How to Fix Android App Not Installed Error

“On my latest exported .apk I get the error message ‘App not installed’ when I try to install the .apk. What can I do with this issue?” If you have the same question, don’t worry! Here in the post, we will offer 6 tips and 1 effective tool to help you solve the app not installed problem.

Author Avatar Joy Taylor Last Updated: Dec. 12, 2024
DroidKit – Fix System Issues Without Data Loss

Free download DroidKit to fix Android App not installed issue without root. With the help of DroidKit, you can solve the App not installed problem in easy steps. No technical skills are required and more beginner-friendly.

Many Android users would like to install an app with a .apk file extension to their Android phone from Google Play or somewhere, and Google Play Store may get stuck on downloading, get the error message “Application not installed”, or “App not installed”. Then, what to do when trying to install an APK and it says “app not installed”? Fortunately, this post will introduce what causes apps not installed on Android and how to fix the app not installed error.

Android App Not Installed for This User

Android App Not Installed for This User

Why App Not Installed Error Happens?

If you encounter the app not installed problem on your Android, there would be multiple possible reasons:

1. Insufficient Storage

When you’re trying to install apps on your SD card or phone storage, the downloaded app certainly can’t be installed usually caused by storing too much data on your Android phone. Insufficient storage also can lead to Android system update failure, Android process system isn’t responding, etc.

2. Corrupted/Contaminated App File

Besides, the app not installed may mean that you downloaded corrupted files. If you download apps from somewhere else than Google Play Store, app files usually can’t be installed on your device smoothly. It is OK to download apps from other platforms, you just need to check their extension name and make an effort not to install contained files.

3. Storage Location

Apps work best when they are stored on an Android phone’s internal memory and some apps can only be stored in the device’s internal storage. If you don’t save the app in an appropriate location, it is sure that an Android app not installed error will occur.

4. SD Card Not Mounted in the Device

Even though some apps can be downloaded and installed on an SD card, you will see Android app not installed notifications because the SD card is not mounted on the device.

5. Corrupted Storage

Corrupted storage, especially corrupted SD cards, is one of the most common reasons why Android app not installed error occurs. Unwanted data might contain elements that disturb the storage location, causing the Android app can’t install error.

6. Application Permission

Software operations running in the background are set not to allow the installation of third-party software, it is also one reason why app not installed error on Android happens.

How to Fix App Not Installed on Android for System Problems?

When you get the error message that says app not installed, it is mainly caused by the above glitches on the Android system. Then you can use DroidKit to solve the problem. DroidKit can help users fix system issues on Android devices, including the app not installed issue. With its intuitive interface, DroidKit allows users to solve this issue in a few simple steps. It’s 100% secure and stable, and users don’t need to worry about viruses and malware. As a comprehensive Android toolkit, this DroidKit can also offer solutions to recover lost data without backup, unlock the screen on a phone, bypass Google Factory Reset Protection, etc.

Main Features of DroidKit:

  • High success rate in fixing app not installed on Android.
  • Fast fix process to solve your problem within minutes.
  • Fix app not installed issue with no technical skills needed.
  • Support system fix without unlocking and rooting.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Here’s how to fix app not installed issues with DroidKit:

Step 1. Download and install DroidKit on your computer. Launch the software and click System Fix.

Click System Fix Function

Click System Fix Function

Step 2. Connect your device and click Start button.

Start to Repair Samsung Phone

Start to Repair Android Phone

Step 3. Click Download Now button to get the firmware package for your device.

PDA Code Matched

PDA Code Matched

Step 4. Once the firmware is downloaded, tap one Fix Now. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to put your device into download mode.

Put Samsung into Download Mode

Put Android into Download Mode

Step 5. After that, DroidKit will start repairing your Android system. Wait for a while, you will get System Fixed Successfully page. All your system problems will be fixed in this way.

Completing the Repair Process

Completing the Repair Process

How to Fix App Not Installed on Android with Regular Ways?

Tip 1. Only Use the Google Play Store

Play Store is a platform designed specifically for Android software and it contains only trusted apps. If you only use Google Play Store to download apps, an Android app not installed error can seldom occur.

Tip 2. Mount SD Card

Even though your SD card is properly inserted into your Android phone, it sometimes still can be inaccessible. Mounting an SD card can make the SD card accessible. Here is how to mount an SD card.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Storage.

Step 2. Click on Mount SD card on the Storage Info screen.

Step 3. Restart your device and try to install the app now, it should work.

Android App Not Installed Fix - Mount SD Card

Android App Not Installed Fix – Mount SD Card

Tip 3. Choose App Location Wisely

It is suggested that users not tamper with the app’s location and let the app decide where it needs to be placed. It is always best to place the apps in the phone’s internal storage.

Tip 4. Format SD Card

If the Android app not installed error occurs because the SD card is corrupted, formatting the SD card is necessary. However, please do make a backup of the data on the SD card so that you don’t have to suffer from any data loss.

Go to Settings > Storage > Format SD Card. Mount it with the steps in Tip 2.

Android App Not Installed Fix - Format SD Card

Android App Not Installed Fix – Format SD Card

Tip 5. App Permissions

The Android app not installed error can be combated after resetting app permissions.

Go to Settings > Apps > Reset App Preferences/Reset Application Permissions. After this, third-party software can be installed on your device.

Reset App Permission

Reset App Permission

Tip 6. Try to Clear Data

If your phone and apps go wrong, generally you can also clear the cache and data of the Package installer. To do this:

Go to settings > Apps > Package Installer > Click Clear Cache and Data. After restarting your phone and then check if the problem is fixed.

If you got a message that “There was a problem parsing the package” while installing an app on Android, you can also find some solutions to this issue.

Bonus Tip: How to Transfer Apps from Android to Android?

Switching to another phone is more than just getting a new phone. After making a purchase of a new phone, you have to transfer some important data like contacts, messages, and photos from the old phone to the new phone and then download apps for the new Android phone.

There is no doubt that downloading apps on Android again is troublesome and time-consuming. Here we recommend an innovative tool – AnyDroid. It can help you transfer apps from Android to Android, saving you from those tedious processes. It can help you transfer apps from Android to Android directly within a few clicks. AnyDroid always transfers data at a blazing-fast speed. According to statistics, AnyDriod can transfer almost 1.7 GB of data between Android phones within 1 minute. It is 100% safe and secure. You have our guarantee that while using AnyDroid, it does no harm to your device, and accidents like data loss or information leakage will never occur.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Here are steps to transfer apps from Android to Android with AnyDroid:

Step 1. Download AnyDroid on your computer.

Step 2. Connect your Android devices to a computer via USB cables or Wi-Fi.

Launch AnyDroid on Your Computer

Connect Your Android Devices to Computer

Step 3. Click the Android to Android option.

Choose Android to Android Mode

Choose Android to Android Mode

Step 4. Choose the apps you want to transfer. Then click Next.

Choose Photos and Click Next

Choose the File Category

Step 6. Wait for the transfer process completed.  Then you transfer apps from Android to Android successfully.

Android to Android Transfer Complete

Apps Transfer Complete

The Bottom Line

That’s all for the 6 tips and 1 reliable tool to fix the app not installed on Android. If the 6 regular ways can not solve your problem, DroidKit would be a good choice. With the help of DroidKit, how to fix the app not installed will not be an annoying question. The easy steps and high success rate in fixing the app not installed error make this tool stand out from other competitors. Free download DroidKit, try it now!

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Author Avatar
Joy Taylor Twitter Share Facebook Share

Senior writer of the iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android-related issues.

Back to Top Icon