What Does Google Services App Do On Android

Google Play Services is one of the most important apps on any Android telephone. It helps connect everything, provides easy tools for app developers, and helps older Android phones get mod features without the need for Android Bone updates. Google Play is also quite elusive. Information technology doesn't advertise its existence on your phone. That can cause some issues when information technology comes to troubleshooting. Let's take a wait at what it is and how it works.

Read more: Google Play Store: A definitive guide for beginners

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Google Play Services is a software layer between the Android OS and your applications. It tin can do many things, updates independently of Android, and helps developers make better apps.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

What is Google Play Services, and what does it do?
How do I update Google Play Services?
How do I download and install Google Play Services?
How practise I disable Google Play Services?
FAQ

What is Google Play Services, and what does information technology do?

Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Play Services is a software layer betwixt the Android operating organisation and your applications. It serves every bit a span to help developers create amend, more optimized, more bombardment-efficient apps without unnecessary piece of work. In improver, Play Services allows Google to add together new features to Android without the need for Android Bone updates.

Here is an case of how it works. An app programmer has an app that needs to send y'all a button notification. Play Services has two APIs for that very part here. The developer uses those APIs in their app. From there, Play Services sends push notifications when the app asks it to without any additional work from the programmer.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other APIs that assist developers do simple tasks in a compatible way. Navigation apps asking for your location probably use Play Services to practice it. Retrieve of it equally your phone'south manager, sending you lot notifications, giving apps your location, and running processes in the background for optimal battery efficiency.

The dainty part of Play Services is that information technology lets Google add new features to phones without needing Android OS updates. All they have to exercise is add together a new API to the Play Services library and and then update the app on your phone to support it. Many desirable features get rolled out to users this mode every yr. Of class, the downside is that it can be a existent hurting to fix when Play Services starts interim up.

How do I update Google Play Services?

Joe Hindy / Android Authority

It should update automatically in the background. Information technology receives updates in the Google Play Store like whatever normal application, so information technology should update when all of your other Google Play apps update. Even so, if yous desire to check manually, here'southward how to do it.

The fast way

While on your telephone, tap this link. It should accept y'all to the Play Services page on the Google Play Shop.
Tap the Update button if necessary.

The official way

Open your telephone'due south Settings menu. Navigate to the Apps section, tap All apps, and coil downwards until yous discover Google Play Services. Tap it.
Ringlet downward until you see App details and tap that.
The phone should open Play Services in the Google Play Store. If it needs an update, tap the Update push. Google Play volition update the app, and that'south all.
If you can't find Play Services on the list, tap the iii-dot menu button and choose the Prove arrangement apps option.

The above process may vary slightly between devices. For example, Samsung doesn't require you to hitting All apps before showing yous a full listing of apps.

How do I download and install Google Play Services?

Joe Hindy / Android Authority

The service comes pre-installed on Google Play-enabled phones starting from Android four.4. You know if your telephone is Google Play-enabled if it came with the Google Play Store. Still, some folks may want to download a specific version for specific needs, then we'll put the process of installing Play Services hither.

Place the proper DPI and compages for your telephone

There are about a dozen different versions of Play Services. You demand to find the right one for your telephone.
To offset, download this app. Nosotros recommend downloading it from APKMirror because it doesn't crave Google Play Services.
Install the app after you download it. If you're having trouble, use this tutorial to acquire how to install third-party apps.
Once installed, open up the app. Under the Device tab, you'll find your device's DPI. Write that number down. Slide over to the System tab and write down your CPU Architecture. You'll need both of those.

How to download Google Play Services

The most reliable identify to download Play Services is APKMirror. You can find the site's repository of Play Services here. Please note: There are dissever versions of Play Services for Android TV and Wear OS. Make certain you lot don't download those unless you need them.
In the list, select the version you want. You lot'll want to make certain to download the 1 that matches the architecture and DPI from the previous steps. If you tin't notice your DPI, y'all can go with the nodpi option, and it should work fine.

How to install Google Play Services

Play Services comes in APK format just similar any other regular Android app, and the process of installing information technology is the same.
If you need additional help, you can follow this tutorial to larn how to install apps without the Google Play Store.

Please note that improper installation, trying to install the wrong variant of Play Services, and not installing correctly tin lead to failed installations. If your installation fails, offset at step ane and perform the steps again.

How do I disable and re-enable Google Play Services?

Joe Hindy / Android Authority

You can disable it if y'all want to. Nonetheless, be warned that doing so can greatly and negatively impact how your device operates. Nosotros only recommend this for troubleshooting purposes or if yous intend on going for a Google-free culling for everything, and nosotros mean everything.

How to disable Google Play Services

Navigate to Settings, and so to Apps. Tap the All apps option to prove a listing of full apps (not necessary on every phone).
Curlicue downward and select Google Play Services.
Tap the Disable button. It'll shoot yous a warning about how it'll affect device performance earlier information technology lets you lot disable it.
You volition nigh certainly get a bunch of notifications about various apps or services no longer existence able to function until you turn Play Services back on. This is normal because Play Services handles a lot of background stuff.

How to re-enable Google Play Services

Perform the same steps equally above, except hit the Turn On button.

How to remove permissions from Google Play Services

Again, follow the steps above to get to the Play Services app folio in your Settings.
This fourth dimension, tap on Permissions.
Tap the permission you lot want to revoke. Tap the Don't permit selection.
Your device will tell you that it may touch the functionality of some stuff. Hit Don't allow anyway to continue.

Over again, we recommend using the above methods only for troubleshooting purposes. Play Services is tied to the very core of Android, and disabling it (or its permissions) tin can have radically negative effects on your device and its functioning.

Read more: How to get a refund for apps purchased from the Play Store

FAQs

What happens if I uninstall Google Play Services?

Yous really tin't uninstall information technology without root access. However, if yous did, a lot of stuff on your phone would stop to part correctly. Examples include carrier services, Android Auto, many apps that transport notifications, virtually navigation apps, and others. You'll have to go new apps from sources outside the Google Play Store.

Is it okay to clear the Google Play Services cache and data?

Aye, yous should be able to do both of those things without any agin furnishings.

How practise I fix "Google Play Services non supported"?

At that place are just a scattering of fixes that work. Try clearing the Google Play Store enshroud. If you take Play Services installed, try clearing its data and enshroud. If y'all are getting the fault while installing, double-check that you have the correct variant and try again.

How do I prepare "Google Play Services has stopped"?

Effort the same methods above. Articulate the Google Play Shop enshroud and clear the Play Services cache and data. If you lot still feel issues, it may exist related to something specific to your device. A factory reset volition most certainly fix any trouble, even if it's invasive.

Why tin't I update Google Play Services?

It'south usually just a hiccup in the matrix. Try clearing the Google Play Store and Play Services cache, and then try again.