it scrollable to catch overflow? You’ll still lose the bottom of your page. Thunkable has acknowledged this as a confirmed regression, but as of today there’s been **no fix, no timeline, and no official communication** in the release notes. If you’re publishing production apps, be aware that what you see in Thunkable Live is **not** what users will see in the published Android build. Feel free to test it on your own devices - I’d love to see your results, hear about any workarounds you have found and hopefully we can get some visibility (and pressure) on this issue. Thanks all, Grant @tatiang @sketch@martint @krish05 @annaradnor70pzj4mu @22kifayatun8ne @maurizio.polverini89@iffsydl78qiz ---
**Author:** ![mcm4ts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@mcm4ts](https://community.thunkable.com/u/mcm4ts)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 8:45am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/2 "2025-10-31T08:45:29Z")
### Serious Responsive Layout Bug Still Unresolved – Business and Financial Damage Hi everyone, I’m posting this to share my experience and hopefully bring more attention to a critical issue that’s been affecting many of us building Android apps with Thunkable. Since **August 13, 2025** , a major **responsive layout bug** has made it **impossible to properly publish or update Android apps**. In my case, this was **confirmed by a freelance developer I hired (and paid)** to help with my project — but the work could not be completed because of this regression. The consequences have been serious: - I had **just launched my app on the Google Play Store this summer** , but I’ve been **forced to unpublish it** because the entire responsive layout broke after this bug appeared. - My company has suffered **reputational damage** , **loss of partner confidence** , and **financial losses** , while I continue to **pay my Thunkable subscription every month** without being able to use the platform as intended. I’ve already submitted a formal complaint to Thunkable Support but… so far, there’s still no estimated date for a fix. I’m sharing this here so that others affected can also make their cases heard — this situation is clearly impacting developers and businesses who trusted Thunkable for production-level apps. If no resolution is provided soon, I’ll have no choice but to **cancel my subscription** , **migrate my project to another platform** , and **consider taking further action for damages**. I truly hope Thunkable addresses this issue transparently and urgently — this bug is not just a small technical problem; it’s hurting real projects and companies. — **Javier Pareja** Thunkable user & app publisher ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/3 "2025-11-03T14:19:38Z")
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Javier. At this point, it’s clear that this is preventing multiple developers and companies from maintaining their apps or earning revenue which is a real shame as Thunkable is a fantastic tool for rapid mobile development when it works. Anyone else seeing this behaviour on their Android builds, please test using the demo project linked above and add your results here. ---
**Author:** ![maurizio.polverini89](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/maurizio.polverini89/32/145191_2.png) [@maurizio.polverini89](https://community.thunkable.com/u/maurizio.polverini89)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/4 "2025-11-05T18:58:39Z")
Hello Grant, Thank you for sharing this. To be honest, I’ve also had my fair share of headaches with Thunkable’s layout. I can’t remember exactly when, but I definitely went through the same frustration trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. The solution? I eventually learned how to work _with_ it. Unfortunately, we all know the platform isn’t perfect — even though it’s fun to use and provides enough flexibility for small projects. Real-world coded apps can be just as challenging — believe me when I say that — and they often don’t display exactly as you expect across different devices. I hope you get the support you need soon, as I can see this is an important blocker for you. From someone who has also hit his head against the wall a few times, my suggestion is to try to find a workaround. After all, a developer’s life is one continuous workaround. ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 12:18pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/5 "2025-11-06T12:18:34Z")
Hi Maurizio, You’re 100% right that workarounds are a huge part of any developer’s life! That said, this particular case goes a bit beyond a typical layout quirk. The same design worked flawlessly for years across multiple Thunkable versions, and then a recent platform update changed how Android handles height calculations, breaking previously published apps and forcing redesigns for production users. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a viable workaround for this one, as demonstrated in my test app. Every variation still results in clipping or layout distortion on Android exports. So while I’m all for creative problem solving, this really needs to be addressed at the platform level. When a framework introduces a regression that invalidates existing layouts (and doesn’t document it in the release notes), it’s not a “quirk”, it’s a stability issue that affects every paying developer relying on Thunkable for commercial apps. I’m still hopeful Thunkable will fix this properly. Perhaps foolishly. Best, Grant ---
**Author:** ![ioannis](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/ioannis/32/146956_2.png) [@ioannis](https://community.thunkable.com/u/ioannis)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/6 "2025-11-07T18:12:53Z")
Hi @grant.mccallum @mcm4ts We can understand that it is frustrating and appreciate you taking the time to investigate and provide more information. A workaround to solve the bottom crop issue is to set the Layout height to 620. Could you please try it? The white space at the top is expected when the height percentages are not 100% in total and the Layout orientation is center Thank you, again, for your time and patience in this matter. ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/7 "2025-11-07T18:29:17Z")
Hi Ioannis, I will test this. Are you using float in place or stretch for your layout type? Thanks, Grant ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/8 "2025-11-09T12:55:52Z")
Hi Ioannis, I have retested using the settings you recommended: Test configuration: Layout Height: 620px Resize Mode: Stretch Vertical Alignment: Top ### Test Scenarios & Results Test 1: Two containers @ 50% height each No scrolling **Result: Bottom of screen still clips.** ![1000071227](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/6/c/6c6788dd770f0416645e53fc00705538863950e7.png) \*\* \*\* Test 2: Two containers @ **500px** each Layout set to **scrollable** **Result: Still clips at the bottom, even when fully scrolled.** ### ![1000071229](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/a/b/abf343292b48ab01f2da21d14482f7ffe6e34f3d.png) **Summary** Regardless of what layout size you choose, whether the screen uses percentage heights or fixed pixel heights, and whether scrolling is enabled or not, the Android build continues to clip the bottom of the page. So unfortunately this workaround does not resolve the issue. I appreciate you looking into this, but I do want to re-emphasize that this behavior worked correctly for years and only started after a recent Thunkable update. Since there doesn’t appear to be a functioning workaround, this remains a blocking regression for production Android apps. Please let me know when engineering has an update or if there are any additional settings you’d like me to test. Thanks, Grant ---
**Author:** ![ioannis](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/ioannis/32/146956_2.png) [@ioannis](https://community.thunkable.com/u/ioannis)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/9 "2025-11-13T18:08:16Z")
Hi @grant.mccallum I am sorry that the previous workaround hasn’t worked for you. I have found new workarounds. So for the first issue, I believe that because the borders take some pixels, I suggest setting the height of each container to 48%. For the second issue, a workaround is to add a third container and set its height to 100 px. It might also help to set the Layout height to 615px. Here is the project I tested and worked: [https://x.thunkable.com/projectPage/691614a8724b92b2d14047f8](https://x.thunkable.com/projectPage/691614a8724b92b2d14047f8) ---
**Author:** ![martint](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/martint/32/96689_2.png) [@martint](https://community.thunkable.com/u/martint)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/10 "2025-12-09T20:56:34Z")
Done a bit of testing with this as I need to update a few apps and as you say opening them in this current build kills the layouts which were fine previously. It appears to be an issue with the status bar interfearing with the layout sizes so after quite a lot of trial and error with different settings this fairly simple method seems to provide a more dynamic workaround: Add these blocks in your first screen ![Screenshot1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/0/d/0dc74da10257efc4cfdfd8a7c48600163958dd56.jpeg) Then this in all other screens ![Screenshot2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/3/d/3d05f70523ba7cac4a7d4a5a17c019f8b78feb14.jpeg) I have tested with the example from this post and seems to give the desired effect. Give it a try on some different devices and let me know the results. I used this version as tablets/larger screens seem to act differently and need a small amount of pixels removing. use the same blocks as above for the other screens. ![Screenshot3](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/8/9/89056ca33f2163f149d6dd476e08bdbab9f65ed3.jpeg) Please note there is still some white space at the bottom in the live app but perfect when downladed/published. ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/11 "2025-12-20T16:05:41Z")
Hi Martin, Thanks a lot for taking the time to dig into this and for sharing your testing and blocks. I really appreciate the effort you’ve put in here 👍 I’ve tried a very similar approach myself and I agree with you on the core observation: the status bar is definitely interfering with layout sizing, and toggling it on/off to force a recalculation _does_ improve things on a number of devices. On some phones, this workaround gives exactly the result you’d expect. However, after testing across a wider range of devices, I’m still seeing cases where: - layouts clip on taller phones, or - white space appears on shorter / squatter devices, even with this approach in place. So while your solution clearly works for some screen configurations (and is a really useful data point), it doesn’t fully generalize across all Android devices yet. That’s what I’m trying to get to the bottom of. The main issue at the moment is that we don’t have enough cross-device data to say _why_ it works on some phones and not others. That’s why I’ve put together the small test app and opened this up to the forum, so we can collect real measurements across different aspect ratios, and device classes. This post here explains what I’m trying to do and has the download link for anyone who’s willing to help test: [https://community.thunkable.com/t/lets-fix-layouts-on-android-once-and-for-all-help-needed/4108099](https://community.thunkable.com/t/lets-fix-layouts-on-android-once-and-for-all-help-needed/4108099) Really appreciate you sharing your findings, they’ve definitely helped narrow the problem space. Hopefully with a few more test cases we can either formalize something like this properly, or at least understand its limits so people know when it will and won’t work. Thanks again 🙏 ---
**Author:** ![grant.mccallum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/grant.mccallum/32/210541_2.png) [@grant.mccallum](https://community.thunkable.com/u/grant.mccallum)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/why-it-s-currently-impossible-to-publish-a-properly-responsive-android-app-in-thunkable/4107844/12 "2025-12-23T19:36:18Z")
[Click here for the solution](https://community.thunkable.com/t/solved-how-to-make-android-layouts-fit-correctly-on-every-device/4108120)