Table of Contents
App Info
Category: Free Tools App Publish Date: 2021-03-1 App uploaded by: Google LLC Latest Version: 24.2.15-16 Available on: Google Play Requirements: Android 4.1+
Description
The Play Store offers apps, games, music, films, etc.
You can download and instal Android apps officially and securely in Google Play Sore. Google Play Sore Google is the official Android Apps, Games or other content store and portal for your Android phone or tablet.
Google also has the Google Play Shop, just as Apple has its App Store. It’s a huge Android market and provides users with access to different digital media like films, books, magazines, music and more.
You can not download the Google Play Store as an app from the Google Play Store. This allows you to instal a Google Play Store APK file on your Android devices.
Looking to update Google Play Store on your device? Here’s how.
Check your current version
The first thing you’ll want to do is see which version you have to make sure you’re downloading Google Play Store’s latest version.
This can be done as follows:
- Open your Google Play Store app.
- Open the settings.
- Scroll to the bottom. You’ll find the “Play Store version” there.
This is important as you don’t want to accidentally instal an older Google Play version. You want to ensure you download a compatible version of your device as well. It shouldn’t be a lot of a problem if you don’t rock some old Android version such as the 2.3 Gingerbread — it’s time to replace your phone if you do!
Download Google Play Store via an APK
This is a quite self-explaining step. Like any other Android app, the Google Play Store comes in APK format. You can download APKs, tech blogs and trusted people from websites, on forums and elsewhere. However, the most likely bet for trusted Google Play Store APKs now is A short tutorial to download the Play Store app can be found here:
Deal with security permissions
The setting of Unknown Sources was part of Android for ages. It does not allow users (and other applications) from anywhere outside the Google Play Store to instal applications if deactivated. Android Oreo changed this to a per-app authorisation instead of a system configuration. So this one consists of two different parts.
Before Android Oreo:
- Enter your device settings.
- Go to “Security”.
- Find the Unknown Sources option and check the box. A warning will pop up which you should definitely read. Once done, hit “OK” and this will enable you to install APKs from Unknown Sources.
If Unknown Sources isn’t in the Security settings, try finding it in the Privacy settings or Application (Apps) settings.
After Android Oreo:
- Begin installation with a file browser or through the web browser.
- Android will tell you that the app doesn’t have permission to install APKs. Click the available Settings button in that prompt.
- In the next menu, tick the box that lets that app install APKs.
- Hit the back button to return to your installation.
It’s a bit more complicated, but trade off is better because the only app that can instal third-party APKs is one you just allowed in the past Android versions, as opposed to the system-wide setup.
Use a file manager and install the Google Play Store
Now that we’re all set to go it’s time to install this thing. Use your favorite file browser. For those who may not have one, you can see our recommendations here!
- Open your file browser and navigate to wherever you downloaded the Google Play Store APK. If you downloaded it on your device then it will be on your SD card in the Downloads folder.
- Once you find the APK, click on it. There may be a box that pops up depending on the apps you have installed on your device asking which app you want to use. If this is the case, click “Package Installer”.
- On the next screen, read over any permission changes (there usually aren’t any) and then click install. When it’s finished, the latest Google Play Store will be installed on your device.
Hey you did it! Wait, there is still one more step!
Disable Unknown Sources
The Unknown Sources box is a major safety hole that causes road problems. The best way to be safe is to return and disable it! You can save this step, because these settigments are no longer available on your phone, if you have Android Oreo or later.
Pre-Android Oreo:
- Go back into your device settings.
- Go back into the Security settings, Privacy settings, or Application settings (wherever you found it last time).
- Uncheck the box. This will prevent everything (except the Play Store) from installing apps. You can always re-check the box later if you need to do this again.
There’s probably a reason they changed it in Android Oreo and this is probably it.
Android Oreo and later:
- Head into the device settings and then tap on the Apps option.
- Scroll and find the app you used to install the Play Store. It’s usually the same browser you downloaded the Play Store with. Tap it.
- On the next page, check over its permissions until you find the unknown sources section. Untick the box to remove the permission to install apps from outside of Google Play.
- Please note – This process may change from phone to phone. Even stock Android is slightly different from Android Oreo to Android 11 when performing this task. If you can’t find it initially, keep looking. You’re not crazy, it’s probably just in a slightly different spot.
