Top 9 Ways to Fix Google Play Store Not Working on Samsung Galaxy Phones or Tablets

Samsung Galaxy users have the advantage of accessing two app stores: the Play Store and the Galaxy Store. However, if you prefer the Play Store because of its vast selection of apps and games, it can be frustrating when it fails to open on your Samsung Galaxy device.

If the usual tricks, like switching internet connections or restarting devices, haven’t helped, it’s time to dig deep. This guide includes advanced solutions to fix Play Store issues quickly.

To fix the issue of the Google Play Store app not opening or functioning on your Samsung tablet or phone, start by force-stopping the app. Long-press on the Play Store icon and select the info icon. From the menu, choose the Force stop option at the bottom. This should resolve the problem if it’s a one-time glitch.

Try reopening the Play Store and check if it works correctly.

2. Clear Play Store Cache

As you use the Google Play Store, it collects cache data to save bandwidth and reduce loading times. However, if the cache data becomes corrupted or inaccessible, the Play Store might not work properly on your Samsung device. Here’s how to fix it.

Step 1: Long-press the Play Store icon and tap the ‘i’ icon from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to Storage and tap Clear cache at the bottom.

3. Uninstall Play Store Updates

If the installation of a recent Play Store update has gone wrong, you may experience these issues. To fix it, uninstall all Play Store updates from your device and reinstall them. Here’s how:

1. Long press the Play Store icon on your phone and tap the info icon.

Step 2: Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right and select Uninstall updates.

Step 3: Afterward, open the Play Store. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings.

Step 4: Expand About -> Update Play Store.

4. Free Up Storage Space

The Google Play Store may be unable to download or update apps on your Samsung device due to insufficient storage space. To prevent this issue, ensure that you have at least 1GB of free storage. To check your storage status on a Samsung phone or tablet, open the Settings menu, navigate to Device Care, and find the Storage section.

If your device is low on storage space, delete unused apps or large files to free up space, and try again.

5. Reset the Download Manager

Download Manager is a system app that handles various download tasks. If there’s an issue with this app, you might have difficulties downloading or updating apps via the Play Store.

To fix this, you will need to reset the Download Manager app using these steps:

– Step 1: Launch the Settings app on your phone and go to Apps.

Step 2: Tap on the filter and sort icon and toggle on the switch next to Show system apps.

Scroll down to tap on Download Manager.

Step 4: Select Storage and tap Clear data.

The Download Manager app should start automatically. Then, check if the Play Store works.

6. Reset Google Play Services

Google Play Services on your phone helps the Play Store function smoothly by managing app purchases, downloads, and installations. If you encounter a problem with Google Play Services, the Play Store may not work properly. You can reset Google Play Services on your phone to see if that fixes the issue.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and go to Apps.

To make the content more concise and impactful, you can eliminate redundant words and phrases:

Step 2: Scroll down to find and tap on Google Play services. Then, select Storage.

Step 3: Tap on Manage Storage at the bottom and clear all data.

7. Check the System Date and Time

If your device has the wrong date or time, apps and services, like the Play Store, might struggle to connect to the server. This can cause problems, such as the Play Store not being able to find search results, download new apps, or update existing ones. To prevent these issues, set your Samsung phone or tablet to use the network’s time. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open the Settings menu and go to General Management. Then, tap on Date and time.

Step 2: Enable the ‘Automatic date and time’ toggle.

8. Remove and Re-Add Your Google Account

Removing your Google account from your phone and then re-adding it can help fix Play Store authentication issues on your Samsung Galaxy device. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Go to Accounts and backup > Manage accounts.

Step 2 : Select your Google account.

Step 3: Tap Remove account. Select again when prompted.

Step 4: Return to the Accounts page and select Add account to sign in with your Google account. Then, attempt using the Play Store again.

9. Disable VPN

Using a VPN connection to download apps that aren’t available in your country can lead to errors like ‘No connection’ on the Play Store. Try disabling your VPN connection temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.

Play It Safe

Relying only on Samsung’s Galaxy Store may not be wise due to its less strict policies. Hopefully, one of the tips above has helped you fix the issue, and the Play Store is now working on your Samsung Galaxy device.