How to Fix Google Play Store Waiting for Download

To install an application on your Android phone, you need to visit the Google Play Store. It is the marketplace for all the applications that you commonly need on your Smartphone device. Not only installing a new application, but you should also visit Google Play Store to update the existing applications.

google play store waiting for download

Though Google Play works smoothly, sometimes it shows a few bugs and technical glitches. For example, a download error may happen during the download or update of an app. Unable to download from Play Store is such an issue.

What should you do when Google Play Store stuck at waiting for download? How to resolve pending download error?

In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix Google Play Store waiting for download.

Sound’s good? Let’s get started.

How to Fix Google Play Store Waiting for Download

1. Restart Your Phone

If you find a “Google Store waiting for download” error, you need to wait for a while. If Google Store can resume the download process, the error message will disappear automatically. But, sometimes the issue does not get resolved. Hence, the error message keeps appearing on your phone’s screen annoyingly.

To remove this message, you need to restart your phone. After restarting the device, you will find that the error message has disappeared. You can open Google Store and continue to your pending downloads.

2. Check Internet Connectivity

You get the message “Google Store waiting for download” for many reasons, and an internet connection error is such a reason. When there is a problem with the internet connection, a download error occurs.

To fix the internet connection problem, you need to check the network connectivity. If your phone is connected via Wi-Fi internet, you need to check the status of the internet connection of your Wi-Fi.

3. Availability of Storage Space

When you download an application, it needs adequate storage space on your device. If storage is not adequately available, you can encounter a pending download error with Google Store.

To resolve the problem, you need to create free space on your device. Files that are not required can be deleted to create free space. Alternatively, you can move all your files to a backup disk. Once there is free space, downloading process will happen smoothly.

4. Correct Date and Time

Due to error in date and time settings, download error can happen. Until you fix the date and time error, you will encounter pending download issue on your Google Play Store. To change the date and time, you need to follow the steps below.

  • Tap on Settings on your phone and go to the system.
  • Under the system, you need to tap on the date and time.
  • Turn on the option “automatic date and time”.
  • Now, you need to restart your phone.
  • After restart, you will find that date and time of your device have been fixed.
  • Once you see the correct date and time, you need to open Google Play Store to continue the download.

5. Inspect Application Download Preference

On many Android devices, you will get default Wi-Fi download settings on downloading the applications. Due to this default setting, you cannot download an app using internet service on your cell phone’s network.

You will get three bars at the left-hand top corner on your Google Play Store screen. You have to click on that icon and tap settings from the menu. Under Settings, you will find an option “app download preference”. Tap on the option and change the default setting into “over any network”.

6. Disable Auto Update

Google Play Store gives you the option to update your application automatically. This option is good for keeping the apps on your phone updated. But, it can also create a few complications. When automatic update is going on, you will find difficulty on downloading a new application on Google Play Store.

Due to this reason, you can encounter a download pending error. So, you need to turn off the automatic update feature, while downloading a new application on your device.

7. Clear Cache and Cookies

As you keep accessing the internet via your device, you will find an accumulation of cookies and cache files. You should clean these files occasionally to keep your device at an optimal performing state. For cleaning cache files, you need to have a good phone cleaning application. Once you clean the cache files, the pending download error will disappear.

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Posted by
Dharmesh Donda

iStaunch is written by Dharmesh Donda, an avid Internet geek, IT professional since 2012. Have been in IT industry for more than a decade, and currently doing management and consulting work have taken a plunge into entrepreneurship.