System Requirements and Supported Devices
Spanner works best on modern phones and tablets
Spanner is designed for everyday use on your phone or tablet. Most people can use it without thinking about “specs” — but your device and settings can affect what features are available and how smooth things feel.
What you need (the essentials)
- A supported phone or tablet (see the sections below).
- An up-to-date operating system (install the latest iOS/iPadOS or Android updates your device supports).
- A reliable internet connection (Wi‑Fi or cellular) to create and update Apps in Forge and to sync changes.
- Enough free storage for the Spanner app and any files you attach (photos, scans, etc.).
Supported phones and tablets
iPhone
Spanner supports iPhones that can run a current, supported version of iOS.
- Best experience: iPhones from the last few years (faster performance and smoother multitasking).
- Minimum expectation: If your iPhone can’t update to a recent iOS version, Spanner may not install or may not receive updates.
iPad
Spanner supports iPads that can run a current, supported version of iPadOS.
- Best experience: iPads with more memory (better for switching between Apps and keeping Spanner responsive).
- Note: Some iPad-only conveniences (like certain multitasking layouts) depend on your iPad model and iPadOS version.
Android phones
Spanner supports Android phones running a current, supported Android version.
- Best experience: Phones from the last few years with regular security updates.
- Minimum expectation: Very old Android versions may not be able to install Spanner, or may stop receiving updates.
Android tablets
Spanner supports many Android tablets, but the experience can vary more than on phones (screen sizes and manufacturer software differ).
- Best experience: Tablets with newer Android versions and strong Wi‑Fi.
- Note: If your tablet is slow or heavily customized by the manufacturer, Spanner may feel less responsive.
Features that may depend on your device
Some Spanner features use built-in device capabilities. If your device doesn’t support something, or if it’s turned off, that feature may be missing or may behave differently.
If an App uses the camera (for example: taking a photo, scanning something, attaching an image), you’ll need:
- A device with a working camera
- Camera permission allowed for Spanner
- Enough storage for saved images
If you want reminders or alerts, your device must allow notifications for Spanner.
- iPhone/iPad: Check Settings → Notifications → Spanner
- Android: Check Settings → Notifications → App notifications → Spanner (wording varies)
Siri Shortcuts are available on supported Apple devices (iPhone/iPad) and can also be used with Apple Watch when supported.
- Requires iOS/iPadOS features that may not exist on older devices
- Requires the Shortcuts app enabled and available on your device
On older phones/tablets, you may notice:
- Slower loading when creating or updating an App in Forge
- More delays when switching between Spanner and other apps
- Longer waits on weak Wi‑Fi or low cellular signal
Quick checklist: “Will Spanner run well on my device?”
If your device isn’t supported
- You may not be able to install Spanner, or you may be stuck on an older version that no longer receives improvements.
- Some features may be missing because your device doesn’t support them (or your operating system is too old).