While you are downloading applications from the play store on your Android phone, you might have hit a wall called error code 491 on Google Play Store.
Now, this error can be a part of a bigger problem on your phone or might be just a ramification of some corrupted data or processes.
Whatever may be the cause of this error 491, you have to solve it before you can download any more applications on your phone. But before solving the problem, you need first to understand it.
And so, in this article, let us first take a look at what exactly error 491 is in Part 1, how it is caused, and finally, in Part 2, we will look at five different ways through which you will be able to solve this problem.
For continuous Android phone performance without error, it is quintessential to follow the steps in order to remove error 491. So, shall we begin?
PS: here, you will figure out How to Find Android Phone Repair Near Me.
Part 1: What is error 491?
Error 491 signifies that something had gone wrong while you were downloading your application on your Android phone. And this renders the download impossible to perform at the moment. This error is one of the most common errors that Android users face and can be quite a hassle while downloading an important application.
Let us take a look at the most common causes of this error:
- Hindrance in Download: One of the main reasons for the download of your application to stop and the error 491 flashing on your screen can be a hindrance in the download. The download had started out fine, but somewhere in mid-way something went wrong, and the whole download crashed. This hindrance is possible due to a sudden rupture in the network or disabling of the internet connection. It can be easily reversed if you delete the downloaded files and restart the download.
- Lack of Space: The second most common reason for error 491 can be that there is not enough space left in both the internal memory of your Android phone and the external SD card that is plugged into your Android phone. If there is no space for the application to install and expand itself, it will not download, and until there is enough space on your phone, the download will fail every time.
- Data Corruption: Finally, the reason why the error 491 might be continuously flashing on your phone, and no matter what you do, the notification does not seem to be going, might be because of data corruption. If you are downloading straight from the App Store on Android, then this reason is quite rare. But if you are downloading your application from a third-party website, then the application can have corrupted files and might also bring the virus to your phone.
All of these reasons are well established and are the most prominent reasons for error 491 to surface its face and stop you from downloading anything until the problem is resolved. If your phone has enough space, there is no breakage in your net corruption, and you are completely sure that the files you are downloading are not corrupted, then you still do not need to panic at all. The error can also be caused by faulty processor software or even a broken download manager.
And so, let us explore all the options you have to solve this error on your own in Part 2:
Part 2: How to fix error 491 on your Android Phone
Whatever may be the reason for error 491 on your Android phone, it still can be fixed. And here are five different methods that will help you fix the error 491 on your phone while downloading applications on your Android phone:
1. Restarting your Android Phone to fix error 491:
While facing error 491 on your Android phone while downloading applications, the first option you can try to fix error 491 is to restart your phone. The restarting will reboot your phone’s processing and hopefully will restore it to the mode it was before the error 491.
All you have to do is hold your phone, and press the power button alongside the lower volume button together and keep pressing them until the screen turns itself off.
Watch as your phone turns blank, wait for a few minutes and then long-press the power button and watch as your phone restarts. This rebooting should fix error 491 completely and give you the option of downloading all your applications smoothly once again.
In case your phone is frozen and is not responding to the pressing of its external buttons while showcasing error 491, you can open up the phone from behind and remove its battery forcefully. This forceful removal of the battery will force shut down your phone.
And when you, once again, plug in the battery, you will find your phone rebooting itself on its own. This method should only be used in cases of emergencies; otherwise, it can actually damage the interface between your Android phone and its battery.
2. Change your network settings:
The second method to fix error code 491 Google Play on your Android phone when it stops your application download is to try to change your network settings simply.
Usually, data networks can have various strength fluctuations, and this is fine if you are streaming things or just checking your social media because loading in those areas can be done in sections of several lanes.
But on the other hand, while downloading applications, the whole download should happen in a continuous way and without the slightest interruption because the interruption can cause the whole download process to fail and stop immediately. If you are unfamiliar with changing network settings, then allow us to guide you step by step:
- 1: Open the applications menu on your phone, locate the ‘Settings’ panel and click on it.
- 2: Once you open the settings, click on the ‘Wireless & Networks’ icon and find ‘Preferred network type.’
- 3: After clicking on the ‘Preferred network type,’ a new window will open, and you will be able to change your network settings from LTE, 3G, 2G, and 4G.
After you are done changing the network settings, you need to check if the error 491 has left your phone and if downloads are occurring smoothly, but if it doesn’t work, then let us take a look at the third method.
3. Clearing cache from your phone to fix error 491:
If the cause of your phone showing error 491 is the lack of storage, but you do not want to delete your old applications to install the new ones. Then you should try and clear all the cache that has built up in your phone in the play store application. Here are the steps that will guide you to do just that:
- 1: Open Settings once again on your Android phone and select the option of ‘Apps.’
- 2: Open Apps and locate the icon of the Google play store. Open the application and click on ‘Storage.’
- 3: The Storage will guide you to a new window; here, select the option of ‘Clear Cache,’ and the cache will be cleared.
This should solve the error 491 from your phone. But let us look at two more ways of doing that.
4. Wipe the Cache partition to fix error code 491 on Google Play Store:
Error 491 can occur for many reasons, and it can be fixed using the method of wiping the cache partition from your phone. Now to do that, you need to hold the volume up button on your phone alongside the power button.
Hold them together for a few seconds. A vibration will occur, and you must release the buttons in that instant. Following that, a new screen will pop up. Click on ‘Wipe cache partition,’ and the error 491 will absolve.
5. Logging out and back in:
The last method through which you will be able to stop the proceedings of error 491 and get the ability to download applications on your Android phone is to log out and then back into your Google account simply.
Open your Google accounts menu and log out of your account. Then open the settings menu and remove your Google account in the Sync menu.
Once you are done with that, all you have to do is restart your phone and then log in to your account again. And the error 491 will vanish from your Android phone.
Note: If the error 491 still exists after you have tried all the above free methods, a professional third-party tool – dr.fone – Repair (Android) is a must for you. It can not only fix error 491 but also fix Google Play Error 927.
Recommendation: before beginning the process of fixing error 491, it is necessary first to make a backup of all your data. One simple mistake can cause you to lose all your data in the fixing process. The best way to backup your Android phone is through the use of Dr.fone toolkit – Android Data Backup & Restore and Dr.fone – Android Data Recovery. Both of the software can be downloaded for free and have these features:
- Intensively fast-paced processing
- Easily understandable interface
- Gives you full control over how to and which files to backup and extract