Why can't my Android release build connect to the Internet?

Cause

The most common cause of this issue is that the INTERNET permission is automatically included in a debug build, but must be set manually for a release build. This is because the Internet permission is used to allow a debugger to attach to the process, as described for "DebugSymbols" here.

Fix

To resolve the issue, you can require the Internet permission in the Android Manifest. This can be done either through the manifest editor or the manifest's sourcecode:

  • Fix in Editor: In your Android project, go to Properties -> AndroidManifest.xml -> Required Permissions and check Internet

  • Fix in Sourcecode: Open the AndroidManifest in a source editor and add the permission tag inside the <Manifest> tags:

    <Manifest>
    ...
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    </Manifest>