How to Fix Google Play Services Won’t Update Issue

Life is going well until our smartphone starts acting up. And then we begin cursing it. Even if the issue is minor, smartphones are such a vital part of our lives that the issue seems a major one.

But some issues are major such as when Google Play Services doesn’t work as intended. And, because of that, other apps also don’t work. When you open them, you are greeted by the error ‘This app won’t run unless you update Google Play services.’

For the uninitiated, Google Play Services is a preinstalled, system app that helps in updating apps from Play Store. It also acts as a framework for Google and its apps on your device. So if there is any issue with Play Services, it may reflect in other apps too. And eventually, destroy your overall experience of an Android phone.

Now to fix the problem, you need to update Play Services. But how does one do that? And what if it doesn’t update? To fix the issue, here we present to you 7 solutions that will help you regarding Google Play Services update issue.

Let’s get started.

1. Restart Phone

Words fall short in explaining the power of a simple restart. So, without giving it a second thought, restart your phone and check if that fixes the problem. You will be surprised how this simple act fixes many problems.

2. Check Storage

Typically, Google Play Services update automatically in the background. At times, they may not if the storage space on your phone is full. That is the area one would rarely look at, so do check if you have free space on your phone.

3. Set Correct Date and Time

Next, make sure the date and time on your phone are correct. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings on your phone and go to System.

Step 2: Tap on Date & time. On the next screen, enable Automatic date & time. If it’s already enabled, turn it off and then re-enable it.

4. Clear Cache and Data

This is also a well known method to fix the update issue. All you need to do is a clear the cache for Play Services and Play Store. If the problem continues, then try clearing data for them as well.

Rest assured, clearing cache or data will not remove apps or delete data from your phone. However, clearing Play Store data will reset its settings to default.

To clear cache and data for Play Services, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings on your phone and go to Apps/Application Manager.

Step 2: Under All Apps or System apps (if available), look for Google Play Services. Tap on it.

Step 3: Tap on Storage and hit the Clear cache button. Do the same for Google Play Store.

Step 4: Restart your device. If the issue persists, tap on Clear data/storage (as shown in step 3) for both Google Play Services and Play Store.

5. Enable Play Services

It is possible that you, or someone else using your device, might have accidentally disabled Google Play Services while playing around with settings. If that’s the case, then Play Services won’t update. To fix it, you need to enable Play Services.

For that, follow step 1 and 2 of Clearing cache solution mentioned above. Then under Play Services, tap on Enable. Only if it’s disabled, you will see the Enable option; otherwise, you will see Disable. Once enabled, restart your phone or tablet, and Play Services will update automatically in the background. So, wait for some time and then try using the problematic app.

6. Disable Play Services

Yes, don’t be surprised. You would uninstall other app if a similar issue exists. As Play Services is a system app, you cannot uninstall it. That is where disabling it comes into the picture.

To disable it, follow step 1 and 2 of the Clear cache method i.e., go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Services. Here tap on Disable.

If it’s grayed out, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Settings and go to Security. It’s either available as Security & location or Lock screen & security, or Security.

Step 2: Tap on Device Administrator or Device admin apps. Sometimes, it’s present under Advanced option.

Step 3: Disable Find My Device.

Step 4: Go to Google Play Services under Apps. Now you will be able to disable it.

After disabling it, wait for some time and then enable it again. That should restore Play Services to the factory settings and help you fix the problem.

7. Reset App Preferences

Many times resetting app preferences also helps in fixing the Play Services update issue. To do so, go to phone Settings > System > Reset options. Tap on Reset app preferences.

Doing that will not delete any data, but it will reset settings to default. Know what happens by resetting app preferences and other methods to do it.

8. Uninstall Updates

If disabling seems like a tough task, try uninstalling its updates.

To uninstall Play Services updates, go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Services. Tap on the three-dot icon at the top-right corner and select Uninstall updates.

After uninstalling, give it some time to update it.

9. Update Google Play Services

There are two ways to update Google Play Services — from Play Store and manually.

Update from Play Store

If you search for Google Play Services on Play Store, rarely, you will see the app. However, open it through the link, and you are taken to its page. Tap on Update (if available).

Update Play Services Manually

For that, you need to download the APK file of Play Services and install it manually. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Download the APK file for the latest version of Google Play Services from a trusted source such as APKMirror.com.

Step 2: Tap on the downloaded file to install it. You will be asked to give permission to let third-party apps install other apps. Allow it and install Play Services.

Step 3: Restart your phone, and your issue will be fixed.

If the issue persists, download a previous version of the app instead of new. The update procedure will be slightly different on MIUI running phones.

Patience Is the Key to Success

All of the above methods require you to be patient. As Play Services is a system app, it is updated in the background. So, except updating Play Services manually, you have to wait for at least five minutes to let your phone complete the installation process.

Next up: Who doesn’t want free tips and tricks for using the Play Store efficiently? Check out the cool tips for Google Play Store.