# Is there any way to get Google Play to show and let me install all apps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315 "2022-08-08T17:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/1 "2022-08-08T17:33:26Z")
I just bought a tablet on ebay, the model was first manufactured in 2017 so whilst not new it’s not exacty ancient. All I want it for is watching Netflix when I’m away from the internet, (and possibly other streaming services later but Netflix at the moment). Google Play won;t even show Netflix as an app. Confused, I later managed to discover GP actually hides apps it doesn’t think your device can play, as though they don’t even exist. I tricked it by going to the Netflix download page via a direct link and GP refused to download it. I used a 3rd party website to just download the latest version on Netflix and it ran. Same story with Disney+. Both these apps clearly run on my tablet, yet GP took it upon itself to hide it from view completely, and then refuse to install. Is there any way to override this for the future? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/2 "2022-08-08T17:35:45Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > Google Play won;t even show Netflix as an app. Do you mean the Google Play app on your tablet, or the Google Play website on a browser? ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/3 "2022-08-08T17:36:24Z")
The app on the tablet. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/4 "2022-08-08T17:41:22Z")
So, if I were in your situation, the first thing I’d probably do is go to the Google App website and see if it lets me install it from there. There may be something you have to do to register your device with Google on your Google account. What kind of tablet is it? I know that, with Amazon Fire tablets, there are tricky things you have to do to get it to work with Google Play, and even then some apps won’t work. > **[How to Install the Google Play Store on an Amazon Fire Tablet](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-install-google-play-store-on-amazon-fire-tablet/)** > > These slates are cheap but hampered by the retailer's limited app store. Here's how to get a broader selection. ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/5 "2022-08-08T17:45:19Z")
I only have one device on this account as I use a completely different and new GP account every time I get a new device. Google Play knows which one it is, and hides it on both the in-broswer and direct app. It’s an Alba 7Q running 5.1 Lollipop. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/6 "2022-08-08T17:50:58Z")
> [@CardboardBoxx](#): > > running 5.1 Lollipop. That’s probably your issue right there. The current version of Android is 12, and I bet that Google Play probably cuts off access to apps that aren’t certified (or whatever) for older versions of Android. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2022, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/7 "2022-08-08T22:00:22Z")
If the issue is just streaming apps, then it probably doesn’t like the DRM support or licenses on your device. Is the device unlocked/rooted? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/8 "2022-08-09T00:11:48Z")
What’s the exact model number of your tablet? You may be able to get a more recent version of Android on your device via third-party Android builds like LineageOS. But I can’t find anything about an Alba 7Q tablet, only Alba 7. Maybe the model number will make things clear. Lollipop is from 2014, which really is ancient. I wouldn’t expect any modern app to work. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-get-google-play-to-show-and-let-me-install-all-apps/969315/9 "2022-08-09T06:42:25Z")
It’s technically doable, but it’s a huge pain. You have to root your device and then spoof what it is. I personally wouldn’t bother. Instead, just use a site like [apkmirror.com](http://apkmirror.com) or [apkpure.com](http://apkpure.com). I know from direct experience that you can install Netflix from them. Sometimes the latest version won’t work, depending on how old your device is, but then just try an earlier version. That’s also something you can’t do with Google Play, even if your device is supported. It just won’t let you install an older version of the app in most cases.