2018 was a pivotal year for Kugou Music. That year, short-video viral songs began breaking out on a large scale, digital album sales repeatedly broke records, and Kugou also pushed its installer package size from around 50MB at the start of the year all the way to nearly 80MB by year's end. If you're still looking for the 2018 version of the Kugou installer now, it's most likely because your old device can't handle the new version, or you simply want to recover the interface logic from back then. This article focuses on the keyword "Kugou Music download and install 2018," covering version numbers, download channels, installation steps, and common pitfalls all in one go.
What versions of Kugou Music were there in 2018?
In 2018, Kugou maintained a pace of roughly one minor version per month and one major version per quarter. Some of the more representative version milestones are:
March 2018: V8.1.x series
This batch of versions still retained the classic blue primary color scheme and the bottom five-tab bar, and the local music management interface was relatively simple. If you're using Windows 7, V8.1 is a relatively safe choice, with an installer package of about 55MB and much lower memory usage than later versions.
August 2018: V8.3.x series
At this point Kugou added more livestreaming entry points and karaoke features, and the installer package grew to around 65MB. The Android counterpart was around V8.3.0, while the iOS version usually lagged by one to two weeks due to the review cycle. This version began adapting to Android 8.0, and the stability of playback controls in the notification bar improved noticeably.
December 2018: V8.5.x series
The year-end version focused on optimizing Viper sound effects and lyric scrolling, and the Windows installer package was close to 78MB. This version was retained by a large number of users in early 2019 because the subsequent V9.0 redesign was so drastic that many people instead went back to look for the V8.5 installer package.
Where to download the 2018 version of the Kugou installer
First, the conclusion: Kugou's official website currently only provides the latest version for download and does not offer an archive of historical versions. If you want to find the 2018 installer package, there are mainly three routes, each with its own pros and cons.
Historical version sections on third-party software sites
Sites like PC6, Dangxia Software Park, and Green Resource Network usually have "historical versions" or "old versions" entry points. Search for "Kugou Music 2018 old version" and you can find installer packages for V8.1 to V8.5. Two things need attention: first, check whether the file size and version number match; second, scan it with antivirus software after downloading. Most installer packages on these sites come from user uploads, and their completeness varies.
APK archive sites for Android
International sites like APKMirror and APKPure do a fairly standard job of archiving versions, and you can find APKs of Kugou Music for each month of 2018, with signature information and compatible Android versions also noted. If what you need is the Android version, look here first—it's more reliable than small domestic sites. When downloading, pay attention to whether you choose "arm64-v8a" or "armeabi-v7a"; most mid-range and low-end phones from 2018 use the latter.
Cloud drive sharing and forum resources
On Tieba and the 52pojie forum, people occasionally share 2018 version installation packages they backed up themselves. This type of resource carries the highest risk, because you cannot verify whether it has been repackaged. If you must use it, it is recommended to install it once in a virtual machine or on a spare phone first.
Specific steps for installing the 2018 version of Kugou on Windows
Assume you have already obtained the V8.3.5 Windows installation package, with the file name kugou_8.3.5_setup.exe and a size of about 65MB. Below is an actionable installation process:
Step 1: Handle system compatibility
Right-click the installation package, select "Properties," and switch to the "Compatibility" tab. If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11, check "Run this program in compatibility mode for" and select "Windows 7" from the drop-down list. At the same time, check "Run this program as an administrator." This step can prevent the installation from getting stuck at the "writing to registry" stage.
Step 2: Customize the installation path
After double-clicking the installation package, do not directly click "One-click install." Click "Custom install" and change the path from the default C drive to the D drive or E drive, for example D:\Program Files\Kugou2018. The 2018 version of Kugou writes cache to the user directory on the C drive by default; separating the installation path can reduce pressure on the system drive.
Step 3: Uncheck bundled options
The 2018 installation package had already begun bundling components such as Kugou Live and Kugou Karaoke. At the bottom of the installation interface, uncheck all options such as "Install Kugou Live" and "Set Kugou as the default player." If you only want to use the local playback function, this step can save you a lot of follow-up trouble.
Step 4: First-time setup after installation
After the installation is complete, do not rush to log in. Open the settings interface and do three things: change the "music cache directory" to a non-system drive; turn off "automatically start on boot"; and in the "sound quality" option, set the default playback quality to "lossless" or "320kbps." The 2018 version already supports these two formats quite stably. After doing these things, then log in to your account to avoid cloud settings overwriting local configuration.
Notes on installing the 2018 version of Kugou on Android
The situation on Android is a bit more complicated than on Windows. The 2018 Kugou APK may encounter "App not installed" or crash issues on current Android 12 and above systems. The main reasons are the low targetSdkVersion and changes in the storage permission model.
Manually grant permissions
After installation is complete, go to "Settings - Apps - Kugou Music - Permissions" and manually set the "Storage" permission to allowed. The 2018 version will not proactively request the scoped storage permission introduced after Android 11. If you do not enable it manually, it will directly report an error when scanning local music.
Turn off battery optimization
In "Settings - Battery - Battery optimization," find Kugou Music and set it to "Not optimized." Otherwise, background playback may be killed by the system after more than 15 minutes. This is the most common complaint about old versions on new systems.
Verify the version number
After installation is complete, open Kugou and go to "Settings - About Kugou" to check whether the version number matches what you downloaded. If it shows V8.3.0 but the installation package file name says V8.3.5, it means the installation package has been tampered with. It is recommended to uninstall it and find the resource again.
Why some people insist on using the 2018 version
Looking back in 2024, the core advantages of the 2018 version of Kugou are actually just three: a small installation package, a shallow interface hierarchy, and unflashy local music management. In the V8.x version, the "Local Music" entry is a first-level tab on the home page. Once you tap into it, you can browse by folder, with no interference from short video feeds or livestream recommendations. For users who only use Kugou as a local player, this experience is much cleaner than later versions.
In addition, the 2018 version is indeed more friendly to old hardware. On a Windows 7 laptop with 4GB of memory, running V8.5 is noticeably smoother than running V9.x, and startup time can differ by about 3 to 5 seconds. If you have an old device from around 2015, installing the 2018 version is a reasonable choice.
Handling common issues after download and installation
Login prompt says "Version too old"
Kugou's server side began gradually restricting login interfaces for overly old versions starting in 2021. If the 2018 version says the version is too old and cannot log in, you can try logging in with a mobile phone number verification code instead of an account and password. Some interfaces are still open. If that still does not work, you can only use the local playback function and give up cloud playlist synchronization.
Lyrics and cover art fail to load
The lyrics server address for the 2018 version has already changed. In settings, find "Lyrics Settings," turn off "Automatically download lyrics," and switch to manual matching. The same applies to cover art. For local music, you can manually specify the cover file.
The installation package is blocked by security software
Windows Defender or Huorong may flag the 2018 installation package as "riskware" because the version is too old and lacks the latest digital signature. On the premise of confirming the installation package comes from a reliable source, you can add it to trusted items or temporarily turn off real-time protection to complete the installation, then turn it back on afterward.
The matter of finding the 2018 version of the Kugou installation package is essentially a trade-off between old hardware and new features. If you just want a local player that does not lag, V8.3 or V8.5 is enough; if you need cloud playlists and an online music library, it is still recommended to install the latest version. Spending an extra two minutes verifying the file information when downloading is much less troublesome than dealing with problems after installation.
