You may get an error message that states, ‘This package conflicts with an existing package by the app’s same name‘ when installing an app on Android.
In such cases, an APK file or app is installed on your phone with the same name as the app you want to install. It may also result from conflicting package installers, system apps, and viruses.
Reasons why an app won’t install
The main reason for a package conflict may be an APK file or the original app that fails to be overridden. Other reasons include the following:
- Conflicting app versions: The error may occur if you try installing a different version of the same app on your phone. It may be incompatible or unavailable on your phone and display an error message.
- Corrupted installation package: In other cases, the app package installer may be corrupted or damaged, failing to install on your phone.
- Malware attack: The installation package or your phone may be infected with malware or a virus. The malware interrupts the installation process or modifies the installation package’s name, resulting in the error.
- Conflicting system apps: The system apps may have the same name as the third-party installation package you are trying to install, thus failing to install.
On the other hand, if the Google Play Store app fails to open on your device, try these troubleshooting tips to relaunch the app on your phone.
Basic troubleshooting steps
Here are the troubleshooting solutions to try when you can’t install an app on your Android phone:
Uninstall the app
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll through the menu and tap on Apps.
- Tap the All Apps option and select the app you want to uninstall.
- Tap on the Uninstall option and select OK.
Close then relaunch the Google Play Store
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Search for the app you want to install and tap on Install.
- If it still displays the error message, close the app and clear its tab.
- Reopen the Play Store app and try to install the desired app.
Clear the Google Play Store’s cache and data
- Open the device’s Settings app.
- Tap on the Apps option and select See All Apps.
- Tap on the All Apps option and search or select Google Play Store.
- Tap on Storage and then select Clear Cache.
- Once you have cleared its cache, tap on Clear Storage and select Clear All Data.
- Select OK.
Restart your device
- Long press the power button on the right side of your device.
- Tap on Restart or Power Off option.
- If you press Restart, wait a few seconds for the app to turn on, and enter your password or pin.
- If you turn off the phone, wait for five seconds before turning on the device.
Disable conflicting system apps
- Open the Settings app.
- Select the Apps option.
- Tap on the app that has a similar name to the app package.
- Tap on Disable and select OK.
Get further help
If you still see the “Android app not installed” message, it would be best to contact the app developers for further assistance or reset the device to factory settings.
It is important to note that resetting your phone deletes all your data. Therefore you should back it up before proceeding with the steps.
