A few days ago I tried updating the apps on my phone but couldn’t. All apps are stuck during download. When I canceled the updates and started downloading them one by one, I noticed that the Android WebView was stuck and not updating itself. Also, it did not allow other apps to be updated. If you are also facing the same issue, here you will learn how to fix Android WebView download issue.
Android WebView is a system app that comes pre-installed on Android phones. It helps third-party apps to display content in in-app browser. Therefore, it is necessary to keep it updated. But when you try to do that the update hangs. Even if it is updated, it will immediately reappear in the Updates list of the Play Store. Some users, especially Pixel owners, are also stuck on the Checking for updates screen due to Play Store, WebView glitch.
But don’t worry. Let’s see various ways to fix Android System WebView refusing to update.
1. Reboot Phone
Once the WebView has not been updated, you should try restarting your phone. Sometimes, a simple reboot can fix the problem and you can update the WebView without any issues.
2. Give Time
If WebView gets stuck updating for a minute, give it some more time. Let it continue updating and installing for 10-15 minutes.
3. Turn off Bluetooth
As weird as it sounds, try updating the WebView app by turning off the Bluetooth on your phone.
4. Uninstall Android WebView
You cannot completely remove WebView from your phone. But you can uninstall its updates to revert to the factory version. When that happens, you can update it. Sometimes, doing this also fixes the problem.
To do this, open Play Store on your phone and search for Android System WebView. open it. Tap Uninstall. Wait for it to uninstall. Next, tap on Update.
5. Clear Cache and Data for Play Store
One of the best solutions that works is to clear cache and data for Google Play Store. Usually, we only recommend clearing the cache for other apps as it is different from clearing data. This is because clearing the storage removes the data associated with the app. But in this case, things are different as there is no data linked to the Play Store.
In case you were wondering what happens when you clear data or storage for the Play Store, it’s not much. Your installed apps won’t be uninstalled and you won’t lose any data associated with those apps. Similarly, you will not lose any other personal data such as contacts or files. This only happens when you remove the Google account from your phone.
Deleting Play Store data only resets settings in Play Store such as notification settings, automatic updating of apps, parental controls and more.
To clear Google Play Store cache and data, follow these steps:
Stage 1: Open Settings on your phone and go to Apps & notifications/Installed apps.
step 2: Tap Google Play Store under All apps.
Stage 3: Tap on Storage. Next, tap on Clear cache followed by Clear storage or Clear data depending on the option available on your phone.
Step 4: Restart your phone. Then try updating the WebView.
6. Clear Cache and Data for WebView
Similar to Play Store, you should also clear cache and data for Android System WebView app. For this repeat the above steps i.e. go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Android System WebView > Storage > Clear data and storage.
Pro Tip: Try clearing the cache for Google Chrome and Google Play Services as well.
7. Uninstall Updates for Google Play Store
Another thing you can try if the WebView is not updating properly is to uninstall Play Store updates. You cannot uninstall it as it is a system app. So uninstalling updates is an option.
To uninstall Play Store updates, follow these steps:
Stage 1: Open Settings on your phone. Go to Apps & notifications or Installed apps.
Step 2: Tap on Google Play Store.
Stage 3: Tap the three-dot icon at the top and select Uninstall updates from the menu.
Step 4: Restart your phone. Then wait 5 minutes for Play Store to update automatically. Then try updating the WebView.
Pro Tip: Also, you can try to manually update the Play Store using APK if it gets stuck.
8. Update Other Apps
If the problem persists and you are unable to update other apps or use the Play Store normally, you should cancel all pending updates. To do this, tap Stop at the top or the X next to apps.
When all updates have stopped, tap the Update button next to each app separately, except for the WebView app. Then restart your phone when the apps are updated. Next, update the WebView.
Manually Update WebView
If nothing works, you should try to manually update the Android System WebView. For this, download the APK file from a trusted site like APKMirror.com. Then install it. You may need to grant security permission to install the app this way. Hopefully future updates of WebView won’t cause any problems.
Next: Want to install paid apps on your Android phone but don’t want to pay for them? Learn how to get paid apps for free from the next link.
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