One of the issues that bugged android users for quite some time now is the Google Play Store error 971. Usually, this issue shows up when you’re trying to install an app. What it does is stop the installation process and you don’t have much of a choice but to re-download the app only to be getting the same error over and over.
In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy S9 that keeps showing the Google Play Store error 971. Let’s consider every possibility and rule them out one by one until we can determine the reason why is happens and hopefully fix it. If you’re one of the owners of this device and are currently being bugged by the same problem, continue reading as this article may be able to help you.
Before anything else, if you have other issues with your device, try to browse through our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed several issues with this device. Odds are that we’ve already published a post that tackles similar problems. Try finding issues that have similar symptoms with what you currently have and feel free to use the solutions we’ve suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, then fill up our questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.
How to troubleshoot Play Store 971 error message in Galaxy S9
This issue often occur during the installation process and prevent the device from completing it successfully. But based on experience, this problem is actually pretty easy to fix. With that being said, here’s what you need to do to fix error 971:
- Perform Force Restart.
- Delete Play Store Cache and Data.
- Remove Google Account and Add it back again.
- Try resetting Network Settings.
- Perform Factory Reset.
Let me explain briefly why you need to do these things…
First Solution: Perform Force Restart
Issue like this is sometimes caused by a glitch in the system that’s the reason why we recommend you to perform forced reboot on your phone. This process will close all apps running in the background and refreshes the system of the device. Don’t you worry, this procedure is safe and very effective in fixing issue like this. Here’s how to do it:
- Press and hold the volume down button and don’t release it.
- While holding down the volume button, press and hold the power key as well.
- Keep both keys held down together for 15 seconds or until the S9 logo shows.
After the procedure open your Play Store app and download any app and see if the error 971 will occur again. If nothing has changed, proceed to the next step.
ALSO READ: How to fix Google Play Store Error 406 on Samsung Galaxy S9
Second Solution: Delete Play Store Cache and Data
In this procedure, we will try to remove all old Play Store cache and data so that new ones will be created. If it’s just an issue with the app itself, then the following steps will fix it. Don’t worry though as none of your files and data will be deleted if you did this.
- Open Settings app.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
- Select Show system apps.
- Find and tap Google Play Store.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear Data button.
- Restart your phone and check for the problem.
Once the phone has successfully rebooted, open Play Store and try installing an app to see if the Play Store error 971 still continues to show. If it does, move on to the next solution.
Third Solution: Remove Google Account and Add it back again
If the first two procedures failed to fix the problem, it’s possible that it’s due to a syncing problem or an issue with your account. Try removing your Google account from your phone and then add it back again to fix any possible syncing issues. Here’s how it’s done:
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap cloud and accounts.
- Tap accounts.
- Select the Google account (if your multiple accounts, pick the one you’re using for Google Play Store).
- Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.
- Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT to confirm.
And here’s how to add it back…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap cloud and accounts.
- Tap accounts.
- Tap Add account at the bottom.
- Select Google.
- Provide the screen unlock if prompted
- Enter your Google account credentials.
After this, open Play Store and try downloading an app. If the error 971 still shows up, then troubleshoot internet connectivity.
ALSO READ: How to fix Google Play Store error 905 on Samsung Galaxy S9
Fourth Solution: Reset Network Settings
Another way to fix this type of issue is to reset your network settings. We will try to refresh your connections as it’s possible that your internet connectivity was disrupted during the download. The error 971 may also occur if you have an unstable internet. Here’s how to reset your network:
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset network settings.
- Tap RESET SETTINGS.
- If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
- Tap RESET SETTINGS. Once complete, a confirmation window will appear.
After the network reset, reconnect your phone to the network, and then try to download any app. If the error 971 still pops up, then it’s time for the ultimate solution.
Fifth Solution: Perform Factory Reset
Here’s the thing, a master reset will surely fix this problem but we are often hesitant to suggest it without first exhausting all possible solutions as you may lose some of your important files and data. So, before the reset, make sure to create a copy of your important files and data. After that, remove both your Google and Samsung accounts so that you won’t be locked out. Once everything is in order, follow these steps to reset your phone:
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the Galaxy S9 logo shows, release all keys.
- Your phone will continue the boot process until it reaches the recovery mode. When you see the black screen with blue and yellow text, that means you’re ready to proceed to the next step.
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
- Press Power button to select.
- Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
- Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
- When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
You will need to setup your phone after the reset and I am confident it’s the last thing you have to do to fix this problem. I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix your Galaxy S9 that’s bugged down by the Play Store error 971. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!
Connect with us
We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. This is a free service we offer and we won’t charge you a penny for it. But please note that we receive hundreds of emails every day and it’s impossible for us to respond to every single one of them. But rest assured we read every message we receive. For those whom we’ve helped, please spread the word by sharing our posts to your friends or by simply liking our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.
RELEVANT POSTS: