Finding that Google Play Services does not work is a very serious problem on any Android device, so now we will explain what to do to solve it , since in most cases it can be fixed.
Although Google Play Services (“Google Play Services” in Spanish) is quite hidden in the Android settings, we are talking about a software of enormous importance, that more than an application is a basic element of Android , greatly limiting the system when it does not work .
Google Play Store won’t download: solutions
Google Play Services runs geolocation, maps, syncs contacts, and takes care of security . The vast majority of Android apps use its capabilities, if it doesn’t work, neither do the applications that are based on it.
The error message that usually appears is one of two:
“Google Play Services has stopped” or “Google Play Services has stopped”
First of all, we must restart the Android mobile or tablet , to rule out that it is a simple one-off failure. After confirming that Google Play Services does not work properly, we will follow these steps.
We’ve sorted them from the simplest to the most complex, so if one solution doesn’t work, the next one will require a little more effort, while increasing the chances of success.
Clear cache and data
The first thing that is usually done when something fails in Android is to delete the saved data and the cache , that is, files that have been generated with use , and sometimes have errors or have been corrupted.
To clear the cache and storage of Google Play Services we must go to the Android settings . The names of the menus may change depending on the manufacturer, but the path is usually the same:
Settings -> Applications / Applications and notifications -> View applications / Manage applications -> Google Play Services / Google Play Services -> Storage
We will click on “Clear storage” and “Clear cache” , then we have to restart the mobile , and hopefully we will have found the solution.
We have already delved into how to clear the cache on Android , for those who want to know the process in more detail.
Update Google Play Services
One of the advantages of Google Play Services is that it allows you to update various elements without the need for Android to receive a major update. If an app does not work, the reason may be that the Play Services we have installed are too old a version , something easy to correct.
Although they usually update themselves, we must check in the Play Store that they are up to date:
Play Store -> My apps and games -> Update all
Although we do not see Google Play Services in the list of apps, if an update is available it will be applied , and it may be the solution to the problem.
Uninstall updates
If clearing the cache and storage does not work, the next thing to do is return Google Play Services to its original state , as they were when we released the device.
- First we will locate Google Play Services in the settings:
Settings -> Applications / Applications and notifications -> View applications / Manage applications -> Google Play services / Google Play Services
- We will press the three-point menu (top right) and choose “Uninstall updates” , then we will confirm the warning with “Accept” :
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- The next step is to click on “Disable” , we will begin to receive notifications of apps that fail (it is normal), and we will click on “Enable” :
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- Now we must update the apps from the Play Store , as we saw in the previous step, to receive the latest version of Google Play Services.
Play Services – Info & Fix errors
Another alternative if none of the above works is Play Services – Info & Fix errors, an app that will try to solve the error in a more or less automated way , and will guide us through the process intuitively.
In the end, what you are going to do is not much different from the manual steps we have explained, but it represents an alternative if we have not been successful before. We can download it for free from the following link:
- Download Play Services – Info & Fix errors for Android
Start in safe mode
Android’s safe mode allows us to turn on our device by running only the factory apps , without any of the ones we have downloaded later. If Google Play Services works under these conditions, we know that the culprit is an installed app.
Knowing this, we should try to eliminate the last downloaded apps, until we locate the one that generates the error . We may not be able to do without it, and this solution will not work for us, but at least it is worth a try.
The process is very simple to carry out, first we hold down the physical button to bring up the shutdown menu (normally), and on the virtual “Shutdown” button we also hold down , until a pop-up window allows us to restart in mode. insurance.
If we need more information, we have already explained how to start Android in safe mode in detail, something that we could have to do in the face of various problems.
Format the system
If none of the above works, we will probably have to do a formatting of the mobile or tablet . It is the last option, and the most uncomfortable, but sometimes it is necessary if we do not identify what causes Google Play Services to fail.
First of all, it is essential to make a copy of all the mobile data , since everything we have saved (including photos, videos and the agenda) will be erased without the possibility of recovery.
Normally we will do it from this menu:
Settings -> System -> Recovery options -> Return to factory state (erase all) -> Erase all data
Anyway, it is worth taking a look at the tutorial to factory reset an Android smartphone , as many manufacturers force us to do a somewhat different procedure.
In principle, with these steps we should make the Play Services recover. We can also use the explanation to solve the error “Google Play Store has stopped” , which has a closely related cause.
In conclusion, we can do a lot if Google Play Services does not work , although it is not easy to identify the origin of the failure, and it is very possible that we will be able to solve it with a little patience.
