Fix: Google Play Store keeps checking for updates

Google Play Store changed a lot since its introduction almost 12 years ago. And, being an essential part of the Android ecosystem, the classic Android experience is unimaginable without the Store. Now, this app (it is an app at the end of the day) usually works without issues. However, recent user reports state that the Google Play Store keeps checking for updates without actually installing any.

Affected users usually encounter this error whenever they open the Play Store as certain apps are perpetually updated but the process never ends. We made sure to learn more about the problem and provide you with some applicable solutions in the list below.

Table of contents:

1. Clear cache and data from the Play Store
2. Check the network
3. Reset the Google Play Store
4. Reset Google Play Services
5. Sign out and sign in again with your Google Account
6. Reset your device to factory settings

Google Play Store says Error Checking for updates

There are multiple reasons why the Google Play Store keeps checking for updates. To fix it, we suggest clearing cache and data from the Store or uninstalling updates.

If that doesn’t help, there are a few more steps here you should try.

Solution 1 – Clear cache and data from the Play Store

The first step to try is to clear the cache and data from the Play Store app within System Settings. Cached data might cause issues with the Play Store, especially if some significant changes are made to the Store recently via background updates.

Follow these instructions to clear cache and data from the Google Play Store:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Apps.
3. Then open All apps or App Manager.
4. Tap on the 3-dot menu and choose to Show system processes.
5. Locate the Google Play Store and open it.
6. Open Storage.
7. Clear all data and restart your device.

If the Google Play Store keeps checking for updates after this step, move to the next one.

Solution 2 – Check the network

The unstable network is usually not the primary reason for errors like this one, but it’s worth checking it out. We’ll need you to ensure that your device is connected to a stable network. This can be tested within any other app that uses network connectivity (e.g. Chrome).

If your Wi-Fi network is not working properly, try these troubleshooting steps to fix it:

• Disable and re-enable Wi-Fi.
• Disable VPN or Proxy.
• Restart your device and router/modem.
• Enable Airplane mode and disable it after a minute or so.
• Reset the Network settings.
• Check out our articles about Wi-Fi and data issues on Android for more solutions.

Additionally, if you are using Mobile Data to navigate through the Store and download/update apps, make sure to check the in-app Settings and allow Downloads over any network.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Play Store. If it doesn’t open, boot your device in Safe mode. To access the Safe mode, press the Power button. Tap and hold on to the on-screen Reboot button until you get the Safe mode prompt. Then tap Safe mode and your device will restart and boot without active third-party apps and services.
2. Tap on the Profile icon.
3. Open Settings.
4. Under the App download preference, select Over any network.

Solution 3 – Reset the Google Play Store

If the previous steps failed to address the issue and the Google Play Store still keeps checking for updates, we recommend resetting the Google Play Store. On basically all stock ROMs out there, users can’t reinstall the Store. What you can do, on the other hand, is reset all updates and wait until the app updates again on its own.

Follow these instructions to reset the Google Play Store by uninstalling its updates:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Google Play Store.
2. Tap on the 3-dots menu and Uninstall updates. After that, reboot your device.
3. Connect to Wi-Fi, open Play Store, and check for updates again.

Solution 4 – Reset Google Play Services

Besides tackling the Google Play Store, you can also reset Google Play Services which are associated with the integration of all Google apps within the Android system. First, you should clear the cache and data. Alternatively, you can reset the app by uninstalling its updates.

Follow these instructions to clear cached data from Google Play Services or reset it by uninstalling updates:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Apps.
3. Then, expand all apps or open App manager/Manage apps (it depends on the phone’s Android skin).
4. Once there, tap on the 3-dot menu and tap Show system processes. This will add hidden system apps and services to the app list.
5. Now, locate the Google Play Services and open it.
6. Tap Storage.
7. Select Manage storage.
8. Finally, clear all data.
9. Do the same for Google Services Framework and restart your device.

You can also try some of the steps we listed in this article dedicated to Google Play Services-related issues.

Solution 5 – Sign out and sign in again with your Google Account

The next step to try if the issue persists is to log out of your Google Account (or remove it) and log in again. It’s a long shot but it won’t cost you anything to give it a try. Don’t forget to reboot your device after removing the Google Account but, before that, make sure to create a backup to Google Drive.

With that in mind, here’s how to remove and add Google Account on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Accounts.
3. Choose Google.
4. Remove Google Account and restart your device.
5. Get back to Settings > Accounts and sign in with your Google Account.

Solution 6 – Reset your device to factory settings

Finally, if none of the previous solutions helped you out with the problem at hand, we can only suggest resetting your device to factory settings. This especially applies to users who started getting the error when upgrading to Android 10. Don’t forget to back up everything on your device before performing the factory reset.

Follow these instructions to reset your Android device to factory settings:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose System or General management.
3. Open Reset options or Reset.
4. Choose Erase all data (factory reset).

And, on that note, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to tell us about alternative solutions or post questions about the ones we listed. You can share your thoughts in the comments section below or reach us on Facebook and Twitter.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in March 2020. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.