Google Removes System App Uninstall Option From Play Store – Users Frustrated
Google Play Store no longer allows uninstalling system app updates. Learn how this change affects Android users and workarounds to manage apps.
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Android users were accustomed to managing system app updates through the Google Play Store, but this is no longer the case. A recent alteration to the Play Store that affected the way updates were managed has left many users scrambling for ways to cope with the situation.
With the old system, the Play Store had system apps that came with both an “Open” and a “Uninstall updates” button on their listing. These buttons were useful for users who wanted to revert a particular system app that had become erratic due to bugs, etc. The listings have now been modified to only show the “Open” option, so users are no longer able to uninstall updates directly from the Play Store. Devices running Play Store versions 49.1.32-31 to 49.2.25-31 have all been affected by this change, and it is not limited to any particular app.
The change did not only affect uninstalling updates of system apps which are visible in the app drawer but also the ones that are hidden or least used like Android Auto and Pixel Camera Services. Users have to be resigned to navigating through the device’s Settings → Apps → [App Name] if they want to remove the updates which adds extra steps to what was previously a single-click action.
The timing of this change is surprising as it follows closely on the heels of Google’s decision to allow only a single-step uninstall for apps. The Play Store now shows all the devices where an app is installed along with an uninstall button for each device, which makes it easier to manage apps remotely. But in the case of local device management, the direct uninstall option for system apps has been removed.
No official explanation from Google has been given regarding this change that has been speculated by tech experts to be aimed at either system stability or security. Users who were looking to control app versions or rollback may find this limitation to be quite inconvenient, especially when it comes to buggy updates or changes that they do not want in core system apps.
