How to fix Galaxy Note9 Play Store authentication required error

Google Play Store authentication required error is one of the common bugs in Android devices. Today’s post will address this error happening on the Galaxy Note9. Find out the troubleshooting steps that you need to do to fix the problem below.

How to fix Galaxy Note9 Play Store authentication required error

There’s quite a number of possible reasons for Play Store authentication required error. Here are the troubleshooting steps that you can do to narrow down the factors.

Forced reboot

There are plenty of Android issues that are caused by temporary bugs. Minor bugs sometimes develop if a device needs a refresh. This is why it’s recommended that you restart your phone at least once every few days. If you haven’t tried restarting your device at this stage, we suggest that you forced reboot it. It has the same effects when you physically remove the battery. Since it’s borderline impossible to disconnect the battery on your Note9, here’s what you need to do to simulate its effects:

1. Press and hold the Power + Volume Down buttons for approximately 10 seconds or until the device power cycles. Allow several seconds for the Maintenance Boot Mode screen to appear.
2. From the Maintenance Boot Mode screen, select Normal Boot. You can use the volume buttons to cycle through the available options and the lower left button (below the volume buttons) to select. Wait for up to 90 seconds for the reset to complete.

Re-add your Google account

The most common reason for authentication required error in many Android phones is due to incorrect Google account credentials. Sometimes, a user may forget to update his or her Google account username and password after having changed the password in another device. Make sure that the your Note9 is using the updated username and password to prevent authentication required bug from happening.

If authentication required error has not disappeared at this point, we recommend that you try to see what happens if temporarily remove the Google account from the device. Once you’ve done that, restart the phone, add your Google account again, and see what happens.

To remove a Google account:

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap cloud and accounts.
4. Tap accounts.
5. Select the Google account (if your multiple accounts, pick the one you’re using for Google Play Store).
6. Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.
7. Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT to confirm.

To add back a Google account:

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap cloud and accounts.
4. Tap accounts.
5. Tap Add account at the bottom.
6. Select Google.
7. Provide the screen unlock if prompted
8. Enter your Google account credentials.

Clear cache of Play Store app

Should asking for refund won’t help and the error returns, the next troubleshooting step is to clear the cache of Play Store app. The cache may had been corrupted for some reason and the error may be the result of that. To ensure that the Play Store app cache is refreshed, follow the steps below:

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Apps.
4. Tap the 3 dots icon (at the upper right)
5. Tap Show system apps to display preinstalled apps.
6. Find and tap Google Play Store.
7. Tap Storage.
8. Tap Clear cache.
9. Tap OK.
10. Restart the device and check for the problem.

Return Play Store app to its defaults

Sometimes, clearing the Play Store app cache is not enough to fix error 961. The next step to do in this case is to return the app itself to its defaults. This is done by wiping its data. Here’s how:

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Apps.
4. Tap the 3 dots icon (at the upper right)
5. Tap Show system apps to display preinstalled apps.
6. Find and tap Google Play Store.
7. Tap Storage.
8. Tap Clear data.
9. Tap OK.
10. Restart the device and check for the problem.

Clear data of Google Services Framework app

Another troubleshooting step that we found effective in fixing all sorts of Play Store errors in the past is by clearing the data of Google Services Framework app. Google Services Framework is a core Google app that manages important Google-level services in a device. If this app is buggy, it can affect other apps like the Play Store app. To make Google Services Framework stable, you can revert its settings to defaults with these steps:

1. From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Apps.
4. Tap the 3 dots icon (at the upper right)
5. Tap Show system apps to display preinstalled apps.
6. Find and tap Google Services Framework app.
7. Tap Storage.
8. Tap Clear data.
9. Tap OK.
10. Restart the device and check for the problem.

Check for potential bad app

In some cases, an installed third party app can cause trouble for Android or to some apps. To check, you can restart the phone to safe mode and observe it. If Play Store authentication required bug is absent on Safe Mode but returns when the phone is restarted to normal mode, you can bet a bad app is to blame. Here are the steps to restart the device to safe mode:

1. Turn the device off.
2. Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
3. When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
4. Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
5. Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
6. Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
7. Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.
8. Use your Note9 normally and check if the error returns.

If Play Store authentication required error won’t show up, that means you need to pinpoint the app that causes the problem. To identify which of your apps is causing the trouble, you should boot the phone back to safe mode and follow these steps:

1. Boot to safe mode.
2. Check for the problem.
3. Once you’ve confirmed that a third party app is to blame, you can start uninstalling apps individually. We suggest that you begin with the most recent ones you added.
4. After you uninstall an app, restart the phone to normal mode and check for the problem.
5. If your Note9 is still problematic, repeat steps 1-4.

Factory reset

This is a drastic solution but you need to do it if none of the suggestions above help. Factory reset should fix this error since all Google apps and services will be refreshed and accounts re-added. 

To factory reset:

1. Remove any Google account from the device.
2. Create a backup of your personal data.
3. Turn off the device.
4. Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
5. When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
6. Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
7. Press Power button to select.
8. Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
9. Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
10. When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
11. Press the Power key to restart the device.

 

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