Whether you can’t even see an app, found it but can’t download it, or the app won’t install, we’re here to help. Hi Mi Fans,Can’t download some apps on Google Play? This is frustrating, especially when other apps work just fine. Knowing this will help you check on an app’s availability. However, if you search the Play Store’s web interface, you’ll see all available apps on the platform. Note that when you search the Play Store on your phone, it will only show apps compatible with your device. Hopefully it’s an easy fix, but a lot of the time, the app won’t work until you get a new device. Now that we’ve explained why some apps don’t show in the Play Store or let you download them, you should understand why the app you want to download is incompatible with your device.
You shouldn’t bother forcing an install or switching to a new device unless you really want a particular app. The good news is that most of these manufacturer-specific apps have alternatives that are often better anyway. If the app has a manufacturer name in its title, it might not be compatible with other devices. As an example, the Samsung Music app is on the Play Store, but won’t install on a Pixel 4. Some apps are (supposedly) designed to take advantage of features that are only available on that company’s devices. Unfortunately, Android’s fragmentation means that your old device will probably never see another update.Ī less common reason you can’t find an app in the Play Store is that it’s intended only for devices from certain manufacturers.
Almost nobody uses ancient Android versions (such as Jelly Bean) anymore, so it makes no sense for developers to keep supporting them. Like desktop software, it’s difficult to keep Android apps backwards-compatible for versions released many years ago. Much more common, however, is the developer deciding on the oldest version of Android the app will support as a cutoff point. There’s no point in allowing you to install the app if that’s the case. If an app relies on one of these features that you don’t have, it may not work at all. Every new major version of Android comes with a handful of new features and improvements that apps can take advantage of.
Scroll down, and you’ll find it as Requires Android in the Additional Information section. To check this, visit the app’s page on Google Play’s web interface. In addition to the hardware requirements discussed above, many apps also have software requirements in the form of your phone’s Android version.
If you’ve moved recently, you may need to update your region setting in the Google Play Store to access compatible apps. If you’re not sure why an app is region-restricted, it’s worth reaching out to the developers to ask. This prevents negative reviews from confused users and makes sure they’re testing with the right people. In other cases, an app may only service certain locations in its early stages, so the owner decides to limit who can download it. Another example is Hulu, which is only available in the US. Even if you force the app to install by sideloading it, you won’t be able to create an account or use the bank’s services anyway. This could be due to government restrictions, but more than likely, it’s a decision by the developers to filter out people who can’t use their app anyway.įor example, there’s little point to installing an app for a US-only bank if you live in Australia. Another common explanation when you can’t find an app on Google Play is that it doesn’t work in your region of the world.