In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of being unable to update apps via the Play Store on Pixel devices running Android 12. Various OEMs release monthly updates to iron out underlying bugs and bring in performance stability. In this regard, Pixel also follows in the same footsteps, but not the way one would have wanted to. Its December OTA update has bought in a never-ending list of issues and problems that just keep on welcoming new members every other day.
Device crashing to recovery mode, Bluetooth not working, inconsistent network, screen timeout not working, system UI not responding, and missing Vibrate Mode icon were just some of the noteworthy issues. And as of now, there has been another unwanted entry to this list. Many users have voiced their concern that they are unable to update apps via the Play Store on their Pixel running the latest Android 12.
For some, the Play Store is showing a false negative of network issues and is displaying the “Try again” screen. But since the internet is already working well and good, tapping on this Try Again button isn’t doing any good whatsoever. For others, the issue is all the more concerning and the Play Store isn’t even showing the Update button.
One nifty way to bypass this issue (or so we thought) is to head over to the Store’s installed apps section and hit the Update All button. Unfortunately, this tweak isn’t working either. So what else could be done? Well, there exist a couple of workarounds that shall help you fix the issue of being unable to update apps via the Play Store on Pixel devices running Android 12. So without further ado, let’s check them out.
Table of Contents
Fix Cannot Update Apps via Play Store in Pixel on Android 12
The general workarounds to rectify such issues involve Force Stopping Play Store, Clearing its Cache and Data, or Uninstalling Updates from it. We have covered all these fixes in this guide- Fix: Cannot Download App from Play Store | Install Button Not Working. However, it didn’t manage to rectify the underlying issue for the Pixel device running the December 2021 update.
This is because the issue is related to the OTA update and not from the Play Store’s end. So one obvious course of action is to wait for the January 2022 update. However, that update has been delayed by Google till the end of January. So you could either wait for the said update to arrive or proceed ahead with the below tweaks to fix the issue.
FIX 1: Update Apps via Sideload
Your first course of action should be to manually update the app. For the unaware, this involves downloading the latest version of the APK file from a trusted third-party site, enabling Unknown Sources on your device, and then installing the said APK. Here’s how it could be done:
- To begin with, get hold of the latest version of the app’s APK site from the site of your choice (such as APKMirror).
- Then tap on the downloaded APK and it shall take you to the Install Unknown Apps.
- Enable the toggle next to Allow from this Source and then proceed with the installation.
- That’s it. This should fix the issue of being unable to update apps via the Play Store on Pixel devices running Android 12.
FIX 2: Downgrade to November 2021 OTA
Your next course of action should be to downgrade your Pixel device to the November OTA update, This will surely fix this issue and all the other ones bugging the December update. However, it would come at a cost. The thing is you cannot perform the downgrade via ADB Sideload and you will have to opt for the Fastboot Method.
However, that would require an unlocked bootloader. To be fair, rectifying a Play Store issue by factory resetting the device and voiding the device’s warranty is asking for way too much. But if you are ready for this sacrifice, then please check out our guide on How to Downgrade Pixel Devices via Android Flash Tool.
Concluding Remarks
So with this, we conclude the guide on how you could fix the issue of being unable to update apps via the Play Store on Pixel devices running Android 12. We have listed two different methods for the same. While both of them will do the job, but they have their downsides as well. This is the reason why users were waiting for the January 2022 update. But since it has now been delayed by at least a month, the above two workarounds might be your best bet. On that note, we round off this guide, All your queries are welcomed in the comments section below.
