A frequent error when using the Google Play Store is the 506 error code. You will sometimes see this error code when you are downloading an app. The app may seem to be downloading just fine when suddenly, near the end of the installation, an error occurs, and a message pops up saying, “App could not be downloaded due to an error 506.”
It’s a fairly common error that is caused by multiple versions of an app creating a closed loop. It is not a problem with the app you are trying to install.
Unfortunately, there is no one single cause for a 506 error, so there is not just one way to troubleshoot the problem. Here are some possible solutions to try. They start from the most straightforward and range upward in complexity. Start with the easy fixes and move on until your error resolves.
Also read: How to Solve 8 Common Google Play Store Errors
Restart your phone
To begin, try the solution to most problems with your phone: restart it.
Hold the power button until you can tap Power off. Let it shut down completely, wait about fifteen to twenty seconds, and turn it back on. Once everything has powered back up, open Google Play again, and try downloading the app.
Remove SD card
If you have an SD card in your phone, it will sometimes interfere with the installations of some apps. Safely remove the SD card from your device, and then restart your phone and try again.
Correct date and time
If your phone for some reason has an incorrect date or time, it can conflict with the installation of an app. To fix this, you need to enable Automatic date and time.
1. Open Settings.
2. Select the Date and time option. It may be under General Management.
3. Turn the switch to the On position next to Automatic date and time.
4. If it is already enabled, turn it off and wait five to ten seconds to turn it back on.
Re-add your Google Account
Sometimes an issue with your Google account can prevent apps from installing correctly and cause a 506 error. You may be able to fix it by removing your account from your phone and re-adding it.
1. Go to Settings and tap on the Accounts option.
2. Tap on Google.
3. Select your Google account.
4. Tap on the menu icon in the top-right corner.
5. Select the “Remove account” option.
6. Repeat the process until you have removed all Google accounts from your phone.
7. Restart your phone.
8. Go back into your Settings and tap “Add account.”
9. Select Google.
10. Add your accounts back onto your phone one by one.
11. Open Google Play and try installing the app again.
Clear Google Play Store data and cache
If none of the previous solutions solved your 506 error, there are some more drastic measures that you can take to resolve it. The first is to clear the Google Play Store data and cache.
1. Go to the phone’s “Settings” and tap on “Applications.”
2. Search for the Google Play Store app and open it.
3. Tap on “Storage,” and then tap on “Clear cache” to delete the cache.
4. Check to see if that solved the problem.
5. If that didn’t work, return to the storage area and delete all the data and try again.
If cleaning the storage on Google Play doesn’t fix the error, try cleaning the data of the Google Play Services and Google Play Framework apps. It’s possible one of these programs could hinder the installation of some apps.
Delete Google Play Store updates
One final troubleshooting option for the 506 error is to delete all Google Play Store updates.
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Applications.
3. Find and open the Google Play Store app.
4. Tap on the “Disable” button at the top. Disabling the app will also delete all the updates.
5. Touch the “Enable now” button, and the app will be available to use again.
When you open Google Play to try installing the app again, it will ask you to update the app so that it will be up to date. Any errors in Google Play which may have caused the 506 code should be ironed out.
Hopefully one of these methods worked for you, and you can again add apps without a 506 error message.
Image credit: Google Play App Store on Pixel 3 XL Android Phone, with Notch
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