Although the download apps on google play It should be a very simple process, there are times when you try to download an application, but this does not happen or it does not progress and you are left with a note that says “Pending Download”

If you are going through this, you should know that it is a fairly common problem (many users have reported the error) and fortunately there are some tricks with which it can be solved. 

Next in this guide we show you Why does it show “Download Pending” in Google Play Store and what are the best solutions for this problem. 

Why can't I download anything from the Play Store?

The note “Pending Download” it means that there is something that is preventing the download of the application on your mobile. 

There are many reasons for this, but the most frequent are: errors due to Google updates, the app is not available for your device, the mobile does not have storage space, the data or wifi connection is not stable, the cache is saturated , among others. 

Solutions to “Download Pending”

The solutions for “Download Pending” problem they are all manual and easy to do. However, you may have to try several at the same time, since the correct one will depend on the problem that is preventing downloads on your mobile. 

Enable background data usage

Although the Play Store usually continues to run in the background, sometimes there are problems on the mobile, which cause this feature to be disabled. In fact, this is one of the main causes of downloads not running and staying in the state “Download Pending” or “Waiting for Download”. 

The solution to this is to set the option “Data Savings” that are inside "Use of data", which depending on the type of Android mobile you have, you can get it in different places. 

In the case of Huawei phones This option is accessed via Wireless & networks >> Data usage >> Smart data saver >> System. In this last section we will search for the Google Play Store and by selecting it we will eliminate all the restrictions that the app has to use the data in the background. 

The Xiaomi mobiles have this setting in Settings >> Connection and Sharing >> Data Usage >> System Apps >> Google Play Store. In this case we will activate the switch Background data. 

It is possible that in other Android mobile models, the activation of the use of data in the background is done through Settings >> Data usage >> Data saver >> Unrestricted data and in this last section select Google Play Store. 

Stop automatic and pending updates

When they are being done other downloads or updates first, any app download you attempt will automatically fail “Pending Download”. In other words, there is a queue on app download and the one you're trying to do is last. Therefore, stopping those automatic updates can be the right solution when this problem arises on your phone. 

From Google Play

For stop pending updates in google play store it is necessary to press on the three lines that are in the upper left part of the screen. Here you must selectr “Settings” and subsequently “Network Preferences”. Next you will find the option “Update apps automatically” where you have to leave the option “Do not update apps automatically” activated. 

Of the store

Another important step after making the disable automatic updates is to disable store updates that are in progress. Thus, we eliminate "the tail" and the download we want to do will be executed immediately. 

To do this, go to Google Play Store and press on the three horizontal lines that are in the upper left part of the screen. Now click on "My applications and games" and a list of all the downloaded applications will appear, but in the first place there are those that have their update download in process. To finish, click on the button "Stop" on each app to pause the download. 

Of course, at some point the apps will need to be updated in order to continue working optimally, so you will have to update each one manually. 

Clear Google Play cache and data

Una cache that is overloaded or saturated of data may cause applications not to run properly and even Google Play may not be able to download properly. 

This is a problem that usually appears on mobiles that have too many apps installed on your system. Luckily the solution is quite simple and all you have to do is follow the steps below. 

  1. Access the Configuration from your Android device. 
  2. Click on Apps and notifications or Manage apps >> App info or View all apps.
  3. Find and select Google Play Store. 
  4. When the options open select Storage >> Clear Cache
  5. Finally follow the path Free up storage space >> Clear all data >> OK.

Often clear cache is the solution for the problem of “Pending Download” with the Google Play Store, however, in some cases this will help and you have to keep trying other alternatives. 

Reinstall the SD card

If you use a removable memory to expand the storage space of your mobile, this may be precisely what is causing the problem. So try to fix it by taking out the SD card, restarting the phone and reinserting it. Also, if you have apps stored on the SD, update them. 

Unlink Google account

Believe it or not, Google itself says that an ideal solution for this problem is remove and then re-add your Google account. However, before proceeding with this, we must know that some data that you have saved on your mobile may possibly be deleted in the process. Therefore, the best thing you can do is create a backup of your data to avoid losing important files. 

  1. Access the settings of your mobile device. 
  2. Select option "Passwords and accounts" o "Users and accounts" o “Accounts and synchronization”. 
  3. Then click on “accounts for” or in "Google". 
  4. Then click on your Google account and press the option "Put off"
  5. If you don't have another account on your phone you will need to confirm by entering your security PIN or pattern to continue using the phone. 

After this you will have to re-add the Google account to your phone, following the steps below. 

  1. Access your mobile settings. 
  2. Select option "Passwords and accounts" o "Users and accounts" o “Accounts and synchronization”. 
  3. Find and press the option “Add Account”.
  4. Select the type of account you want to add "Google account" o “Different personal account”. 
  5. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen. 
  6. You may have to confirm the action by entering your security PIN or pattern. 

Check the available space of the device

Obviously, a smartphone that have no storage space available will have no place to download new apps. So, this would be the first thing you should check when the problem of “Pending Download” in the Google Play Store. 

  1. Accede to Google Play Store. 
  2. Click on the three horizontal lines at the top right of the Google account icon screen. 
  3. Choose “Manage apps and applications” o "My applications and games." 
  4. There, a bar appears on the screen that indicates the status of the mobile's internal storage. 
  5. In case the bar is full, click on it and you will be directed to the list of installed applications. Just uninstall the one you don't use to free up space and run the download you want to do. 

Stop downloading Google Play to force restart

Force application restart Sometimes, it is the best solution for the problems or bugs that the Google Play Store usually has. 

  1. Access the settings of your smartphone. 
  2. Choose Applications >> Manage applications. 
  3. Find and tap on Google Play Store to open the app settings. 
  4. Click on the option "Force stop" and this will kill the application process. 
  5. Go back to the Google Play Store and try to download again. 

Uninstall updates from Google Play

This is usually one of the least used methods for this type of problem, since it is little known, but this does not mean that it is not efficient. All you need to do is follow the same steps outlined in the title above, however, instead of force stopping the app, you will select “Uninstall updates”. 

As we mentioned at the beginning, you may have to try several methods before getting the solution, since there are several causes of the problem and the solution will only depend on it and the type of mobile you have.

By Luz Hernandez Lozano

Freelance writer with more than 4 years writing to create content for different web portals, which has resulted in the acquisition of a huge collection of knowledge on different digital topics. Her excellent journalistic work allows her to write first-rate articles and guides related to technology.