Google Play Store is an application preinstalled on most Android phones. It allows you to download apps, books, movies and more to your phone. Sometimes, uninstalling and reinstalling the Google Play Store is one of the suggested solutions if you have problems with this tool on your Android phone. But how do you do it? Learn how to uninstall and reinstall the Google Play Store on Android with the article below!
How to uninstall Google Play Store
You cannot uninstall the Google Play Store directly from your phone. However, you can disable it or delete recent updates, similar to uninstalling the Play Store. Check out the two ways to uninstall the Play Store from your Android phone or tablet.
Disable Play Store
When you disable the Google Play Store, its icon disappears from your Android phone’s home screen and app drawer. Also, you won’t be able to update or install apps using the Play Store. However, nothing will happen to existing applications. They will not be deleted from your phone. You need to enable the Play Store to use it again.
- Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
- Go to “Apps” (or “Apps & Notifications” on some phones) and under “All Apps” tap “Google Play Store”.
- Open phone settings
- Open phone settings
- Click the Disable button. A confirmation window will appear. Please confirm the operation when asked.
Uninstall Google Play Store updates
Uninstalling the Play Store update will restore the Play Store app to its original version, resolving any issues that may arise. The Play Store app will still be on your phone and you can use it normally. You can also install and update apps from the Play Store. Your existing applications will also be safe.
Basically, you can keep using the Play Store app by leaving the update intact after uninstalling it. However, your phone will automatically update it in the background. You can also update it manually by following the instructions in the Reinstallation section of the Play Store. Follow the steps below to uninstall the Google Play Store:
- . Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Click Apps, and then select Google Play Store under All Apps.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select “Uninstall Updates” from the menu.
How to reinstall Google Play Store
After uninstalling the Play Store app, you can reinstall it in one of 4 ways.
Reactivate Google Play Store
If you disabled the Google Play Store using method #1 above, you can simply enable it to start using it again.
To activate the Play Store, open Settings > Applications > Google Play Store. Click Enable.
Let the Play Store update automatically
By default, the Google Play Store will automatically update in the background as long as you are connected to the Internet after uninstalling the update. Just leave the Google Play Store for a few minutes and it will update itself.
Manually update the Play Store
If the Google Play Store doesn’t update automatically, or you want to manually check for new updates, your Android phone offers a hidden way to do so.
- Open the Google Play Store app on your phone.
- Tap the avatar icon at the top and select “Settings” from the menu.
- Open Google Play Store settings
- Open Google Play Store settings
- Click About to expand this section.
- Click the “Update Play Store” button in the Play Store version. If an update is available, the Play Store will begin performing the update. Otherwise, you will receive a notification that the Play Store has been updated.
Tip: If you don’t see the “Update Play Store” button, tap “Play Store Version” to update manually.
Manually install or update the Play Store using an APK
Finally, you can manually install a newer version of the Play Store on your Android phone using its APK. Follow the steps below.
- Open APKMirror.com, one of the trusted sites to download APKs.
- Search the Google Play Store on the website.
- Click on the latest version of the Google Play Store.
- On the next screen, scroll down to find the current version variant. Find the version compatible with your phone and press the “Download APK” button.
- After downloading the APK file, click the file to install it. You may be asked for permission to install applications from unknown sources. Do this to allow the app to be installed on your device.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the useful information we shared above will help you know how to uninstall and reinstall Google Play Store on Android phones easily and quickly!