Fix Play Store Download pending error in 5 steps

With a simple online inquiry, we can see that the Google Play Store has a variety of isolated issues, some coming with a bit confusing codes. One common Play Store error is the Download pending error, where the downloading/updating gets stuck for some users.

Continue reading to find out how to solve this problem without the hassle below.

Table of contents:

1. Check the network and use Mobile Data
2. Clear Cache and Data from Google Play Store and Downloads
3. Uninstall Play Store updates
4. Wipe cache partition data
5. Reset your device to factory settings

Why is my Google Play Store download stuck on pending?

This problem is seemingly quite common and, along with some recent reports, it goes a couple of years back. There are a couple of reasons why the Play Store keeps saying Download pending when updating or downloading apps. Piled-up cache or connectivity issues are the most usual.

Firstly, check the network and mobile data usage. After that clear local data from Play Store

If you are stuck with this issue, make sure to check the steps we provided for you. You should be able to get things moving fast after following our instructions.

Solution 1 – Check the network and use Mobile Data

Firstly, we recommend inspecting connection, disabling VPN or Proxy, and, alternatively, trying to switch to Mobile Data and download or update apps that way. Play Store will keep apps in a queue if the connection fails and proceed to download the next time it connects.

If you can connect to Wi-Fi and use other connection-dependant apps, but the problem persists, continue to the next step. On the other hand, if you can’t connect, try these steps to fix connection issues on Android:

• 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.

If none of these solutions worked, check out our articles dedicated to Wi-Fi and mobile data issues on Android for more workarounds.

Solution 2 – Clear Cache and Data from Google Play Store and Downloads

Moving on, we suggest clearing cache and data from the Google Play Store and the Downloads app. This is probably the most commonly suggested solution, although users are not happy about clearing data every time to fix this error.

However, we are looking at a confirmed solution, so make sure to give it a try. Follow these instructions to clear the Cache and Data from Google Play Store and Downloads:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Apps and then Apps Manager or Manage apps.
3. Tap on the 3-dot menu and ensure that System apps are shown as well.
4. Locate and tap the Google Play Store.
5. Choose Storage.
6. Clear Data and confirm when prompted.
7. Now, locate Download Manager  (or just Downloads) and Google Play Services.
8. Clear Data from these two, as well.
9. Reboot your device and check for improvements.

Solution 3 – Uninstall Play Store updates

If the previous step isn’t solving the problem for you, make sure to uninstall all updates from Play Store. That way, the associated services will reset and, once the Google Play Store gets updated again, you shouldn’t have Download pending issues anymore.

Here’s how to uninstall Play Store updates on Android:

1. Open Settings > Apps > App Manager or Manage Apps > Google Play Store.
2. Tap Uninstall updates and reboot your device.
3. Connect to a network and install updates again.
4. Look for improvements when downloading or updating apps.

Solution 4 – Wipe cache partition data

If the app itself isn’t the problem, chances are that we are looking at a system-wide issue. The first thing to do when system issues occur is to wipe cache partition data from the Recovery mode. This won’t delete your data, just remove all system cache, temporary files, and logs.

Follow these steps to wipe cache partition data and resolve the Download pending error on the Play Store:

1. Power off your device.
2. Press and hold the Power button + Volume Up until the MI welcome screen appears. Let go of the Power button and keep holding the Volume Up button.
3. Once you get into the Recovery mode, use the Volume buttons to get to the Wipe Cache Partition option. Press the Power button to confirm the selection.

Solution 5 – Reset your device to factory settings

Finally, if none of the previous steps helped you and the issue with updating/downloading apps persist, we can only suggest resetting your device to factory settings. It’s important to back up your data (photos and other multimedia files) because this procedure will wipe out the internal storage. For more info about factory resetting your phone, check out this article.

If you are uncertain how to reset your device, follow the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose System.
3. Open Backup & reset.
4. Choose Erase all data (factory reset).
5. Tap Erase all data and confirm the selection when prompted.

With that said, we can conclude this article. We thank you for reading and sincerely hope that these steps helped you address the Download pending issue on Play Store. Also, if you have anything to add or take, we encourage you to post it in the comments section below or reach to us on Twitter or Facebook.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2019. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.