13 Solutions to “Google Play Services Has Stopped” Error

Consider this scenario: you’re blissfully using your Android phone when you suddenly encounter the “Google Play Services has stopped” pop-up notification. Tapping on the “Close app” option doesn’t help much, as the problem reappears after some time. This article provides some of the easiest and most effective fixes to solve the error that occurs when Google Play Services has stopped.

Also read: How to Fix Download Pending Error in Google Play App

What Is Google Play Services?

Google Play Services acts as a bridge between the Play Store and the apps installed on your phone by managing various background tasks like push notifications, location access, security services, etc.

Without having a user interface or an app icon for the home screen or app drawer, Google Play Services runs in the background and works silently unless something messes with this core system software. Android apps rely heavily on Play Services, and any fault in these system services will have an impact on the normal functioning of your phone.

Let’s learn how to address this issue, starting with the easiest solution.

Also read: How to Fix Wi-Fi Authentication Error on Android

1. Restart Your Phone

If there were a magical potion in the tech world, it would restart a troubled device. That’s how you should begin the troubleshooting process too. Restart your Android phone either by turning it off and on or using the Restart option.

The reason this works is that an app or a service might be messing up in Google Play Services. Simply closing the app wouldn’t do much, as it could be a background app or service. Restarting your phone wipes any crashed applications or errors from its memory, and you may find that Google Play Services works fine after a reboot.

Also read: How to Automatically Log Out of Your Google Account

2. Set the Correct Date and Time

Google advises that you must set the right date and time on your Android phone in order for different services, such as Google Play Services and Play Store, to work properly. Follow the steps listed below.

1. Navigate to “Settings → System (General Management) → Date & time” on your phone.
2. Enable the toggle next to “Set automatically” or “Use network-provided time” and “Use network-provided time zone.”

3. Check Whether You Have Enough Storage

This problem mostly happens in older phones that have less storage space. Your phone needs to have sufficient storage to function peacefully. Inadequate storage capacity will create problems with Google Play Services too, as it won’t have enough bandwidth to communicate with other apps and perform the intended tasks. As a result, verify the available storage by going to “Settings → Storage.” If it’s low, check out these helpful ways to increase storage space.

4. Clear Cache and Data

Next, delete the cache and data for Google Play Services, Play Store, and System Web View apps. Don’t worry, doing so will not remove your personal information from any app. This fix will also be useful when troubleshooting other apps.

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Tap on “Apps” and “Google Play Services” under the “All apps” section.
3. Select “Storage,” then press the “Clear cache” button followed by the “Clear data” or “Clear storage” button.

4. Restart your phone.

Similarly, clear the cache and data for the Play Store and System Web View.

5. Disable Google Play Services

Clearing cache and data should generally cure the issue with Play Services crashing, but if it doesn’t work, deactivate Play Services for a while.

1. In Settings, go to “Apps → Google Play Services.”
2. Tap on “Disable.”

3. Confirm the pop-up warning that appears on the screen.
4. Restart your phone.
5. Go back to “Settings → Apps → Google Play Services.”
6. Re-enable Google Play Services.

6. Uninstall Google Play Services

Google Play Services cannot be uninstalled entirely from your phone. However, you may remove its most recent updates, which will serve virtually the same purpose and, as a consequence, assist in resolving the Play Services not working issue.

To do so, navigate to “Settings → Apps → Google Play Services.” At the top, press the three-dot icon and select “Uninstall updates.”

If you are unable to uninstall Play Services, you will need to disable Device admin apps first. Follow the instructions below:

1. Navigate to “Settings → Security → Find my device.”
2. Turn off the toggle to deactivate it.

3. Uninstall Play Services as shown above and restart phone.
4. Check to see whether this resolves the issue of Play Services crashing. If everything is in order, re-enable Find my device.

When you uninstall Play Services, it removes its recent updates without affecting your installed apps, personal data, or phone settings. Your phone still has the app loaded and operating, but it is an earlier version.

Tip: try to re-install the System WebView app as well.

7. Manually Update Google Play Services

Under general circumstances, Play Services will update automatically when you enable it or uninstall its updates, provided you have a working Internet connection. However, manually upgrading Play Services may also occasionally help to resolve its problems.

1. To do so, go to “Settings → Apps → Google Play Services.”
2. Scroll down and tap on the “App details” option. You will be taken to the Play Services listing in the Play Store.
3. Tap on the “Update” button if available. You can reach this screen by clicking on this link as well.

Alternatively, download and install the Google Play Services APK file from APKMirror.com. You may wish to read our detailed tutorial on how to install Play Services through APK.

8. Grant the Required Permissions

Google Play Services needs a plethora of permissions in order to function properly for itself and other Google apps. As a result, follow these instructions:

1. Navigate to “Settings → Apps → Google Play Services → Permissions.”
2. Check the area under the Denied section to ensure that nothing has been put there.

3. If you find something, allow the said permission.

9. Update All Other Apps

If you can navigate to the Play Store amidst the storm of the crashing Google Play Services, try to install all the available app updates, especially Chrome and System WebView.

10. Update Phone Software

Before attempting the remedies listed below, please ensure that your phone is running the most recent software update. Navigate to “Settings -> System Update or Settings -> Software Update” and install any updates that are available.

11. Disable Google Chrome

It’s recommended that Android users, especially those having a Samsung Galaxy handset, disable the Google Chrome app to fix the problem with Google Play Services crashing. But before you do so, first enable sync in Chrome to back up your Chrome data to a Google account; otherwise, you will lose your bookmarks, passwords, and other information.

To disable Chrome, go to “Settings → Apps → Chrome.” Press the Disable button, restart the phone and enable it again.

12. Enable Download Manager

If Download Manager is disabled on your device, that could also be responsible for causing this issue, as Google Play Services wouldn’t be able to update itself, Play Store, and other services. Google support also suggests clearing its cache and data when facing problems with Play Store or Play Services. To fix it, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to “Settings → Apps.”
2. Under the “See all apps” section, tap on the three-dot icon at the top and select “Show system apps.”
3. On Samsung Galaxy phones running One UI 3+, tap on the Sort icon next to Your apps and turn the toggle on for “Show system apps.”
4. Tap on Download Manager and press the Enable button, which will appear in place of the Disable button.

13. Reset App Preferences

Finally, try resetting all of your phone’s settings without erasing any data with a factory reset.

1. Open “Settings → System (or General Management) → Reset.”
2. Tap on “Reset app preferences” or “Reset all settings,” depending on the available option.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the difference between clear cache and clear data?

Clearing the cache deletes temporary files linked with apps, such as cached pictures, whereas clearing data deletes the app data. When selecting the latter option in apps, be cautious, as it may destroy your data.

For example, if you clean the data on WhatsApp, all of your chats will be deleted unless they have been backed up. Clearing the data for Instagram, on the other hand, will not remove your posts or conversations but will alter different settings, such as notifications, permission, and so on.

2. Is it safe to disable Google Play Services?

It’s okay if you’re only deactivating Google Play Services for a short time. However, in the long term, it will have a detrimental influence on your other apps (particularly Google apps) and services. We recommend deactivating it solely to resolve issues, then re-enabling it.

3. How do I fix the problem if the above solutions do not work?

If none of the suggested solutions address the Google Play Services error, you should perform a factory reset on your phone. However, make a backup of the data first so that you can easily restore it later. If the problem persists, you may need to reset your phone and set it up as a new device before reinstalling your apps. However, this is a nuclear option and should only be considered if everything else fails.

Providing that your problem with Google Play Services stopping has been resolved, read on to learn how to fix Google Play Services battery drain on your Android phone.

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