‘Error checking for updates’ on Play Store [11 Verified Solutions]

Google Play Store is one of the main applications that come pre-installed with almost all mobile phones that are running Android. It contains thousands of applications that the users can download and install on their mobiles. The app is also responsible for keeping all the applications on the mobile up to date. However, quite recently, a lot of reports have been coming in where users are unable to update the applications on their mobiles.

According to the reports, an “Error Checking for Updates” message is received whenever an app update is qued. In this article, we will discuss some of the reasons due to which this error is triggered and also inform you of viable solutions to eradicate it. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and in the exact order in which they are represented.

What Causes the “Error Checking for Updates” Error on Google Play Store?

After receiving numerous reports from multiple users, we decided to investigate the issue and devised a set of solutions to fix to completely. Also, we looked into the reasons due to which it is triggered and listed them as follows.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the nature of the problem, we will move on towards the solutions. Make sure to implement these in the specific order in which they are provided to avoid conflict.

Solution 1: Clear Cache

If certain cached data has been corrupted, it can prevent the applications from being updated. Therefore, in this step, we will be clearing this cached data from the settings. For that:

1. Drag down the notifications panel and click on the “settings” icon.

   

2. Scroll down and click on “Applications”.

   

3. Click on “Apps” and click on the “Google Play Store” app from the list.

   

   Note: If you don’t see the Google Play Store app, click on the three dots in the top right corner and click on “Show System Apps”.

4. Click on “Storage” and select the “Clear Cache” option

   

5. Wait for the cache to be cleared and check to see if the issue persists.

Solution 2: Clear Data

In case clearing the cache doesn’t fix the issue, in this step, we will be clearing the data for the Google Play Store app. Clearing this data might prompt you to sign in to your account again but it won’t cause any other important data loss. To clear the data, just repeat the process indicated in the first method and opt for the “Clear Data” option instead of the “Clear Cache” one.

Solution 3: Uninstall Updates

If a certain update hasn’t been applied properly, it can prevent some important features of the application from working properly. Therefore, in this step, we will be uninstalling all updates to the Google Play Store application. For that:

1. Drag down the notifications panel and click on the “settings” icon.
2. Scroll down and click on “Applications”.
3. Click on “Apps” and click on the “Google Play Store” app from the list.

   

   Note: If you don’t see the Google Play Store app, click on the three dots in the top right corner and click on “Show System Apps”.

4. Click on the “Three Dots” in the top right corner and select the “Uninstall Updates” option.

   

5. Check to see if the issue persists.

Before moving on with the solutions, remove the SD card (after powering off your phone) and then power on your phone to check if that resolves the issue. If so, then make sure to transfer back the apps on the SD card (if installed on the SD card) to your internal storage. Also, check the Play Protect status (in the Google Play menu, tap on Play Protect). If it is showing some error or warning (e.g., Device is not Certified), clear that error/warning and then check if the Google Play works fine.

Solution 4: Update the OS of Your Device to the Latest Build

You may encounter the updates issue if the OS of your phone is outdated. In this case, updating the OS of your phone to the latest build may solve the problem. The instructions slightly may differ for different users (depending on the make and model of your phone).

1. Launch Settings of your phone and select About Phone.

   

2. Now open System Update and then tap on Check for Updates.

   

3. If an update of the OS is available, then apply it and reboot your phone.
4. Upon reboot, check if the Google Play’s updating issue is resolved.

Solution 5: Allow Google Play Store to Update on Any Network

You may fail to check for updates on Google Play if the Google Play Store is configured to update the apps on Wi-Fi only but you are trying to update the apps on a mobile network (or a Wi-Fi network considered by your device as mobile e.g., from a mobile broadband device). In this case, allowing the Google Play Store to update over any network may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Google Play Store and open its menu (by tapping the hamburger menu, near the top left).
2. Now, near the bottom of the menu, open Settings, and select Auto-Update Apps.

   

3. Then choose the option of ‘Over Any Network’ and tap on Done.

   

4. Then check if the Google Play’s updating error is resolved.

If the issue persists, then check if a VPN client can be used to update the Google Play apps.

Solution 6: Enable Notifications for Google Play

You may encounter the issue at hand if the Google Play Store is not allowed to show notifications on your screen. In this context, allowing the Google Play Store to show notifications on your screen may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Settings of your phone and open the Notifications Center.

   

2. Then select Google Play Store and disable the option of Block All.
3. Now disable the option of Show Silently and then reboot your phone.

   

4. Upon reboot, check if the Google Play is clear of the update error.

Solution 7: Adjust the Date/Time of Your Device

You may fail to update the apps on Google Play if the date/time of your phone is not properly configured (or set). In this case, properly configuring the date/time of your phone may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Settings of your phone and open Date & Time.
2. Now enable the options of Automatic Date & Time and Automatic Time Zone.
3. Then disable the option of Use of 24-Hour Format and then reboot your phone.

   

4. Upon reboot, check if Google Play is successfully updating the apps.

Solution 8: Grant All the Required Permissions to Google Play Store and Services

The Google Play Store may fail to update the apps if the permissions essential for the Google Play Store to operate are not configured properly. In this context, granting all the permissions required by the Google Play Store and Service may solve the problem. But before that, make sure ‘Google Play Services’ are updated to the latest build.

1. Clear the Cache and Data of the Google Play Store (as discussed above).
2. Then clear the Cache and Data (in Manage Space) of Google Play Services, Google Services Framework, and Google App.

   

3. Now reboot your device and upon reboot, launch the Settings of your phone.
4. Then select Apps and open Google Play Store.
5. Now select Permissions and make sure all the permissions are enabled.

   

6. Then repeat the same to enable all the permissions for the Google Play Services.
7. Now launch the Google Play Store and configure it (if asked to).
8. Then install a new app (e.g., Zoom or Skype) from the Play Store and then check if the updates issue is resolved.

   

9. If not, let the phone charge overnight and on the next morning, check if the updates are working fine.

Solution 9: Manually Update Some Apps in the Play Store

The issue at hand could be a temporary glitch of the Android OS and manually updating some of your phone’s apps may clear the glitch and thus solve the problem.

1. Launch the Play Store and search for any of your installed apps (in the search bar) e.g., Chrome.
2. Now update the App e.g., Chrome (if an update is available), and repeat the same to update some of the apps (preferably, apps by Google). You may update the apps in alphabetical order (or you can use the Reviews tab in the My Apps & Games section in the Play Store). You may try a 3^rd party application (like Update Software Fast Update for All Android) to update the apps.

   

3. After updating the apps, check if the Play Store’s updates issue is resolved.

Solution 10: Remove Some of the Apps from the Device

You may fail to update the apps in the Google Play Store if some of your phone’s apps are hindering the operation of the update modules of the Play Store (e.g., a corrupt installation of an app or an app has become incompatible with your device). In this case, removing some of the apps from your device may solve the problem.

Remove the Problematic Apps

1. Launch the Google Play Store and open its menu.
2. Now open My Apps & Games and steer to the Installed tab.

   

3. Then select Reviews and then uninstall the applications (in the Unreviewed or Posted tab) that are not essential or critical for you (some users reported that uninstalling Alexa, OnePlus Notes App or AdClear applications resolved the issue).

   

4. Now check if the updates issue is resolved.

Uninstall the Apps That Have not Been Updated for a Long Time

1. If the issue persists, then steer to the Installed tab of My Apps & Games in the Play Store (as discussed above).
2. Now change the sorting of ‘This Device by‘ to Last Updated and then scroll to the end of the list.

   

3. Then remove a few of the apps that have not been updated for a long update and check if the issue is resolved.

Remove the Incompatible Apps

1. If the issue is still there, then open all the installed apps one by one (you can try a 3^rd party app like Update Software List or List My Apps and export the apps list with the hyperlinks to their Play Store page as HTML. Then you can use that HTML in the Chrome browser of your phone to check for the apps one by one) in the Play Store and check if the app shows Open, Update, Enable, No Longer Compatible With The Device.

   

2. If Enable is shown, enable the app. If No Longer Compatible with The Device is shown, remove the app and then check if the updates issue is resolved.

   

Uninstall the Apps that Have Been Removed from the Play Store

1. If the issue persists, then launch Settings of your phone and open Apps.

   

2. Now open the installed app one by one and tap on App Details which will open the app’s page of the Play Store. Now check if the app is removed from the Play Store (the system’s apps might not show the App Details option). If so, then remove the app from your phone and check if it resolves the updates issue.

   

Solution 11: Remove Some of the Google Accounts from the Phone

You may encounter the issue at hand if any of your Google accounts are not properly configured (e.g., a password change on the account but the password of the problematic account did not update in the Accounts on the phone). In this scenario, removing some of the Google accounts for your device may solve the problem. Before proceedings, make sure to remove the Family Link (if installed) and also, check if you remember the password of the account. If you are using your phone to approve the sign-in to the account, then make sure you can use an alternate method (e.g., SMS to your registered phone number) to sing-in to the account.

Enable the Sync for the Google Play Store

1. Launch the Settings of your phone and open Accounts (you may have to look into More Settings).

   

2. Now, select Google and make sure all accounts are properly syncing to Google.

   

3. If there is an account that is not syncing, then tap on that account.
4. Now check if all the sync options are enabled, if not, then enable the Sync (especially related to Google Play) and check if that resolves the update issue.

   

Remove Some of the Accounts

1. If that did not do the trick or the account is not required, then tap on that account (in Settings>>Accounts>>Google) and then tap on the More button.
2. Now tap on Remove Account and then confirm to remove the account.

   

3. Then reboot your device and check if the updates issue is resolved.

Remove All the Google Accounts

1. If not, then remove all the Google Accounts (as discussed above) and reboot your device.
2. Upon reboot, re-add one of the accounts to the device and then check if the issue is resolved.
3. If that did not do the trick, then remove the account once again and reboot your device.
4. Upon reboot, create a new Gmail account (on the device) and use that account to sign-in to the device which hopefully, resolves the updates issue. If you want to use the old account on the device, then change the passwords of the old accounts and then add them to the device.

If the issue persists, then you may have to perform a full factory reset of your device.