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mokshablr/gander

Offline, zero-permission Android file viewer for PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, photos, video, audio, Markdown, code and ZIP archives.

Open-source alternative to:WPS OfficeMicrosoft Office

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What is it?

Gander is an Android app that opens most common file types on the device itself, covering PDF, DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPTX, ODT, RTF, EPUB, photos, video, audio, Markdown, text, source code, ZIP archives and STL 3D models. The app declares no permissions and does not include the INTERNET permission, so it cannot send files or data off the phone. Files arrive through the Storage Access Framework and "Open with" intents, and folder browsing uses one-time system grants.

Office and document formats render inside a locked-down WebView using bundled JavaScript libraries such as pdf.js, docx-preview and SheetJS. Gander also includes features like in-document search, text selection in PDFs, night mode for PDFs and Word files, and the ability to open files inside ZIP archives without extracting them to storage. The app runs on Android 8.0 and up and is distributed through Google Play or as an APK on GitHub Releases.

Key features

  • 01Opens PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ODT, RTF, EPUB, photos, video, audio, Markdown, code and STL files in one app
  • 02Runs fully offline with no INTERNET permission and no analytics
  • 03Browses ZIP archives and opens their entries without extracting to storage
  • 04Searches text within documents, spreadsheet sheets and book chapters
  • 05Selects and copies text from PDFs and offers night mode for PDF and Word
  • 06Remembers the last reading position and provides recent files with thumbnails

Use cases

  • Viewing sensitive work or personal documents without sending them to a cloud service
  • Opening email or chat attachments on a phone that should not grant storage permissions
  • Previewing a ZIP archive's contents on Android without unpacking it
  • Reviewing a 3D-printing STL file on the phone before printing

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install Gander from Google Play

  2. 2

    Or download the latest APK from the Releases page

  3. 3

    To build from source, install JDK 21+ and the Android SDK (platform 36), then run the debug build

    ./gradlew assembleDebug

Things to know

  • It is an Android-only app; no iOS version exists yet.
  • Legacy binary .ppt files are not supported and must be re-saved as .pptx.
  • Some slide content, such as doughnut or radar charts and EMF/WMF pictures, is left out of .pptx rendering.

Topics

#android#file-viewer#pdf-viewer#offline-first#privacy#document-viewer#kotlin#android-app#apk#docx

FAQ

What is gander?
Offline, zero-permission Android file viewer for PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, photos, video, audio, Markdown, code and ZIP archives. Gander is an Android app that opens most common file types on the device itself, covering PDF, DOCX, XLS/XLSX, PPTX, ODT, RTF, EPUB, photos, video, audio, Markdown, text, source code, ZIP archives and STL 3D models. The app declares no permissions and does not include the INTERNET permission, so it cannot send files or data off the phone. Files arrive through the Storage Access Framework and "Open with" intents, and folder browsing uses one-time system grants.
Is gander free to use? What license does it have?
gander is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is gander still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to gander was on Oct 16, 2026.
What can I use gander for?
Viewing sensitive work or personal documents without sending them to a cloud service Opening email or chat attachments on a phone that should not grant storage permissions Previewing a ZIP archive's contents on Android without unpacking it Reviewing a 3D-printing STL file on the phone before printing
How do I install gander?
Install Gander from Google Play Or download the latest APK from the Releases page To build from source, install JDK 21+ and the Android SDK (platform 36), then run the debug build: ./gradlew assembleDebug
Where can I get gander?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/mokshablr/gander

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