Google Play store is home to more than a million Android apps for social media, gaming, banking, news, productivity, weather, travel and more. Name it and there’s an app for it! Here are a few tips from Alcatel about how you can maximise your experience with Google Play, as a gateway to a selection of apps that make your Android smartphone uniquely yours.
1. Require a password or authentication for purchases
To prevent one of your children spending up a storm on smartphone apps and to avoid accidental purchase, turn on authentication. This means certain information, like a password, must be entered on your device to make a purchase on Google Play.
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Tap Menu — Settings
- Tap ‘Require authentication for purchases’
- Choose a setting
- Follow the on-screen instruction
2. Manage an app wish list
If you find out about an app or game you’d like to try, but don’t want to purchase or download it right away, you can put it on your Google Play wish list.
- Open the Google Play Store app on your smartphone
- Search or browse for apps, and select an item
- Tap More (near the top of the screen) and then ‘Add to wish list’
- To remove an item from your wish list, follow the steps above and tap ‘Remove from wish list’
3. Install Android apps from your notebook or desktop
You can install apps on your Android device from your computer’s browser
- On your computer, open play.google.com
- Click Apps — My apps
- Click the app you want to install or turn on
- Click Install, Installed, or Enable
- Choose your device and click Install
4. Delete your Google Play search history
If you have searched for and downloaded a lot of apps, your search history might be cluttered. That’s easily fixed:
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Tap Menu — Settings
- Tap ‘Clear local search history’
5. Update apps automatically
You can update the apps downloaded and installed on your Android device one by one or automatically. App updates improve functionality, security and stability.
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Tap Menu — Settings
- Tap Auto-update apps
- Choose:
- Over any network to update apps using either Wi-Fi or mobile data
- Over Wi-Fi only to update apps only when connected to Wi-Fi
