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Why can I not download apps from Google play?
- Thread starter ketanco
- Start date
What are the symptoms? It doesn't offer a download option, downloads start but never stop, or they fail with an error message?
Do you have the same problem on WiFi and mobile data?
Is the phone or account new, or has this problem just started after things were previously working?
Sorry for all of the questions, but it's rare that "it doesn't work" is enough information for someone else to work out what's wrong.
Do you have the same problem on WiFi and mobile data?
Is the phone or account new, or has this problem just started after things were previously working?
Sorry for all of the questions, but it's rare that "it doesn't work" is enough information for someone else to work out what's wrong.
It offers download option, it starts but never stops. No error message
Wifi or mobile data, both do not work
Things previously worked. Account is not new.
The only thing that might have happened was that I was trying to limit the data usage on the phone, as it is my mom's phone and she spends enormous amount of data somehow. So I did things to save data usage in general and especially for facebook and instagram, which were the biggest source of data usage.
Now mom says she can not download anything from google play
Wifi or mobile data, both do not work
Things previously worked. Account is not new.
The only thing that might have happened was that I was trying to limit the data usage on the phone, as it is my mom's phone and she spends enormous amount of data somehow. So I did things to save data usage in general and especially for facebook and instagram, which were the biggest source of data usage.
Now mom says she can not download anything from google play
how much storage space do you have? are you doing this over wifi?
puppykickr
Android Expert
First things first, and I will make things as simple as I know how to.
The second largest appstore is called UpToDown.
There is an app, but you can also use the website:
https://en.uptodown.com/
Touch the magnifying glass to open the search function.
Enter 'Google Play Services' and select the multicolored puzzle piece icon with that name.
Touch the three dot icon on the upper right, and select 'Versions'
Select the top one.
It will download and then select 'Install'.
If you haven't already, a toast message will pop up asking you to allow 'Install apps from unknown sources'. Check yes, make the setting adjustment, then install the app.
After that, go back to the search icon and enter 'Google Play Store'.
Select the multicolored arrow pointing to the right with that name and do just as you did above.
After it is installed, do this again for an app called 'Android System Webview', the icon is a white pinwheel.
Once this has been installed, go into your Settings and select Apps.
Select All Apps
Find Google Play Store, and select Storage.
Clear the cache.
Now back out to the Apps and find Google Play Services, and clear the cache as you did above.
Now open your Google Play Store App and try it again.
This sounds elaborate, but these three apps have all been recently updated and are essential to your device.
If for some reason you still have the same issue, go back into your Apps under Settings and clear the Data for both Google Play Store and for Google Play Services.
Google Play Services will only allow you to 'Manage Storage', so just clear what you can.
Now open Google Play Store again and wait about five minutes or so.
Be sure to check all of your settings, because a data clear will cause them to revert back to default.
Try to download your apps again.
UpToDown is a nice appstore, and so is ApkPure.
https://m.apkpure.com/
Both allow you to download older versions of apps, and often times if Google says that an app is incompatible with your device, you can get it from one of those two.
I use both of them, along with F-Droid- instead of Google Play Store.
The second largest appstore is called UpToDown.
There is an app, but you can also use the website:
https://en.uptodown.com/
Touch the magnifying glass to open the search function.
Enter 'Google Play Services' and select the multicolored puzzle piece icon with that name.
Touch the three dot icon on the upper right, and select 'Versions'
Select the top one.
It will download and then select 'Install'.
If you haven't already, a toast message will pop up asking you to allow 'Install apps from unknown sources'. Check yes, make the setting adjustment, then install the app.
After that, go back to the search icon and enter 'Google Play Store'.
Select the multicolored arrow pointing to the right with that name and do just as you did above.
After it is installed, do this again for an app called 'Android System Webview', the icon is a white pinwheel.
Once this has been installed, go into your Settings and select Apps.
Select All Apps
Find Google Play Store, and select Storage.
Clear the cache.
Now back out to the Apps and find Google Play Services, and clear the cache as you did above.
Now open your Google Play Store App and try it again.
This sounds elaborate, but these three apps have all been recently updated and are essential to your device.
If for some reason you still have the same issue, go back into your Apps under Settings and clear the Data for both Google Play Store and for Google Play Services.
Google Play Services will only allow you to 'Manage Storage', so just clear what you can.
Now open Google Play Store again and wait about five minutes or so.
Be sure to check all of your settings, because a data clear will cause them to revert back to default.
Try to download your apps again.
UpToDown is a nice appstore, and so is ApkPure.
https://m.apkpure.com/
Both allow you to download older versions of apps, and often times if Google says that an app is incompatible with your device, you can get it from one of those two.
I use both of them, along with F-Droid- instead of Google Play Store.
MrJavi
Android Expert
ApkMirror is considered safe and secure. The first link is to the web site. The second link to the same website that provides a download of ApkMirror app.
G-Doid is another app store to consider.
https://www.apkmirror.com
https://www.apkmirror.com/?post_type=app_release&searchtype=apk&s=Apkmirror
Some of the newer apps are provided in an app bundle form/Split Apk. To install this type of apk differs from normal installation.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum....g/guide-apk-bundle-installation-t3934631/amp/
G-Doid is another app store to consider.
https://www.apkmirror.com
https://www.apkmirror.com/?post_type=app_release&searchtype=apk&s=Apkmirror
Some of the newer apps are provided in an app bundle form/Split Apk. To install this type of apk differs from normal installation.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum....g/guide-apk-bundle-installation-t3934631/amp/
I don't think we need to introduce alternative app stores here.
But yes, do try clearing the Play Store app's cache.
But yes, do try clearing the Play Store app's cache.
MrJavi
Android Expert
All depends on individual perspective
Not really: the question is about fixing the Play Store on the OP's mother's phone. Telling them that there are other app stores is not what has been asked for - it would be a workaround if the problem were impossible to fix, but since they were using it before and the phone is not crazily old we know that isn't the case.
MrJavi
Android Expert
You make a good point but we have different optionson the subject. Knowledge is power . Plan for the best but prepare for the worst. Always have a contingency.
Last edited:
puppykickr
Android Expert
The reason that I brought up the other app stores is because the Google Play Store is not working on the device, and therefore the three apps involved cannot be updated.
As I know for a fact that all three of these apps are recently updated and that they cannot be updated with what the OP has, I provided the means for the updates.
Once the updates are installed and the caches are cleared it should work just fine as before.
The choice to use the other stores is optional at that point, but I thought that it would save time and effort if the Play Store and Services were already updated.
If not, then they would need to be updated as soon as Google Play was opened after the cache was cleared.
As Google is nothing but grief for me, I was not willing to take the chance that the caches would not once again need to be cleared or any number of other hamster wheel problems (that Google seems to love) wouldn't appear.
Oh, and I just went through all this with my device yesterday, so it was still fresh in my mind.
Yeah, I still don't know why you have a series of problems with Google that most other people don't suffer.
puppykickr
Android Expert
But we also do know that I am not the only one.
Hamster Wheel Problems.
I like that description.
Sounds like an app on the Play Store.
puppykickr
Android Expert
Get this.
I have one app, Demolition Derby 3, that I cannot get to update unless I have the recent Play Store and Services updates.
They both nust be current even to update it from a different app store.
So as soon as I do that, I have to disable the Play Store app, so that Google won't mess with my device again.