Have you ever wondered how you can fix APK not installed error that comes up on your Android device anytime you try to install an Android package? For sure you’d have, and that’s why this article has been written to guide you on fixing APK installation errors on your Android device.
The displeasure we feel when we try to install an apk on our Android can be overwhelming especially when downloaded, it displays the command on our app not installed and sometimes you’d be lost on finding out the reasons behind such errors especially if you download the APK from the best Google Play Store Alternatives or from popular websites to download Android APK.
For whatever reason, your Android device failed to install APK. In today’s article on NaijaKnowHow, we will walk you through various guides on how to fix APK not installed error on your Android device and these are guides that’ll help you install apps better. Before starting off with the solution, have you wondered what could cause this error? Well, some causes of APK not installed have been identified below.
What Are The Causes of APK Not Installed Error?
Anytime you want to fix APK not installed error on your Android device and you’re persistent to know what causes the error, below are some of the known causes of an APK not installed error on Android.
- Insufficient Storage – When your Android storage device is full (either internal or external), the chances for any other file let alone an apk to be installed successfully is null and no matter how much you try to get it installed, you’ll get the error.
- Unauthorized Third-Party Download – This is a common reason why APK doesn’t install on Android, it does happen often anytime you download Android apps and games from a third-party website without authorizing the installation on your device settings.
- Incompatible OS Version – You’re likely to see APK not installed error on your Android device anytime you try to install an app or game that doesn’t support the OS version of your Android device.
- Wrong Storage – Not all apps or games support SD Card or Internal Storage installation, you’ll likely see APK not installed error when you try installing an app on your SD Card instead of Internal Storage.
- Corrupted Package – A corrupted APK package might cause APK not to install as well, and it’s always common when you download apps from unreliable sources.
How To Fix APK Not Installed on Android Devices
There are different methods that can be applied when fixing APK not installed error on Android, it’s almost the same way you’ll fix “unfortunately system UI has stopped” error on your Android device, so let’s get started with the methods needed if you want to know how to fix APK not installed on Android.
Method 1: Clear up Storage Space
As stated above that insufficient storage is one of the main reasons why APK not installed error does happen over time and rather than thinking of what to do, there are due procedures you need to follow to clear up storage on your device, so if you want to know how to fix APK not installed error via cleaning up storage on your Android device, follow the steps below.
To Clear Storage Space on your Android device, follow the steps below.
- On your Android home screen, locate the settings icon and click on it.
- Go to About Phone > Then click on Storage to get an overview of what’s draining storage space on your device.
- Once you’ve gotten an overview of your storage space, click on the location you’ll like to clear your storage from, it’ll only take you a few seconds to get that done.
Method 2: Reboot Device
Improper shutdown of an Android device can often lead to system glitches that later result in an error that stops apps from working and also from getting installed, so anytime you want to install an app and it say’s not installed. To fix APK not installed, all you need to do is restart your PC and try again.
Method 3: Enable Unknown Sources
The Google Play Store serves as the primary and secondary app store for Android devices. While there is other alternatives source to download apps and games from, your Android device will likely restrict you from installing apps or games that aren’t downloaded directly from the Google Play Store, to fix such an error, you’ll need to Enable Unknown Sources.
To enable unknown sources on your Android device, follow the steps below.
- Go to your Android device settings
- Go to privacy and security > scroll down and look for unknown sources, then click on the toggle to enable it.
- Alternatively, the latest Android OS doesn’t have that option in settings anymore, you can only specify a list of apps that you want to give access to and install unknown apps.
Method 4: Download OS-Supported APK
APK not installed doesn’t just happen on Android and most times when it does, all you need to do is just download the version of APK your Android device does support. You can’t install an app that works for Android OS 5.0 and above on a device running Android OS 4.0 or 4.4
Method 5: Disable Google Play Protect
This is another method you should consider if you want to fix APK not installed error on your Android device. Google Play Protect is a security protocol that was created by Google to help scan and protect apps and games you install or want to install on your device. Sometimes Google Play Protect restricts third-party apps from getting installed and you have to disable it.
Follow the steps below to know how to disable Google Play Protect
- Open the Google Play Store app
- At the top right, tap the profile icon.
- Tap Play Protec > Settings.
- Turn Scan apps with Play Protect on or off.
Conclusion
There are more ways to fix ‘APK not installed’ error on Android, but the best methods that work perfectly have been highlighted in this article. You can leave a comment below if you have any questions about the steps and methods in this tutorial.