How to Fix Google Play Store Error 20 on Android
What error 20 means
Error 20 shows up when you tap Install or Update in the Google Play Store and the download never starts. The pop-up reads "Error retrieving information from server" with the code 20 (sometimes -20), and you are left staring at the app's store page with nothing happening. No download bar, no progress — just the error.
What is actually happening is a failed handshake. Before downloading anything, the Play Store asks Google's servers for the app's listing information — package details, version data, compatibility checks. When that request dies, the store aborts the whole operation and reports error 20. The confusing part is that your internet can feel perfectly fine: you can browse the web, watch videos, even scroll the Play Store itself. Only the specific channel the store uses to talk to Google's servers is broken, so everything else works while downloads refuse to start.
That is why this error is almost always a local problem, not a Google outage. Corrupted store data, a damaged account session, a VPN or ad-blocking DNS interfering with the store's traffic, or a buggy Play Store update can each break the handshake on their own. The fixes below are ordered to rule out the easy causes first, then rebuild the store's connection to Google's servers piece by piece.
Common causes
- Corrupted Play Store cache or data: the store's temporary files get damaged by interrupted sessions, and the bad data breaks the server request.
- Stale Google Play Services state: the background service that performs the actual server communication holds bad state that kills the handshake.
- A broken network path: a VPN, an ad-blocking DNS, or a router firewall rule can block the Play Store's server traffic while normal browsing still works.
- A buggy Play Store update: a bad update to the store app itself can break its ability to retrieve information from the servers.
- An expired account session: a stale or half-signed-in Google account session can make every server request fail authentication.
How to fix error 20 — step by step
Work through these fixes in order. Most people are fixed by step 3.
- Restart your phone and retry the download. Hold the Power button, tap Restart, and wait for the phone to fully boot back up. Open the Play Store and try downloading the app again. A restart clears temporary network and installer states, so this quick step rules out a transient communication glitch before you dig deeper.
- Test your internet connection. Open a browser and load a page, or run a speed test. If the page fails or the connection crawls, toggle Airplane mode on for ten seconds, then off. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data and retry the download. If the download works on one connection but not the other, the problem is your network, not your phone — a VPN or a misconfigured router can also block the Play Store from reaching Google's servers.
- Clear the Google Play Store's cache and data. Open Settings, then go to Apps (or Apps & notifications), then See all apps. Tap Google Play Store, then Storage & cache. Tap Clear cache first, then Clear storage (or Clear data). This wipes the store's corrupted temporary files that may be blocking the server handshake, without touching your installed apps or your Google account. Reopen the Play Store and retry the download.
- Clear Google Play Services and the Services Framework. In Settings > Apps > See all apps, open Google Play Services and tap Storage & cache, then Clear cache. Do the same for Google Services Framework — tap Storage & cache, then Clear data on that one. These two background components handle the actual server communication for the Play Store, and stale data there is a common trigger for error 20. Restart the phone before you retry.
- Uninstall the Play Store's updates. Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps and tap Google Play Store, then tap the three-dot menu in the corner and choose Uninstall updates. This rolls the store back to its factory version, removing any buggy update that broke server communication. Open the Play Store again — it will update itself to a fresh copy — then retry your download.
- Remove and re-add your Google account. Go to Settings > Passwords & accounts, tap your Google account, and choose Remove account. Restart the phone, then go back to Settings > Passwords & accounts > Add account > Google and sign in again. Open the Play Store and retry the download. This rebuilds the account-linked session the store uses to talk to Google's servers.
Did this fix it? Quick checklist
- The app downloads without the error 20 pop-up
- Other apps install and update normally from the Play Store
- The problem app opens and runs after installation
- Downloads work on both Wi-Fi and mobile data
If error 20 still appears after all six steps, try downloading over mobile data only with Wi-Fi and any VPN turned off — if that works, your router or VPN is blocking the store's server traffic. As a last resort, back up your data and perform a factory reset (Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data), which rebuilds the Play Store and its services from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What does Google Play Store error 20 mean?
It means the Play Store tried to fetch the app's information from Google's servers and the request failed, so the download never started. The usual message is "Error retrieving information from server" followed by the code 20. The trigger is almost always local: corrupted store data, a bad network path, or a stale account session on your phone.
Is error 20 a problem with my internet connection?
It can be, but a working browser doesn't guarantee the Play Store can reach Google's servers. A weak signal, a VPN, an ad-blocking DNS, or a router firewall rule can block the specific connection the store uses while normal browsing works fine. Test by switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data and temporarily turning off any VPN.
Will clearing Play Store data delete my apps or files?
No. Clearing cache and storage for the Google Play Store only removes the store's temporary files — your installed apps, photos, and files stay put. You will just need to accept the Play Store terms again when you reopen it.
Why does error 20 appear for every app I try to download?
Because the failure happens at the information-retrieval stage, before any app is even involved — so every download hits the same wall. That points to a store-level problem: corrupted Play Store data, a stale Services Framework state, or a broken account session. The cache clears and account re-add in the steps above are exactly the fixes for it.