When Google Play Services keeps stopping, you can have serious problems keeping your apps updated and running smoothly.
Luckily, getting Google Play services working properly doesn’t have to be a hair-pulling event.
In this guide, you’ll learn simple troubleshooting tips that will help you fix Google Play Services issues on your Android phone.
Why My Google Play Services Keeps Stopping
Before we go into the fixes, it’s important to understand what Google Play Services is and why it keeps stopping.
Google Play Services is a proprietary software that helps connect apps to other Google services like Google Sign In, Google Maps, etc.
Google Play Services may stop when there is a mismatch between the Android OS and the Google Play services versions.
For some users, this issue may happen because of a network issue. It could be a syncing problem with Google Play Services, corrupt cache data, issues with permissions, or even your Google account could be the culprit.
As you can see, there isn’t an exact reason for this issue to occur. But we have several proven-to-work methods that have helped other users fix this “Google Play Services keeps stopping” error. Go through them in order until you find the solution to your problem.
How to Fix Google Play Services Keep Stopping Error
If Google Play Services keeps stopping, you need to restart your Android device. Press and hold the power button on your device for a few seconds, then tap the Restart button to restart it.
If you’re still getting the error message, don’t panic; there are several other proven steps to fix this issue.
Follow every step below, and I’m confident you’ll get your Google Play Services working again.
1. Restart Your Android Device
Whenever we’re facing an issue with our gadgets, the first solution that comes to our minds is to restart the device.
It seems simple enough, but restarting your phone can solve many problems, including when Google Play Services keeps stopping.
Your Android phone requires different processes to run in the background in order to work properly.
Unfortunately, these processes can conflict with each other, which can cause slowdowns and various kinds of errors.
Restarting your phone wipes off the current state of the software, which has become problematic, and gives it a chance to start afresh.
To restart your phone, just press and hold the power button on your device, then tap Restart.
2. Uninstall Google Play Services Updates
Updates are meant to improve the functionality and stability of your apps. However, there are situations where an update introduces a bug, ultimately causing issues such as “Google Play Services keeps stopping.”
If the Google Play services app is already up to date, try to uninstall the updates and see if that fixes the problem.
Here’s how to uninstall updates for the Google Play Services.
1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Head over to Apps & notifications.
3. Hit the See all X apps button.
4. Scroll through all the installed apps and tap on Google Play services.
5. Tap on the 3-dot menu button at the top of the app info screen.
6. Finally, select the Uninstall updates option.
This will uninstall the Google Play Services update and revert back to the factory version. After doing this, check to see if you still get the error. If so, let’s move on to the next step.
3. Update Google Play Services
In contrast to the previous step, a new update can fix many app bugs. Check to see whether or not a new update is available for Google Play services.
Older versions of the Google Play services can conflict with the Android OS version installed on your Android device.
So, here’s how to check if there are any updates available for the Google Play services.
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to Apps & notifications.
3. Tap on See all X apps.
4. Scroll through the installed app list and select Google Play services.
5. Now, tap on Advanced.
6. Select App details.
This will take you to the Google Play Store page for Google Play services. If a new update is available for the app, then you can tap on the button to install it.
4. Free Up Phone Storage
If your phone is running out of storage, the Google Play Store might experience hiccups. This is due to its need for some memory to store temporary files or “cache.”
If there’s no room for this cache, it may disrupt the app’s functionality. We’ve rolled out a comprehensive guide detailing steps to free up space on your Android phone.
5. Switch Over to Wi-Fi
As mentioned earlier, this “Google Play Services keeps stopping” error can also happen because of network issues.
Although this message won’t pop up all the time, sometimes Google Play Store may keep stopping and refuse to start the services altogether.
So, if you’re using a mobile data connection, switch to a stable Wi-Fi connection and check whether the problem still exists.
6. Sign Out of Your Google Account
Another effective solution for this problem is to sign out of your Google account on your Android phone.
While signing up with your Google account, a few glitches can prevent the Google Play services from working properly.
The best way to resolve this is to sign out of your Google account and sign back again.
Here’s how to remove your Google account and add it again:
1. Navigate to the Settings menu on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and select Accounts.
3. Now, select the Google account you wish to remove.
4. Tap on the Remove account button. You need to, once again, press the Remove account option to confirm your action.
To sign in again, hit the Add account option and enter your Google account credentials.
7. Check the Date and Time on Your Phone
Incorrect dates and times could be why Google Play Services keeps stopping. If your phone shows the wrong time, it will prevent Google Play services from syncing.
The steps below will show you how to fix your date and time settings:
1. Open the Settings on your phone.
2. Scroll down and tap System.
3. Select Date & time.
4. You can set the date and time manually. However, turning on the Use network-provided time and Use network-provided time zone toggles is better.
After setting up the time and date correctly, try downloading an app to see if you still get the “Google Play Services keeps stopping” error.
8. Clear Cache on Google Play Services
Corrupt data and cache files for any app can give rise to issues such as Google Play Services keeps stopping.
In such cases, clearing the app data and cache can help you fix some of the regular issues related to an app or service.
1. Head over to the Settings app on your phone.
2. Then select Apps & notifications.
3. Tap on See all X apps.
4. Scroll through the installed app list and select Google Play services.
5. On the app info screen, select Storage & cache.
6. Finally, select the Clear storage and Clear cache buttons.
After clearing up the cache and storage, try downloading an app to see if you still get the “Google Play Services keeps stopping” error.
9. Update Android Version
If you’ve made it this far and Google Play services keeps stopping, maybe it’s time for an Android software update.
How to update your phone to the latest Android version.
- Open Settings
- Tap System
- Select System update
- If your device shows a new update is available, install it.
- Wait for the installation to finish.
Hopefully, this fixes your Google Play services crashing problem after updating your phone to the newest Android version.
10. Install a Copy of the App Store from Third Party APK Sites
While it’s not the best option if the steps above don’t work, installing a copy of the App Store from third-party APK sites can be your last resort.
But proceed with caution: This means you’re diving into unofficial channels, potentially exposing your device to security risks.
To streamline this process, we’ve got a step-by-step guide on how to install APK on Android phones.
Once you’ve installed the copy of the App Store, try downloading an app and see if the Play Store works again.
Final Thoughts on Google Play Services Keeps Stopping
So, there you have it. Hopefully, the above-mentioned methods could help you fix the “Google Play Services keeps stopping” issue.
If none of these fixes have worked for you, then as a last resort, you can opt for factory resetting your Android device. This will bring your device back to its initial state.
So remember to have a fresh backup ready. Don’t have a backup? Here’s how to back up your Android phone step by step.
Let us know in the comments below which one of the methods solved the problem. Feel free to share any other method that did the job for you.
Nice one, hope it works