How to Fix Google Play Store Error 101 on Android
What error 101 means
Error 101 is the Play Store telling you there is no room for the new app. You find an app you want, tap Install, and instead of a progress bar you get a small pop-up: the app could not be downloaded due to an error (101). Tapping retry changes nothing — the download never starts, and the same message appears every time you try, for that app and often for every other app too.
The classic trigger is exactly what the code is known for: too many apps installed on the device. But in practice the error also shows up when free storage simply runs too low, even on a phone with a modest app count. Android needs more than just the app's download size — it needs room to unpack and install the package, plus breathing room for the system itself. A phone showing only a few hundred megabytes free will refuse downloads that look small on paper.
The good news is that error 101 is one of the most fixable Play Store codes. It is a capacity problem, not a broken phone or a broken app. The steps below start with freeing real space — the fix that resolves most cases — and then move into the cache and account resets that fix the stubborn cases where the store keeps reporting the old, full state after you have already cleaned up. Most people are downloading again within fifteen minutes.
Common causes
- Too many apps installed: the Play Store refuses the download because the sheer number of installed apps has hit its limit.
- Low free storage: not enough free space remains to download, unpack, and install the new app.
- Large cached and leftover files: downloads, duplicate media, and app caches quietly eat the gigabytes a new install needs.
- Stale Play Store cache: old store data keeps reporting the pre-cleanup storage state, so the error persists after you free space.
- Corrupted Play Services or Download Manager data: the services behind the download queue hold a stuck session that keeps failing the same way.
How to fix error 101 — step by step
Work through these fixes in order. Step 1 resolves most cases; steps 2 through 4 fix the ones where the store keeps reporting the old state.
- Free up storage by removing apps and files you no longer need. Error 101 fires when the Play Store cannot fit a new download, either because too many apps are installed or because free space has dropped too low. Open Settings > Apps > See all apps, sort by size if your phone offers it, and uninstall the large apps you no longer use. Then open the Files app and delete old downloads, duplicate photos, and large videos, or move them to cloud storage. Aim for at least 1 to 2 GB of free space before retrying — Android also needs breathing room for the install itself, so a phone showing only a few hundred megabytes free will keep failing even after you delete one small app.
- Clear the Play Store cache and data. Stale store data can keep reporting the old storage state even after you have freed space. Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps, tap Google Play Store, then tap Storage & cache and hit Clear cache followed by Clear storage (or Clear data) and confirm. Reopen the Play Store, accept the terms if asked, and retry the download.
- Clear Google Play Services and Download Manager data. Play Services and Download Manager handle the download queue behind the scenes, and corrupted data in either one can keep error 101 alive after you have freed space. Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps, tap the three-dot menu > Show system, then open Google Play Services and clear its cache and data the same way. Do the same for Download Manager. Restart the phone afterwards so both services start fresh.
- Restart your phone and retry the download. A restart clears temporary download locks and forces the Play Store to re-check your free space and installed-app count. Hold the power button, tap Restart, wait for the phone to boot fully, then open the Play Store and try the download again before opening other apps.
- Remove your Google account and add it back. If the error survives the storage and cache fixes, a stale account sync can keep the store applying an outdated install state. Go to Settings > Passwords & accounts, tap your Google account, then Remove account. Restart the phone, go back to Settings > Passwords & accounts, tap Add account > Google, and sign in again. Open the Play Store and retry the download.
- Uninstall updates to the Play Store app. In Settings > Apps > See all apps, open Google Play Store and tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then Uninstall updates. This rolls the store back to the factory version, undoing a buggy self-update that may be miscounting installed apps or free space. Open the Play Store — it will reinstall a fresh update on its own — then wait a few minutes and retry your download.
Did this fix it? Quick checklist
- Settings > Storage shows at least 1 to 2 GB free
- The download starts and completes without the 101 pop-up
- The Play Store no longer refuses other app downloads either
- The fix holds after a phone restart and a second download attempt
If error 101 still appears after all six steps, check Settings > Storage one more time — some phones report cached system data as free space that the installer cannot actually use, so you may still be effectively full. Clear large app caches from Settings > Storage, and as a last resort move photos and videos to cloud storage before retrying. A factory reset is almost never needed for this error.
Frequently asked questions
What does Google Play Store error 101 mean?
Error 101 means the Play Store cannot download the app because your phone has too many apps installed or too little free storage left. The download is refused before it starts, with a pop-up saying the app could not be downloaded due to an error (101). It is a capacity problem, not a broken app: free up space or remove apps you no longer use and the same download usually goes through.
Is error 101 caused by too many apps, or by low storage?
It can be either, and often both at once. The classic trigger is a large number of installed apps, but the error also appears when free storage drops too low for the new install, even on a phone with few apps. Check Settings > Storage first: if free space is under 1 GB, storage is your problem. If storage looks fine but you have hundreds of apps installed, uninstall the ones you no longer use and retry.
Why does error 101 persist after I freed up space?
Because the Play Store may still be working from stale data. Clearing the Play Store cache and data, then doing the same for Google Play Services and Download Manager, forces the store to re-check your real free space. A restart after clearing is important too — without it, a stuck download session can keep reporting the old state. Work through steps 2 to 4 above before concluding the fix failed.
Do I have to uninstall apps I actually use to fix error 101?
No. Start with apps you never open, duplicate apps, and large games you finished, and clear out downloads and media in the Files app — that alone usually frees enough space. Only if you are still short after that should you consider temporarily removing a large app you use, installing the new one, and then reinstalling the old one. Moving photos and videos to cloud storage is another way to free gigabytes without losing anything you use.