Once you know your way around Google Play, you’ll be able to do things faster and know where to look for the information you need. Some of the features are not in plain sight, so you need to know where to look to take full advantage.
How to See App Permissions Before Installing
Find an app you like and hit the Install button without knowing what permissions the app is going to ask for. When you see the long list of permissions, hit the back button, thinking that the app is not worth all those permissions. There is a way you can see what permissions an app is going to ask you for before you hit the Install button. Some apps will show you the app permissions before the app is installed, but others will not and will download the app without showing you anything. Open Google Play and go to the app you want to install.
At the bottom tap on the “Read More” option, and swipe all the way down until you see “App permissions.” Select “See More” and you should now be looking at all the permissions the app needs.
How to Add an App to Your Wishlist
Is there an app you want but can’t buy at the moment? By adding it to your wishlist, you can have a list of all the apps you want to buy so you won’t have to remember them all by name later.
To add an app to your wishlist, go to the app of interest and tap on the three dots at the top-right. The “Add to Wishlist” option will be the second one down. Once you select this option again, you will know it has been added since there will now be a checkmark to the side of it. To access your wishlist, tap on the hamburger icon followed by Wishlist. Every app you’ve added will be listed there.
How to Add a Form of Payment to Google Play
By adding a form of payment to Google Play, the next time you want to buy an app, you won’t have to add it again.
To add a payment method to Google Play, open the app and tap on the hamburger icon. Go to “Payment Methods,” and choose the one you want to add. Add the required information. It’s also possible to add a backup payment method for any subscriptions you have. By adding this option you won’t have to worry about interruptions to your subscriptions if for some reason the main form of payment doesn’t work. To set up the backup option, go to “Menu -> Subscriptions -> Manage -> Backup payment method -> Other options,” and choose your payment method.
How to Erase Search History on Google Play
If there are searches you wouldn’t want anyone finding out about, it’s a good idea to erase your history. To delete it, open Google Play, and go to Settings.
Once in Settings, look for and tap on the option that says “Clear local search history.” When you tap on this option, nothing visible to you will happen, but your history will be cleared.
How to View and Manage Apps You’ve Installed on Google Play
Say you want to re-install an app you used a while back, but you can’t remember the name. The good thing is that Google Play has a list of the apps you’ve installed previously, so you don’t have to waste time trying to remember the name.
To see the list, tap on the hamburger icon, and select “My Apps & games.” Tap on the Library tab on top, and you will see the list of apps that you’ve used before but that you don’t currently have on your phone. If you want to see them either in alphabetical or recent order, tap on the Recent option with the jagged lines to the side. You also have the install button if you want to give the app a second chance.
Conclusion
If you know where to look, you can get some useful information. Some options are more visible than others, but they are there. What hidden options have you found on Google Play? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
