On Friday evening, the Google Play Store started showing Android users repeat app updates that they’ve already installed. This is not the first time that this bug has occurred.
In the Pending downloads screenshot below, notice how Gboard, Google Messages, Pocket Casts, and The Athletic don’t include the update size. They just note the “Updated at [time].”
After tapping “Update” for those four apps, the version number doesn’t change. The Play Store is actually downloading something — 1 or 2 MBs — for each app and going through the “Installing” process. It appears that you’re re-updating to a version that’s already installed on the device.
(The four other apps in the above list see their version numbers advance as expected, with both Google and third-party apps impacted by this issue.)
We haven’t noticed any problems with those “updated” apps, so there’s no real user impact beyond wasting a few megabytes. This looks to be a bug, but it’s unclear whether the repeat “updates” are actually needed and whether Google Play will eventually pull them. We’re encountering these repeats on Android 14 (Samsung) and 15 (Pixel) devices across several Google Accounts.
More on Google Play:
Play Protect cannot be disabled during phone and video calls
Google Play adding ‘Verified’ badge for VPN apps
Play Store removing peer-to-peer app ‘Share’ functionality
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