# Google Play Store is missing. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659 "2019-10-11T22:58:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/1 "2019-10-11T22:58:45Z")
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. I am no longer able to download apps from the Google Play Store. Online forums have not been any help. They all assume the Google Play Store app is installed or if not installed it has been disabled and to go to settings/apps/Google Play Store to enable it. But it is not there. It was in the past and worked well, but it is gone. I don’t know why. I understand that Play Store comes pre-loaded with Android, and I am thinking that the OS is corrupted and needs to be re-installed. I had a Windows phone with a serious problem and that cured it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/2 "2019-10-11T23:38:56Z")
Have you tried resetting (as in, turning it off and back on) yet? I’d start with the easy stuff before something drastic like a factory data reset. You might also find a website, any website that has an app (ie Walgreens or Target) and click on the ‘download our app at the playstore’ button. If the playstore is on your phone somewhere, that should launch it. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/3 "2019-10-12T01:30:58Z")
The phone has been restarted, but that doesn’t change anything. When I download from Google on my PC, it will tell me that app has been installed, but it doesn’t show up on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/4 "2019-10-12T01:32:38Z")
I don’t have important things on my phone, I mainly use it for tracking while I hike and directions when I drive, so I can wipe it with no problem. It is a big deal to reload the OS? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/5 "2019-10-12T01:42:58Z")
> [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](#): > > I don’t have important things on my phone, I mainly use it for tracking while I hike and directions when I drive, so I can wipe it with no problem. It is a big deal to reload the OS? You don’t have to reload the OS (unless you’re reloading a different one than what came originally installed). Google your phone and Factory Data Reset. It’s not overly difficult. It’ll involve holding down a specific set of keys while it reboots which will bring up a special menu with the option to do a FDR. When you’re done, the phone will look like it did the day you got it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/6 "2019-10-12T01:44:15Z")
> [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](#): > > The phone has been restarted, but that doesn’t change anything. When I download from Google on my PC, it will tell me that app has been installed, but it doesn’t show up on my phone. What happens when, using your phone, you go to a website that lets you download their app to your phone. IME, that usually launches the playstore. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-play-store-is-missing/841659/7 "2019-10-12T02:39:24Z")
Perfect!