Google gives and Google takes
Abstract
- Some users have reported missing the My Apps long-press shortcut for the Google Play Store, which allows for easy app updates.
- A missing shortcut may just be a bug and not an intentional removal of a feature that users rely on.
- Users can restore the missing option by clearing their storage or waiting for Google to fix it in the next update.
Unsurprisingly, each update can include more than just new features. Sometimes updates make things worse by taking away options that many people have come to rely on every day. That’s what some Android users have been experiencing over the past few weeks, as a popular shortcut is reportedly missing. We could chalk it up to just one more thing the Google Play Store desperately needs to improve — but is this problem permanent?
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The news was first spotted by 9to5Google when Android users long-pressed the Play Store app icon on the home screen or app drawer; they saw that something was missing: the My Apps option. This is a big deal for many because it’s the fastest and easiest way to find out if you have pending app updates.
Source: 9to5Google
Without this option, users must open the Play Store app, tap their profile picture, and then select Application and device managementand only then will they stay where this useful option would leave them after a long press and touch.
The missing My Apps shortcut doesn’t seem to be related to a specific version of the Google Play Store. In fact, it seems more likely to be a bug than intended behavior — this is one example where an option disappearing doesn’t necessarily mean Google is getting rid of it.
All is not lost
Clearing the storage will delete the last updated list and dates. You will also need to reapply your purchase authentication settings.
The good news is that you can probably get the option back. To do this, long press the Google Play Store app icon and tap the information icon or go to Settings → Apps → Google Play Store → Storage and cache → Clear storage. If you don’t want to do that, you can always take the long way around and see if Google fixes the problem in the next update. Make sure you regularly check for any pending updates by opening the Google Play Store, tapping your profile picture, then going to Settings → About → Update Play Store.
But it’s not all bad news for Google lately — some Play Store users are starting to see a new search tab, for example. This new feature should make finding your next app a lot easier with quick access search suggestions. Hopefully the good news won’t stop there.