No, a standard Flutter App (or any mobile app) cannot persist a Flag or data after executing uninstall, because:
🔒 App Data Is Deleted on Uninstall
When a user uninstalls your app:
- All app data stored on the device is removed, including:
- Shared preferences
- SQLite databases
- Internal storage
- Cache
This behavior is enforced by both Android and iOS for privacy and security.
✅ Possible Workarounds
If you need to remember something even after uninstall/reinstall, you have a few options:
1. Cloud-based persistent storage (Recommended)
Use a remote server to track user data:
- Use a unique identifier (like email, login, or device fingerprint).
- Store flags or preferences server-side (e.g., Firebase, Supabase, your own backend).
- On reinstall, sync the app with the server.
2. Device fingerprinting / Advertising ID (⚠️ Privacy concerns)
You could store a flag associated with a device ID, like:
- Android ID
- Advertising ID
But: - Access to some identifiers is limited or resettable by users.
- You must comply with privacy regulations (GDPR, etc.).
- Apple limits tracking through its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework.
3. Using Account/Authentication
If your app supports user login, you can store flags per user in the cloud. After reinstall, once the user logs in, you can restore state.
Summary
| Method | Survives Uninstall? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SharedPreferences | ❌ | Deleted on uninstall |
| SQLite/Local storage | ❌ | Deleted on uninstall |
| Cloud database (e.g., Firebase) | ✅ | Requires user ID or device ID |
| Advertising ID/device ID | ⚠️ | Risky; limited access; privacy issues |