Buzz
Before trying more drastic solutions, start by rebooting your phone. If you're using Wi-Fi to download apps from the Play Store, restart your router as well. Then, open Google Play Store and check if the white screen error has been resolved.
2. Check Date and Time
Often, issues arise due to incorrect time settings on your phone. So, check the date and time by navigating to Settings > System or General Management. Then, tap on Date and Time and set it accurately. You can even enable Automatic date and time for better results.
3. Enable/Disable Airplane Mode
Turning on airplane mode will disable all network connections on your phone. Doing so can resolve network issues that may cause the Play Store to not load and thus display a blank screen for you.
To enable Airplane Mode, go to Settings > Network & Internet (or Connections) and toggle Airplane Mode. Alternatively, open Quick Settings by swiping down from the top of your phone's screen and turn on airplane mode. Then, wait a moment and turn it off.
4. Switch Network Connections
You should try opening the Play Store on a different network. For example, if you're using Wi-Fi, switch to a different Wi-Fi network or use mobile data and vice versa.
5. Allow Data Usage for Mobile Data
Sometimes, the Play Store and other linked apps don't have permission to download apps or updates via mobile data. This could be the reason for the white screen error when accessing the Play Store. To fix this, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Settings > Apps & notifications or Installed apps.
Step 2: In the All apps section, tap on Google Play Store.
Step 3: Tap on Mobile data & Wi-Fi (or Data usage) and enable the option Allow background data usage.
Step 4: Repeat the above steps for Google Play Services and the File app or file manager pre-installed on your phone. Finally, restart your device.
6. Disable VPN
Are you using a VPN on your phone? Disable it immediately and try opening the Play Store. Sometimes, VPN and proxy networks also interfere with the Play Store.
7. Clear Cache and Data
One of the ways to fix most issues related to the Google Play Store is to clear its cache and data. Start by clearing the cache first and check if the problem is resolved. If not effective, proceed to clear the data. Don't worry, clearing data or cache will not delete installed apps or any other personal information on your phone. Clearing data will only reset the current settings in the Play Store app. Here's how you do it:
Step 1: Open Settings > Apps & notifications or Apps.
Step 2: In the All apps section, tap on Google Play Store.
Step 3: Tap on Storage > Clear cache. Then, restart your phone. If the issue persists, tap on Clear storage or Clear data.
Step 4: Repeat the steps for Google Play Services if the problem persists.
8. Uninstall Google Play Store Updates
You cannot uninstall the Play Store because it is a system app and pre-installed, but you can uninstall its updates. Many Android users have fixed black screen and white screen Play Store issues by applying this method.
Step 1: Go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Store.
Step 2: Tap on the three-dot menu and select Uninstall updates. Restart your phone and wait 3-5 minutes for the Play Store to automatically update in the background.
9. Disable Security Apps
Are you using virus scanners, cleaning, and phone boosting apps? If yes, try disabling or uninstalling them to see if that makes the Google Play Store return to normal operation.
10. Reset App Preferences
You should also try resetting App Preferences on your Android device. This won't delete any personal data but will reset all settings on the device to their default values. So, if a setting is causing the white screen issue on the Play Store, it will be fixed. Here's how you do it:
Step 1: Open Settings > Apps.
Step 2: Tap on the three-dot menu at the top right corner of the screen and select Reset app preferences.
11. Update Operating System
There might be an compatibility issue between the Play Store version and your phone's operating system. So, check if your phone has been updated to the latest version by going to Settings > System > Software update.
Alternatively, you can refer to a detailed guide on how to update the operating system for Android devices here and follow the steps.
- More Info: How to update the operating system for Android devices.
12. Manually Update Play Store
Sometimes, the issue may lie with your current Play Store version. Usually, the Play Store will automatically update. However, you can manually update the app store with the following steps:
Step 1: Open Settings > Apps & notifications or Apps.
Step 2: In the All apps section, tap on Google Play Store.
Step 3: Tap on Storage > Clear cache and Clear data. Then, restart your device and wait for about 2-3 minutes for the Play Store to automatically update.
13. Remove Google Account
If the above methods don't work, you should remove your Google account from your phone. Go to Settings > Accounts, tap on your Google account, and press Remove account.
Additionally, if you encounter errors while downloading apps from the Google Play Store, you can refer to more troubleshooting guides here.
- Learn more: How to fix Google Play Store app download errors.
Similar to other apps on your phone when encountering errors, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue to apply the appropriate fix right away. Therefore, you should try the remedies shared in the article one by one until the app store returns to normal operation. Additionally, if you find the default interface on Google Play boring, you can explore how to change the Google Play store interface to create a fresh, more engaging user experience.
Just like with Google Play, users may also encounter white screen errors while using Facebook. In such cases, to quickly fix the issue and continue using Facebook, readers need to check out our article on how to troubleshoot Facebook white screen errors to find the solution.
