Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Guides

How to update apps on Android

By

We all need apps to run properly for us, regardless of which apps we have on our phones and how often we use them. That’s why keeping them updated is vitally important since without installing new versions, our apps may stop working or may end up posing a security threat. Fortunately, this article explains how to update apps on Android. It covers how to update apps on Android individually and how to update them automatically.

Looking for some interesting new apps? Check out our article on the best Android apps available now.

Recommended Videos

How to manually update apps on Android

Let’s say you’re aware that some of your apps have just had new versions released, but you don’t think your Android phone has them installed. Well, you can install new app updates by doing the following:

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store.

Related

Step 2: Tap the Menu button in the top-left corner of the screen (it’s on the left of the search bar and looks like three horizontal lines on top of each other).

Step 3: Tap My Apps & Games. The updates tab will open by default; it will display any apps that have updates available.

Step 4: Tap Update.

Well done, your apps have now been updated. If there aren’t any updates available for any of your apps, you’ll see No Updates Available under the Updates tab in the My Apps & Games menu.

Automatic updates

Assuming that you have neither the time nor the inclination to manually update apps, you can choose to update them automatically. Automatic updates should be turned on by default, but in case they aren’t, here’s what you can do.

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store.

Step 2: Tap the Menu button in the top-left corner of the screen (it’s on the left of the search bar and looks like three horizontal lines on top of each other).

Step 3: Tap Settings.

Step 4: Tap Auto-Update Apps, and then choose one of the available options (Over Wi-Fi Only is recommended). Finally, tap Done.

Your apps will now update automatically as and when new versions are released by developers.

However, assuming you don’t want to automatically update all of your apps, you can instead opt to update only specific apps (like those you use most often). Make sure that you have auto-update apps turned off (follow the steps above, but then tap Don’t Auto-Update apps at the end), and then do the following:

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store.

Step 2: Enter the name of the app you want to auto-update in the Search for Apps & Games bar. Search for it, and once it appears, tap on it.

Step 3: Tap the More button in the top-right corner of the screen. Tap Enable Auto-Update.

Repeat this process for as many apps as you’d like to auto-update.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Simon Chandler
Simon Chandler
Mobile Writer
Simon Chandler is a journalist based in London, UK. He covers technology and finance, contributing to such titles as Digital…
Android 15 release date: When will my phone get the update?
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has announced Android 15, the next major evolution of its mobile operating system. As usual, the development and release cycle will follow a three-phase strategy. February 16, 2024, marked the start of the first phase, which squarely targets developers and phone makers to provide them with a look at the changes so that they can get familiar with the new software.

The first build of Android 15 is the Developer Preview phase, and a Beta release follows it. This release can be downloaded over the air without any special tactics. Once the beta testing phase is over, the final stable version is released. This usually happens toward the end of the year.
All the phones that can download Android 15

Read more
What is NFC? How it works and what you can do with it
NFC settings on an Android phone.

Near field communication (herein referred to as NFC) is a smartphone and wearable technology that lives in the shadows. Silently operating around the clock, NFC is relied upon for several device functions, with wireless transaction systems like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay being one of the biggest. But this cool tech can do far more than let you pay for a Twix with your iPhone. 

Here’s everything you need to know about NFC technology, and the many ways you can use the wireless protocol today.
What is NFC, and how does it work?
NFC, which is short for near-field communication, is a technology that allows devices like phones and smartwatches to exchange small bits of data with other devices and read NFC-equipped cards over relatively short distances. The technology behind NFC is very similar to radio-frequency identification (RFID) commonly used in the security cards and keychain fobs that you likely already use to get into your office or gym. In fact, NFC is an evolution of RFID that offers more advanced features and better security, but the two technologies still share a lot of things in common.

Read more
Google just released the first Android 15 beta. Here’s what’s new
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has just released the first public beta build of Android 15, marking an end to the developer-focused test phase. The beta version’s release also means that Android 15 is finally in a state where it can be tried by the masses without people having to worry about too many bugs leaving their phone in a sorry state.

The first beta version of Android 15 doesn’t introduce a ton of new features, as most of the notable additions have already appeared in the Developer Preview builds. Google’s blog post, however, mentions the following features as the key highlights

Read more