How do you use Jetpack Compose on API 33 or earlier?

When I added androidx.compose libraries as dependencies to my app, Android Studio automatically used version 1.7.8, and I got a build error saying that the versions I was installing require API 34, and I am currently building against API 33. I thought I could just downgrade the Compose version, but:

• If I use 1.5.0, it still gives this error, but pointing at emoji libraries I'm not even directly depending on (androidx.emoji2:emoji2-views-helper:1.4.0 and androidx.emoji2:emoji2:1.4.0)
• If I use 1.4.3 or earlier, Gradle complains it can't find the dependencies

How do I use Jetpack Compose on API 33? Is it even possible?

A compile sdk version requirement means that the SDK your app is compiling against is too low for the library you are using. That does not mean that's the only version of Android you can use.

You can use Compose on any Android version SDK 21+. You need to set your minSdkVersion to the lowest you want to support, and the targetSdkVersion/compileSdkVersion should always be at the latest in your build.gradle file