Fix stubborn apps

Fix stubborn apps

Some problems you might encounter are:

  • “Google Play Service is not installed”
  • your app’s license check fails
  • Map data of a navigation/map app is not shown (or a map within an app)
  • the app does not behave as it should

Background

Some apps are quite stubborn when it comes to get push notifications, showing map data and/or license checking. Some known apps are (to name just some examples):

  • Threema
  • Google Maps
  • Tractive GPS
  • Element / Schildi-Chat

They are not (just) checking if there is the google play service installed but also check if the app is linked to the play store (i.e. exactly the package name: com.android.vending).

For these apps you likely get a warning/popup telling you that they cannot find google play services and/or they simply refuse to work and/or do not show any map data or (in case of Threema/Element/SchildiChat) activating their own push notification service.

The solution is quite simple: the app HAS TO be linked with the play store (i.e. open app info -> “installed by …” should list “Google Play Store” and not e.g. Aurora or F-Droid etc.

Possible solutions

  1. Uninstall the app and install it directly from the Google play store
  2. OR: Backup the app with NeoBackup, then in the NeoBackup settings set the “package name of the installation program” to com.android.vending, then restore the previous backup’ed app

After that check the app info page again -> it should show “installed by Google Play Store”.

If you use e.g. Aurora to keep your apps updated ensure you blacklist these apps there so they do not stop working after an update - or follow the above to restore them after.

Last but not least check the topic in the AXP.OS FAQ

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