“Transaction cannot be completed” in Play Store – Top 5 fixes

Besides Google Play Store direct purchases, most in-app purchases go through Google Pay services, as well. Purchasing things with the right credentials and properly set debit cards is quite a simple task. You can also use Google Play Credits to purchase apps, and games, OR make in-app purchases. However, some users are experiencing the “Transaction cannot be completed” error in Google Play Store whenever they want to purchase something. Sometimes the full error is “Your transaction cannot be completed. To proceed, please submit the required documents by completing this form” when users try to use Google Play Gift Cards. Here’s what to do about that.

1. Make sure you have enough funds
2. Clear Google Play Store and Services cache
3. Remove and add the Payment method again
4. Reinstall the third-party app which bothers you
5. Remove your Google Account and add it again

Why can’t I purchase apps or pay for subscriptions on Google Play Store?

If you can’t purchase apps on Google Play Store, you can usually fix the problem with these steps:

• Add some funds to your Google Play Credit or the debit/credit card listed as the payment method.
• Disable VPN/Proxy on your Android.
• Clear data from Google Play Store and Google Play Services.
• Remove and add the Payment method again.
• Remove your Google account and add it again.

1. Make sure you have enough funds

The first and obvious step is to confirm that you indeed have enough funds for the purchase to be made. Also, if you repeatedly enter the wrong credentials while purchasing something, Google Play might block the purchase for a short period. Also, confirm that the debit or credit card is eligible for Google Pay.

If you’re using a fingerprint instead of the password for Google Play purchases, make sure to try it out a couple of times or use the Google Account password instead.

2. Clear Google Play Store and Services cache

On Android, like in any other system, the dedicated apps store all kinds of data. Now, this is fine and it eliminates the need to configure everything every time you use it. Google Play Store and Google Play Services store your payment methods, so you can buy any app, game, album, or book, with a few taps.

However, the cached data tends to get corrupt, thus the payment might fail. That’s why we suggest clearing the cache for both aforementioned apps and looking for improvements.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Apps (Apps Manager).
3. Open the Google Play Store app and then Storage.
4. Clear cache.
5. Open Google Play Services and open Storage and then Clear the cache.
6. Restart your device and try making purchases again.

If the “Transaction cannot be completed” error message reappears, make sure to continue through the list.

3. Remove and add the Payment method again

If one payment method won’t work, you can, if available, add an alternate payment method. On the other hand, if you have only one card you can rely on, re-establishing the Payment method in Google Pay can help clear the error.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Tap on the hamburger menu in the left top corner and open Account.
3. Choose Payment methods.
4. Tap More payment settings.
5. Remove the current payment method and restart your device.
6. Repeat the path and tap Add credit or debit card.
7. Enter your credentials again and try purchasing with that payment method again.

4. Reinstall the third-party app which bothers you

The next possible solution is reserved for the error appearing in the third-party app’s interface. Some apps offer premium services and features that can be bought in the app. Google Pay is also utilized here, so the problem might be singled out to the app, instead of being a general issue.

When this happens, we recommend reinstalling the troublesome app and installing it again. After that, try upgrading to premium features again and look for changes.

Here’s how to reinstall the app with a few simple steps:

1. Open the App drawer or App menu.
2. Tap and drag the app to the top and uninstall it.
3. Navigate to the Play Store and install the app again.
4. Try making in-app purchases again and look for improvements.

5. Remove your Google Account and add it again

Finally, you can try to remove the Google Account and add it again. This will reset various services and, hopefully, address the problem with the Transaction cannot be completed error.

Here’s how to remove and add your Google Account again on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Accounts.
3. Select Google.
4. Remove the account.
5. Restart your device.
6. Sign in with your account again.

That’s it. If you’re still getting the “Transaction cannot be completed” error in Google Play, we encourage you to post your problem to a dedicated forum thread or fill out the report on Google’s support center and get a support response. Hopefully, the next transaction you try will be accepted by Google.  Also, don’t forget to share alternative solutions or post questions in the comments section below. Your feedback is more than welcome.

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in September 2018. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.