Google Play: Fix "Download Pending"

Your friend tells you about a great app he/she is using. You like what you hear so you head on over to Google Play to install it. When you tap on the install button you see the words “Download Pending”.

If your phone has a tendency to be slow, you might not think twice about it. But, if Google Play is stuck at “Download Pending” and doesn’t go away after a while, then I’m afraid you’ve got an issue. Good thing that there are various tips you can try to fix the problem.

Turn Off Auto-updates

If Google if updating apps in the background and you tap on the install button, you’re going to be stuck with the Download pending message until Google is done. It’s a good idea to have important apps on auto-update, that way, you’ll always get the latest bug fixes and features.

But, there are apps that can wait and can be updated manually. To turn off auto-update tap on the hamburger icon when you first open Google Play. When the menu slides out, tap on Settings > Auto-update apps. Select Don’t auto-update apps and ad after this, the apps will only be updated unless you do so manually.

Prevent Unimportant Apps from Updating First

If you want to speed up the process, you can stop other less important apps from updating first. In the updates tab, tap on the X that will be to the right, of the apps whose update you want to delay. If you want to stop all the updates, tap on the Stop button.

Free Up Some Storage

For an app to be updated, your device needs to have space to receive the new data. To give your device that extra space an app that will male installing useless files easier is Files by Google. This app will help you erase even WhatsApp GIFs that are only taking up space on your phone.

Check Your SD Card

If an SD card is not inserted correctly it can be the reason why you’re getting the error message. Remove your SD card and place it back in correctly.

Double check to see you inserted it correctly before closing your device. Also, make sure that your SD card is not corrupted since this too can cause the Download Pending message to linger.

Clear Cache and Data for Google Play

If you’ve already checked your Internet connection and turned off the VPN you may be using, it’s time to clear the cache/date. To do this, go to Settings > Applications > Application manager > Google Play Store >Storage > Clear Data/Cache.

As long as you’re in the area, you can also try force stopping Google Play. As you can see in the image above, the Force Stop button is to the right of the Storage option. By doing this you give the app a fresh start and hopefully, your app will start to download.

Conclusion

When the Download pending message lingers longer than it should, it usually goes away with some basic fixes. Did I miss a fix that works for you? Share it with me in the comments.