7 Best Fixes for Chromecast (Google TV) Not Downloading Apps
The Google TV interface brings a Stock Android experience to your television. You can download various apps and enjoy your favorite content seamlessly. However, some users mention that their Chromecast (Google TV) is not downloading their preferred apps from the Play Store.
Well, fret not. In this post, we will share the best working solutions to fix Chromecast (Google TV) not downloading apps. These solutions are also applicable to Android TVs running on the Google TV interface.
1. Check Internal Storage
One of the first solutions we recommend is to check the status of the internal storage on your Chromecast with Google TV. Each model comes with 8GB of internal storage, so it’s important to clear it out periodically. Here’s how to check the status of your internal storage:
Step 1: Go to Settings at the top-right corner of the Google TV home screen.
Step 2: Scroll down and select System.
Step 3: Scroll down and select Storage.
Step 4: Select ‘Internal Shared Storage’ and take a look at the apps consuming the maximum space.
Step 5: Delete what you can to clear some storage, and then try installing apps on the set.
2. Connect to 5GHz WiFi Network
A high-speed internet connection is vital for an optimum streaming experience. The same goes for faster app installs on your Google TV. If you are still facing the same issue, we suggest connecting to a 5GHz network in case you have a dual-band router. You can also refer to our post in case your Google TV is not connecting to Wi-Fi.
3. Add Your Google Account Again
Logging in again to your Google account on your Chromecast with Google TV might also help fix the issue. This is another basic solution but proves effective in fixing such problems. Here’s how.
Step 1: On the Google TV home screen, go to Settings.
Step 2: Select Accounts and Sign In.
Step 3: Select your Google account.
Step 4: Scroll down and select Remove.
Step 5: Select your preference and sign in again to your Google account.
Once done, check if the problem is solved.
4. Clear Play Store and Google Play Services Cache
As suggested by a user on Reddit, removing the cache of Play Store and Google Play Services helped in solving the issue. Just like apps on your Android phone, you can try clearing the cache, as it might have corrupted over a period of time. This also helps in clearing up some storage space.
Step 1: Open Settings on your Google TV.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Apps.
Step 3: Select ‘See All Apps’.
Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom and select ‘Show System Apps’.
Step 5: Select Google Play Services.
Step 6: Select Clear Cache.
Step 7: Go back and do the same for Google Play Store.
Step 8: Close Settings and restart your Google TV. Then, open Play Store to check if the problem is solved.
5. Force Quit and Relaunch Play Store
You can try force quitting and relaunching the Google Play Store. This will give it a fresh start on your Google TV.
Step 1: Open Settings on your Google TV.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Apps.
Step 3: Select ‘See All Apps’.
Step 4: Scroll down to the bottom and select ‘Show System Apps’.
Step 5: Select Google Play Services.
Step 6: Select Force Stop and confirm your choice.
Step 7: Close Settings and relaunch the Google Play Store to check if the problem is solved.
6. Update Google TV OS
There can be an issue with the current version of the Google TV OS that’s preventing app installs. As such, you should check if there’s an update available for your Google TV.
Step 1: Open Settings on your Google TV.
Step 2: Go to System.
Step 3: Select About.
Step 4: Select System Update. Then download and install it if one is available.
Once done, check if the problem is solved.
7. Sideload the App
If none of the solutions have worked for you, the last solution that we recommend is sideloading the app. Do note that doing this can compromise data security on your Google TV. You will also need an Android phone to follow the steps.
Step 1: Open the Play Store on your Chromecast with Google TV.
Step 2: Search for APKMirror and Send Files To TV apps and install them on your Google TV.
Step 3: Visit apkmirror.com on your Android phone and download the APK file for your Google TV.
While checking the app details, ensure you only download apps that support the armeabi-v7a processor architecture. We are taking Google Chrome as an example.
Step 4: Once the APK file is downloaded on your Android phone, Download the ‘Send Files To TV’ app on your Android phone. Use the link provided below.
Step 5: Open the ‘Send Files To TV’ app on your Android phone and tap on Send.
Ensure that your Android phone and Google TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Step 6: Select the APK file and tap on your Google TV device name. The file transfer to your Google TV should begin automatically. Ensure that the same app is opened on your Google TV as well.
You will now have to install the APK using the APKMirror app. But first, you need to provide the app storage permissions on your Google TV by enabling Developer Options.
Step 7: Open Settings on Google TV home screen and go to About.
Step 8: Scroll down and tap the Android TV OS Build five times to enable Developer Options.
Step 9: Go back to Apps in the Settings menu.
Step 10: Select ‘Security and Restrictions’.
Step 11: Under ‘Install Unknown Apps’, enable access for APKMirror.
Step 12: Go back to Apps and select APKMirror.
Step 13: Scroll down and select Permissions. Then, enable access to internal storage (files).
Step 14: Close Settings and open APKMirror.
Step 15: Select Browse Files and then select the APK file.
Step 16: Select Install Package at the bottom-right corner. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Your app will now be installed on your Google TV.
Install Apps on Google TV
These solutions will help you fix the issue of Chromecast (Google TV) not downloading apps. You can also refer to our post if your Google TV is not playing 4K videos. Do let us know which method resolved your query in the comments below.