Clearing error code 20 on the Play Store

Google Play Store, integrated in almost all Android devices, is almost the only way to find, download, install and update applications and games. Often this store works stably and without any interruptions, but sometimes users still face certain problems. One of them, "Error code: -20" , will be discussed in our article today.

How to fix the crash "Error code: -20"

The main reason for a notification with the text "Error code: -20" in the market it is a network failure or a failed data sync with a Google account. Most common options are not excluded - the loss of the Internet connection, but this, for natural reasons, is fraught with other problems. Next, in order from simple to complex and radical, we will consider all the existing methods to eliminate the error that we are considering.

Important: Before you start implementing the troubleshooting methods below, make sure you have a stable Internet connection, either cellular or wireless Wi-Fi. A banal restart of the device will not be superfluous; very often this helps to eliminate minor glitches and errors.

See also:
How to enable 3G / 4G on an Android device
How to increase the speed of the Internet connection on a smartphone

Method 1: Clear application data from the system

One of the reasons for most errors in the Google Play Store is its "clogging." With prolonged use, the branded app store fills up with unnecessary cache and junk files, preventing its proper functioning. Similarly, Google Play Services, which are necessary for the operation of most Google applications, including the Store itself, "suffer." To exclude this factor from the list of what can cause the "Error code: -20" , you must do the following:

1. 1. At the  «Configuration» of your device, go to section «Applications» . Inside it, open a list of all the programs; for this, there may be a separate menu item or tab on the top panel.

1. Scroll through the installed software and find the Play Store in this list. Touch your name to go to view general information. Open section "Storage" (can be called "Memory" ) and in the next window touch first "Clear cache" and then "Delete data" .
2. After completing these steps, return to "Applications" and look for Google Play Services on your list. Touch your name and then select "Storage" . As in the case of Market, here first click on "Clear cache" and then "Manage location" .
3. Pressing the last button will take you to "Data warehouse" , where you should touch the button «Delete all data» , located at the bottom, and then click the dialog box "To accept" to confirm.
4. Now after clearing the Google apps data, restart your mobile device. When the system starts, open the Play Store and install the application with which this error occurred.

After following the steps above, you will most likely get rid of "Error: -20". If it still happens, try the solution below.

Method 2: uninstall updates

If clearing the cache and data from the Google Play Store and Services did not help to eliminate the error in question, you can do another "clean up" that is a little more serious. More precisely, this option implies the removal of updates for the same proprietary Google applications. It is also recommended to do this because sometimes the latest versions of the system software are installed incorrectly, and after reverting the update, we start their repeated installation and this time the correct one.

1. Repeat the first step of the previous method and go to the Play Store information. Once on this page, tap on the button in the form of three vertical dots, which is located in the upper right (in some Android versions and shells, a separate button may be provided "More" for this menu). The menu that opens contains the item we need (it may be the only one in this list); we select it by clicking on "Remove updates" . If necessary, consent to the rollback.
2. After returning the Store to its original version, go back to the general list of applications. Find Google Play Services there, open its page, and do the exact same thing - remove updates.
3. Once done, restart your device. After starting the system, open Play Store. Most likely, you will be asked to review the Google Agreement and accept it. Let the Store "come to its senses" as it should automatically update to the latest version, and then try to install the required program.

Most likely, the error code 20 will be fixed and it will no longer bother you. To increase the efficiency of the actions performed, we recommend using Methods 1 and 2 in combination, that is, first erase the data of Google applications, then delete your updates, restart the device, and only then repeat the installation of the program. If the problem persists, continue with the next method.

Method 3: reconnecting your Google account

In the introduction to the article, we said that one of the possible reasons for the error «Code: -20» is that the data is not synchronized in a Google account. The best solution in this case is to delete the active Google account from the device and link it again. This is done very easily.

Important: To unlink and then link an account, you need to know the username and password, otherwise you just won't be able to log in.

1. At the  "Settings" I searched «Users and accounts» (possible options: "Accounts" , "Accounts" , «Other accounts» ). After opening this section, search for your Google account and access its parameters with a simple click.
2. Touch "Delete account" , this button is at the bottom, and then in the pop-up that appears, click the similar inscription.
3. Restart your device and then reopen Accounts . In this configuration section, select the option «+ Add an account» and then click Google.
4. On the first page, enter the phone number associated with the account on the line or enter an email address. Click on "Following" and enter the password in the similar field. I touched "Following" again and then confirm your agreement to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use by clicking "I agree" .
5. After making sure the account has been successfully connected (it will be displayed in the list of connected accounts), exit "Settings" and open Google Play Store. Try to install the application, during the download of which the error in question appears.

If performing the above manipulations did not help eliminate the problem of the "Error code: -20" , then you will have to resort to more serious measures, which will be discussed below.

Method 4: edit the hosts file

Not everyone knows that the hosts file is not only on Windows, but also on Android. Its main function in a mobile operating system is exactly the same as in a PC. Actually, in the same way, it is susceptible to external interference: antivirus software can edit this file and add its own entries to it. In the case of "Error code: -20", A certain virus that penetrated a smartphone or tablet could have indicated the IP address of the Play Store in the hosts file. This blocks the Store's access to Google's servers, preventing data synchronization and causing the problem we are considering.

See also: How to check for viruses on Android

Our task in such an unpleasant situation is to independently edit the host file and remove all entries except the line "127.0.01 localhost" ; this is the only thing it should contain. Unfortunately, this can only be done on an Android device with root rights; in addition, you will need a third-party file manager, for example ES Explorer or Total Commander. Then let's get started.

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1. Having opened the file manager, from the root directory of the system, first go to the folder "System" and then to "etc" .
2. Directory "etc" it will contain the hosts file we need. Hold it down until a pop-up menu appears. In it, select the item «Edit file» , after which it will open.
3. Make sure the document does not contain any input other than the one we mentioned above: "127.0.01 localhost" , without quotation marks. If you find other records below this line, feel free to delete them. After deleting the file of unnecessary information, save it; To do this, find and press the appropriate button or item in the menu of the file manager you are using.
4. After saving the changes made, restart the device, enter the Play Store again and install the required application.

If the error «Code: -20» was caused by a virus infection, removing unnecessary entries from the hosts file and saving it with a XNUMX percent probability will help eliminate the problem under study. By following these steps, you will be able to install any application. To protect yourself in the future and protect your smartphone or tablet from pests, we strongly recommend that you install one of the available antivirus.

Read more: Free antivirus for Android

Method 5: reset device settings

If the previous solutions did not solve the problem of the Error code: -20 , the only effective action would be to reset the factory defaults. Therefore, you can return the device to the "ready to use" state, when the operating system was stable, with no errors or crashes. But you must understand that this is a radical measure: a hard reset, along with "revitalizing" your device, will destroy all your data and files stored on it. Also, apps and games will be uninstalled, connected accounts, downloads, etc. will be deleted.

Read more: How to clear the cache of my Android?

If you are ready to sacrifice information to use your device normally in the future and forget not only about the error with code 20, but also about all the others, check out the article in the link above. And yet, before proceeding with the implementation of this procedure, we recommend that you consult one more material on our website, from which you can learn how to back up data on a mobile device.

Read more: How to Backup Information on Android Smartphone or Tablet

Conclusion

In this article, all the existing methods to eliminate one of the problems in the functioning of the Google Play Store were considered: "Error code: -20" . We hope we helped you get rid of it. In most cases, it is enough to use the first and / or second method, but sometimes it is necessary to unlink and then link your Google account to the device. If a smartphone or tablet is infected with a virus, you will need to edit the hosts file, which cannot be done without superuser rights. A factory reset is a last resort and should only be taken when none of the simpler options helped.