As most of you already know, Samsung devices run on Android operating system, therefore they usually have certain standard Google applications preinstalled, such as Google search, Gmail, Hangouts and the most important, Google Play Store. But you might get a Samsung smartphone or tablet and be surprised that, for some strange reason, the apps you expected to find are not there!
There’s no arguing that you will want (maybe even need) to have Google Play Store on your Samsung Android device. It’s essential for downloading whatever you might think of from its mind blowing variety of applications, games, movies, music, and other entertainment content.
Generally, depending on other sites and app markets instead of Play Store hugely limits your device’s capabilities because access to some of these applications won’t be possible. Or at the very least, you’ll need to search for each application’s file online, and it will take a lot longer to download apps this way.
And unfortunately, you’ll miss out on using the nice Play Store features, its interface, browsing apps by category, searching for similar apps, etc., and you even run the risk of getting a download that’s been contaminated with malware. Google Play Store is definitely the way to go.
Why doesn’t my Samsung device have Google Play Store?
Almost all new Samsung devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S series, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Ace, etc., come with the Play Store application preinstalled. But there are some reasons why some Samsung devices do not have Play Store preinstalled when you buy them.
One reason might be that the device was rooted and Play Store was uninstalled from the device, but don’t this doesn’t happen by accident, so chances are this is not your problem.
Second hand Samsung device
Buying a second hand Samsung device would be another possible reason, as the person who sold it may have had it rooted and then wiped the whole thing clean before shipping it to you.
Samsung device from markets like China
And the most probable reason is buying a Samsung device from overseas markets like China at a deep discount. Most of these cheap Samsung devices are usually not official products, so they don’t have the Google certificate either.
It is noteworthy that the Google certificate is what makes the Google Play Store app and other standard apps come preinstalled on Samsung devices. Thus, a “clone, as these unofficial devices are sometimes called, will not come with Play Store.
How to download Google Play Store on my Samsung?
Fortunately, downloading Google Play Store on your Samsung is an easy thing to do. It’s free, and will be done in the blink of an eye. And most importantly, the Play Store app will function perfectly as if nothing was ever wrong.
First, you need to use the Internet browser on your Samsung device to find the Play Store Android file, named “Play Store APK”. You can find a free, secure Play Store download link in this post; just tap the download link to get the download started.
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But there is something very important to do to make this Play Store download work. Before installing the downloaded file, you need to go to settings of your Samsung and allow application downloads from places other than the Play Store. Just enter security settings by going to Settings > Security, and select “Unknown sources”.
You have another option for downloading Play Store on your Samsung device in case you have no internet connection or cellular data available. It’s quite simple; just download the same Play Store APK file to your computer, connect your Samsung smartphone or tablet to the PC with its USB cable, and transfer the APK file to the device. See? Really easy!
Installing Google Play Store on Samsung
Now, when your Play Store APK is downloaded on the device, open the downloaded file by tapping the notifications bar that says “Download complete” (if downloaded directly on the device), or find it by using the file manager app.
Once the file is open, you will go through a few steps to install Play Store to your Samsung device (your device will walk you through the process – basically you just have to tap “Install” and accept the app’s permissions), and you will need your Google account information to log into the Play Store.
And that’s all it takes to download the official Play Store app on your Samsung. Now you can access all of the apps, games, media and more of the content available in the Google Play Store, without having to worry about malicious application files, and you’ll enjoy all the speed and power of your Samsung device.
You can now search for and download your favorite games, some useful apps that bring you closer to you friends or find some lifestyle apps that make doing unlimited things more fun, easy, active and creative.
You can get apps, games, and digital content for your device using the Google Play Store app. The Play Store app comes pre-installed on Android devices that support Google Play, and can be downloaded on some Chromebooks.
If you have issues locating the Play Store app, or opening, loading or downloading content in the app, it could be due to a number of reasons. To troubleshoot these issues, try the following topics:
I can't find the Play Store App The Play Store doesn't open or load any content Downloads from the Play Store don't work
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
The Google Play Store gets frequent updates, which is great news. The not-so-great news is that it can take weeks, or for some people even longer, to get the latest iteration. The basic functionality never changes, so being stuck on an older version isn’t all that bad. However, we understand the urge to get the latest and greatest version on your device. Looking to update Google Play Store on your device? Here’s how.
Please note that this is just for downloading and installing the Google Play Store on Google Android devices. For non-Google Android devices, such as the Amazon Fire Tablet, you’ll need to install Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, and Google Play Services as well as the Play Store.
Read more: How to install third-party apps without the Google Play Store
How to update the Google Play Store
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Here’s how to update the Google Play Store to get the latest version if it’s already installed on your device:
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile picture in the top right corner and tap Settings.
- Tap the About drop-down menu.
- Finally, tap the Update Play Store button.
- If your Play Store needs an update, you’ll get an update. Otherwise, it’ll tell you that your Play Store is up-to-date.
This is the easiest and most efficient way to get the latest Google Play Store version. Generally speaking, it should be up to date all the time since it does update in the background. However, this is the easiest method to make sure.
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
This method only works on devices running Android 8.0 Oreo or later. Please note that you’ll also need Google Play Services installed for the Play Store to function properly.
- Check your current version (if updating) – Head into the Play Store, tap your profile picture, and enter the Settings. Tap the About section, and you can find the Play Store version there.
- Download APKMirror Installer – This app helps you install APKs downloaded from APKMirror. Tap here to head to the Play Store and download it.
- Download a Google Play Store APK – Your best bet for this is APKMirror since it is a reliable and trustworthy source. You can find Google Play Store APKs here. Use your current version as a reference to find the latest version.
- Install APKMirror Installer – You’ll need this to install any modern APK you get from APKMirror. Luckily, it’s free in the Play Store here.
- Install the Google Play Store – Open the APKMirror Installer and select the Browse Files option. Find the APK you downloaded and tap it. Tap the “Install package” option and then select to watch an ad and install.
- Deal with permissions – Finally, Android will open up the Install Unknown Apps prompt. Tap APKMirror Installer to give it permission to install the APK. Tap the back button to head back to the app.
- Finish installing the Play Store – The installer will then run and install the Google Play Store.
That should be the whole process. There are a lot of versions of the Google Play Store, and some are even for other devices like Android TV or Wear OS. If the installation doesn’t work, double-check that you have the correct APK version and that you have the version that supports your device.
Alternate method for pre-Android 8.0 Oreo
Pre-Android 8.0 Oreo devices have a different way of performing the above tasks. They are almost the same, but in a different order, and you have to do a couple of things differently. We can’t imagine anyone needing this part of the tutorial, but again, we’ll keep it here for posterity.
- Deal with permissions – Head into your phone settings, then to Security. From there, tick the box next to the Unknown sources option. This setting allows you to sideload APKs.
- Figure out which version you need (if updating) – Open your Play Store, go into the Settings, and find your current version.
- Download a Google Play Store APK – Use the link above to APKMirror to find yourself a Google Play Store APK. Make sure to double-check with your current version to get the correct one.
- Install APKMirror Installer – You can tap here to head to the Play Store and download it.
- Install the Google Play Store – Open APKMirror Installer, use the Browse Files option to find your APK download, and install it. Since you already dealt with permissions earlier, it should install immediately.
- Didn’t work? Try this – Download a file browser (any will do). Open the file browser, proceed to your download folder, and try installing it from there. Newer APK files come in bundles and require some weirdness to install, hence the APKMirror Installer. However, if you’re still on very old versions of the Play Store, they may still be original APKs and you can install those from any file browser.
Much like the previous section, if the installation fails, it’s most likely due to an incompatible APK. Double-check your version and try downloading a different APK file.
Up next: The best third-party app stores for Android
FAQ
My new Play Store installation is acting weird. How do I fix it?
You’ll most likely want to go into your phone settings and wipe the Google Play Store cache and data. Sometimes, updates can cause finicky stuff with old cached files.
I have gone completely off the rails, and now nothing works. Have I broken my phone?
No. While it is frustrating and time-consuming, the easiest way to restore things is to factory reset and then try again from the beginning.
Why isn't this working on my Amazon Fire tablet or other non-Google Android devices?
The Google Play Store is only half of the equation. You also need to obtain Google Play Services for your device. Almost every Play Store app uses Google Play Services, including the Google Play Store. Without one, you cannot have the other. Unfortunately, getting everything up and running is an exceptionally difficult process.