For questions related to Google's official content store for Android devices. Please note that questions related to publishing, registering, or otherwise interacting with the Play Store in a development capacity are off-topic.
38
votes
9answers
46k views
How can I download an APK file from the Play Store?
I can't download apps from the Play Store on my Android device (maybe due to a network issue), so I'm wondering how could I download the APK file of an app on my PC from http://play.google.com/store?
33
votes
5answers
805 views
Is there any app for Stack Exchange?
Is there any app available in the Android Market for Stack Exchange sites?
30
votes
5answers
2k views
How Do I Know Which Google Account is Used for the Market?
So far I've never purchased anything from the Market but just installed free apps. Now, I'd like to purchase an app and I want to make sure the Market is using the correct Google account, since I have ...
29
votes
7answers
20k views
Can I use multiple Android devices with a single Google account?
Surprisingly I haven't found a satisfactory answer for this in a FAQ somewhere or anything.
I have a Motorola Droid (with froyo, if it matters)
I am thinking about getting a Samsung Galaxy Tab.
...
27
votes
6answers
2k views
How to search the Play Store by permissions?
How do I specify that I do not wish to see apps that require for example internet access? Or to only show apps that use a specific permission?
A specific repository with search on its webpage? An app ...
22
votes
1answer
1k views
Why does the Google Authenticator app have “obsolete” in its title on Play Store?
Why does the Google Authenticator app have "obsolete" in its title on Play Store?
Does it work? Can I still use it for two-factor authentication? Is there a preferred method?
22
votes
2answers
8k views
How to remove device(s) from My Market Account?
I know I can choose "Hidden in menus" and never see the devices again when I install a application. But I don't want my old mobile phones display in my account settings anymore. I have sold those ...
20
votes
5answers
24k views
How can I get apps from the Amazon app store from an unsupported region?
Currently, the Amazon app store appears to be US-only. Similar to How do I use the US Android Market, I want to know: How can I use the US Amazon Appstore?
Market Enabler doesn't seem to work, and ...
20
votes
2answers
2k views
How to hide updates from market?
I have an app that has updates that reduce the functionality of the app. Is it possible to hide the updates so that I can use the "update all" feature, or update all apps from the list without ...
19
votes
2answers
642 views
How can I buy an app that isn't supported on my (current) device?
As you may know, the official Android Market is in the process of having a sale, charging only 10 cents for a bunch of apps for 10 days. They're going to pick 10 new apps each day, so the apps for ...
18
votes
4answers
6k views
Move paid apps between devices?
I have an android phone(1) on 2.3.3 and a tablet(2) on preorder that will be on 3. (And a bad gadget habit.)
Can I, when the tablet arrives, uninstall paid apps on the phone and install them on the ...
17
votes
3answers
2k views
Can I re-install a purchased app from the Android market?
I've successfully purchased an app from the Market via my Android phone. It's currently too large for my internal memory (still running 2.1), so can I uninstall it and then re-install it at a later ...
17
votes
6answers
3k views
Can I install apps on phone without using the Android Market?
I have this Huawei Device that does not come with the Android Market installed.
Is there any work-around for this? As in how can I install Android Apps without the Android Market?
Is there a way to ...
17
votes
2answers
13k views
How can I install the Google Apps Package (Play Store, …) on my Android device?
I have recently installed a custom ROM and cannot find the Play Store. It seems like all apps that belong to Google are missing.
How can I install the Google Apps Package (Play Store, ...) on my ...
17
votes
3answers
1k views
Can I set the schedule for automatic Market updates, e.g. every night?
Is there a way to schedule when the Market updates my installed apps? Ideally I would like to run it late every night, that way I won't have to be bothered with them when I'm actually using the phone.
...
16
votes
3answers
535 views
Why can't I download games, apps, etc from any site except the Official Android Market?
Every time I try to download any of the games I love from any site except the Android Market, my phone tells me that the settings are set to not allow unknown apps to be run on my phone.
By the way I ...
16
votes
2answers
736 views
Security of Paid apps in Google Play?
What measures does Google takes to ensure that paid apps that are downloaded do not get spread for free? Currently I see a possibility that can leak out a large number of apps:
Someone pays to ...
16
votes
3answers
2k views
How can I get the Android Market installed on my Kindle Fire?
There are a couple of apps I'd like to install that aren't available in Amazon's store. Is there a way I can get the normal Android Market app set up on this thing, so I can get apps (and updates for ...
16
votes
1answer
9k views
How does Google Play's “Market license check” work?
About a month ago I bought a game called Whale Trail during a sale on Google Play. Today, when I tried to play the game on the subway, it asked to verify the game's license, and failing to do so ...
16
votes
2answers
2k views
Stolen phone: is changing your GMail password enough?
My Galaxy phone got stolen today. Of course I blocked my SIM card and changed my password for GMail (and went to the police) but is this enough? Could the person that stole my phone still log in to ...
15
votes
3answers
65k views
How to change the account for Android Market?
I use two Google accounts and add them to . Let's say acc1 and acc2. When I try to buy an app in the Market, it chooses acc1's Checkout account, and I don't see an option to change to acc2. Can I use ...
15
votes
2answers
1k views
What happens with the installed apps when you switch Google Account on a phone?
I am going to buy a new Android phone.
I would like to give my current one to my wife when I do this. She already owns an Android phone so she has her own Google account.
I am just wondering what ...
14
votes
4answers
3k views
How to remove apps from “all downloaded” in Play Store
In the new Android Market/Play Store (3.5.15) they have now got a list of "all downloaded" apps.
I have had an android phone for a good 2/3 years now and the list is huge, plus sightly more ...
14
votes
1answer
386 views
How are the Android Market ratings (stars) calculated?
I was looking at the reviews for an application which was rated as 3.5 stars in the summary.
From reading the reviews, there were few 5's a lot of 1's and very little in between. My "gorilla math" ...
14
votes
5answers
9k views
Can't buy any paid apps on Google Play store, shows “An error occurred. Please try again.”
On my Nexus 7, I keep getting
An error occurred. Please try again.
Over and over when attempting to buy any paid apps on the Google Play store. It works fine for free apps, but always returns ...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
How do you link to applications in the Android market?
When posting app links, I'm always using a link on Cyrket or AppBrain -- becuase I can't get a link to anything in the official Android Market.
But I have seen some links out there for use w/ Android ...
14
votes
2answers
1k views
Restrict market updates to WiFi network
In order to save some volume on my data plan, I'd like to limit updates from the market to the times when I'm connected to a WiFi. And as every good geek, I want this to be automated, in other words, ...
14
votes
2answers
177 views
How can I see a list of my unrated apps?
It's important to me to provide feedback on the apps I use.
However, I don't remember which apps I already rated, and I find myself checking my apps one by one to find the ones I haven't rated yet.
...
13
votes
2answers
518 views
Is it “safe” to provide users with the apk file?
I was wondering, if I have an app that is available on the Play Store, is it "safe" to provide a direct download of the apk file to someone (either signed with the proper keys, or just debug-version)?
...
13
votes
3answers
489 views
Alternatives to the Android Market [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the alternative Android app markets?
I've had issues downloading paid applications from the Android Market and it seems I'm not the only one. I've set up my ...
13
votes
2answers
132 views
Where can I find out when I installed an app?
Is there a Play Store log file?
Or should I be looking where apps are installed on the phone for time/date stamps?
12
votes
2answers
1k views
Wi-Fi icon next to apps in android market
In Android market some app have a Wi-Fi icon next to them.
Some examples are Cordy, Fieldrunners HD, Flight Control, Where's My Water?, Wind-up Knight, World of Goo.
What dose it mean that these apps ...
12
votes
3answers
266 views
Search on Android Market website?
Am I just blind or is there no "search" option on Android Market (??) if you go to the website from your desktop computer? If not, should I use some 3rd party search engine for the Market or should I ...
12
votes
1answer
1k views
Why do some of my apps show “Update” and some show “Update (manual)”?
When I go into the Market app and into my downloads list I can see that 5 of my apps have an available update.
Three of the apps say "Update" in orange, and two of them say "Update (manual)" in dark ...
12
votes
1answer
1k views
Why are some apps on the market incompatible with my device?
I own a Motorola Flipout, Android 2.1 stock ROM. According to the market the app "Handyticket Deutschland" is not compatible with my phone. The required Android version is 1.5 or above. How can I tell ...
12
votes
2answers
188 views
Are there any side effects of uninstalling Apps
Are there any side effects of Installing and uninstalling lots of apps on an Android smart phone?
Specifically are there any things that do not get cleaned up that I need to be aware off?
12
votes
2answers
3k views
Can I see my Play Store wishlist on the web?
Google Play store recently gained a long-awaited wishlist feature in the 3.9.16 version of the application. I was wondering whether the wishlist could be modified from the web version of the Play ...
12
votes
1answer
651 views
What is a “Top Developer” in Google Play?
When I see "Top Developer" in Google Play, what does that mean exactly?
12
votes
1answer
5k views
Is there a way to trick the Android Market into thinking I'm using a different device do I can download protected apps?
I have an unrooted Archos 70IT with the market add-on app and there's a number of apps that I can find in the Market on my Droid but not on my Archos. They are likely "protected apps" which can only ...
12
votes
1answer
148 views
Market / catalog for free non-ad apps?
Is there a market or catalog dedicated to apps (open source or not) that are free and don't contain ads? I find them hard to search for on the standard markets.
Please note: I'm not looking for a way ...
12
votes
1answer
559 views
Can I purchase apps from Android Market without installing them?
There's currently a promo on the top 10 applications, available at barrel-bottom prices. I'd like to purchase them but not install them just yet. My phone is low on internal storage and there's just ...
12
votes
7answers
24k views
How can I turn off the “allow automatic updating” for **all** apps?
Recently Google started to check the “allow automatic updating” for their apps without being asked, which I hate. I have to deactivate it for each app separately.
But more importantly this pushed ...
12
votes
1answer
8k views
Is there a way to clear your Google Play App history? (Not the search history) [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to remove apps from “all downloaded” in Play Store
I'm looking to see if there is a way to clear the actual history of installed apps in Google Play, as ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Is There A Way To Be Notified About Google Play (Android Marketplace) Discounts?
Is there a website or even Android app that keeps its subscribers updated of any possible promotions/discounts going on at Google Play (previously Android Market)? I hate to miss the train.
11
votes
3answers
305 views
Are there any features/functions that appbrain.com has that the new market.android.com doesn't?
Are there any features/functions that Appbrain has that the new market.android.com doesn't? If it does, what are they?
11
votes
1answer
690 views
How can I give away a free copy of my paid app? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to gift my paid application to some people
I am an app developer and I have a paid app. I'd like to give one free copy to a specific person. Is this possible to do, ...
11
votes
3answers
6k views
How do I remove a review I've written from the Android Market app?
How do I delete a review that I have written from the Android Market?
Somewhere in Google's issue tracking software someone has raised this issue (I've lost the link, sorry), and the answer given was ...
11
votes
2answers
11k views
How can I circumvent regional restrictions in the Android Market?
I'm travelling to country X. I want to install an application which isn't available in my country, but is available in country X; but I prefer to download and install it in advance, while the data ...
11
votes
0answers
759 views
How do I remove an app from the “My Android Apps” page? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to remove apps from “all downloaded” in Play Store
I have a bunch of apps that I tried before then uninstalled. Now they're showing up on ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Are there any specific advantages to using the Amazon Android App Store over the Google Android Market?
Is the new Amazon Android App Store just another marketplace or are there any specific features or benefits that the Google Android Market doesn't have?
