Google PlayStore Apps Stuck on Download Pending

Recently updated on December 1st, 2022 at 01:14 pm

Google playstore is the official app store by google, through which android users can download and update apps on their smartphones. One issue many users can face while updating or installing a new app on their android device is the “download pending” error.

Once users tap the download or update button they started getting the download pending message on their screen. Now user cannot download or update the app on their smartphones. This is a common issue faced by almost every android user on their smartphone. Below we’ve shared the steps through which you can fix the google play store download pending error.

Why are My Play Store Apps Downloads Pending?

If you are wondering why play store downloads stuck on pending. Then we’ve mentioned some reasons behind the download pending error.

• primary download network settings- If you’ve set the wifi and the primary network for downloading or updating app on play store, then you might have issues while updating or installing apps on mobile data.
• Play Store corrupted cache and data- Play Store store cache and data can get corrupted over time. This can lead to a download pending error on playstore.
• Due to the insufficient space of storage memory- It might sound silly but the truth is that due to less storage memory play store can show a download pending error.

How Do I Download a Pending App From Google Play?

You can fix the playstore download pending problem by restarting your phone, clearing the play store cache and data, force stopping the app, uninstalling play store updates can also fix this issue. If you are still facing this issue then factory reset for resolving this issue.

Restart Your Device

Take your phone and hold the power button for approx. 3-5sec and tap on restart. Sometimes, small things like restarting your device can fix download pending issue in play store.

Stop Multiple Apps Download and Updates

Downloading or updating too many apps on the play store at same time can cause the download pending problem. So stopping or pausing the multiple downloads can fix the “download pending” error on your smartphone.

1. Open your Google Play Store on your device.
2. Now tap on your profile icon.

3. Tap on manage apps and device.

4. Now stop all the downloads or updates.

Open play store and click on your profile icon, tap on manage apps and device option. Tap on updates section/all apps up to date option, from here you can cancel or stop multiple downloads. You can enable downloading of one app for smooth installation without any issues.

Download App Over Any Network (WiFi or Mobile Data)

If your primary download network is set to wifi, but if your wifi is not working then you can download pending error on your mobile data. To resume your download choose over any network option on the play store app then you will be able to download the apps on your cellular network. Follow the steps below to fix the play store download pending issue.

1. Open Google Play Store on your device
2. Tap on your profile icon.
3. Now click on the settings.

4. Tap on network preferences option.
5. Tap on app download preference.
6. Now select “over any network” option.

After making changes in google play store network preferences, you’ll be able to download apps through play store.

Related: How to fix play store error code df-dferh-01

Login to Another Account or Add New Account

If you still facing the issue, then maybe the problem is with your Google account. If you have another Google account, then you have to log in from another account and if downloading resumes then please check your Google account settings and permission.

1. Open Google Play Store on your device.
2. Tap on Your profile (at the top-right corner), if you have another account then tap on your 2nd account. In case you don’t have another account then, go to Add another account.

3. Now sign in to your new account.

Another way to remove your account

1. Go to your device Settings.
2. Go to Users and accounts, and now tap on google.

3. Tap on your Google account associated with play store and then tap on three dots from top right side and choose remove account

Clear Play Store Data & Cache

Maybe the problem is with your Google play store data. Some files are automatically created by the play store and deleting or clearing them can help you fix download pending error on play store . Here are the steps to clear your play store data.

1. Go to device Settings.
2. Now go to app management, app manager or apps depending on your android device.

3. Search and tap on Google play store, now tap on storage usage

You can also tap and hold the Play store icon and click on App info

4. Now here you can clear data and cache

Uninstall all Updates of Google Play Store

Updates bring a lot of fixes to bugs and other issues. But sometimes they are the reason behind a small issue like download pending on play store. By uninstalling updates you’ll have a default version of play store which you got with your devices. Don’t worry play store will auto-update itself to the latest version. This can fix the download pending issue. Follow the steps below to uninstall updates of play store:

1. Go to device Settings.
2. Locate Apps and search Google Play Store. Or you can tap and hold play store icon and click on app info

3. Now tap on three dots and tap on Uninstall updates.

4. A message will appear, tap on Ok.   

Clear Some Space from Storage/Memory

Low device storage can cause download pending issue while installing or updating app on your smartphone. To fix this issue, you need to clear or free up memory on your smartphone. To clear storage follow the steps below.

1. Go to device Settings.
2. Locate Storage, (In some android devices you’ll find storage inside additional settings. Now you can see which app or other data is occupying more space)

3. Choose what you want to delete, like images, songs, or apps.

Turn off the VPN Application

VPN can help you download geo-restricted app on your device. But sometimes due to slow vpn you can face downloading pending issue on your smartphone. To fix this issue you can disconnect vpn or connect it to a safer server. If that doesn’t help then uninstall the vpn from your device. Now reboot your smartphone and check if you’re able to download and install the app on your smartphone or not.

Also check: What to do when firestick says download queued

Check Date and Time if Not Match

If the date and time on your smartphone is not set correctly, then your playstore download can stuck on pending. To resolve this issue you need to make sure the time and date is correct. To set date and time on on your smartphone follow the steps below.

How to change time and date on an android device?

• Go to the settings and open.
• Scroll and find additional settings or general management.
• Select the date and time option.
• If the date and time off toggle to turn it on.

If your device has the feature of date and time set automatically then toggle to turn it on.

Reset app preferences

Sometimes app don’t work the way they are suppose to work. Resetting app preferences can solve this issue.

1. Go to device Settings.
2. Locate Apps.
3. Tap on three dots to Reset app preferences.
4. Then, tap on the Reset.

On android 10

1. Go to your device settings.
2. Now go to the advance option
3. Now tap on reset options
4. From the list tap on reset app preferences
5. Now from the popup message tap reset apps

Update your Android Device to Latest Version

Android updates bring a lot of fixes to the issue of the versions of android. It is more lite, power efficient and more secure. Sometime you might face play store download pending issue on your device, due to some bug in your android version. So a simple android update or a security patch update can fix this issue.

1. Open you device settings
2. Scroll down and tap on software update.
3. If you’ve an update for your device, tap on update now.

Reset Your Device Setting or Factory reset

If the problem still not resolved then, this is the last step. Because when you factory reset your device then your all data will be erased. Before you factory reset your device make sure you have taken the backup of your files.

1. Go to device Settings.
2. Locate System (you’ll find the system at bottom of your device’s settings).
3. Then tap on Reset Phone. 

On Android 10

1. Go to your device settings.
2. Now tap on additional settings.
3. Tap on backup and reset
4. From the Bottom tap Erase all data.

5. Here you’ll get the option to reset your device settings. If that doesn’t work click on erase all data

If your problem is resolved then it’s good otherwise you can download any application through your browser with the help of the cloud. Just by login into the same account that you are using in the google play store.

How to Download the Application Through Any Browser

1. Open any web browser on your android device
2. Go to the official google play store website.
3. Log into with same google account.
4. Select the app you want to install and tap on install.
5. Choose the device in which you want to install and hit

We hope this last step will help to resolve your download pending issue. And you will able to download the apps on your phone/device without any problem.

Conclusion: Download pending on google play store is a common issue and can be fixed by some easy steps. You can update your android version, clear play store data, uninstall play store updates, free up some space on your device or you can perform a factory reset to fix play store download stuck issues

If you’ve any other query kindly comment below or you can check our post on how to cancel your hulu subscription on android, itunes and desktop.