Install or update apps

Need a voice recorder, notepad, or compass? You can download more apps, in addition to pre-loaded apps on your phone.

Developers frequently post updated versions of apps, adding new features or fixing issues. For best performance, keep your apps up-to-date.

Get apps from Google Play Store

To download apps:

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Browse by category or search.

  3. Touch an item to see a description, read reviews, and download it.

    You'll see in the status bar when the app has downloaded and installed successfully.

Tips
  • To view Play Store apps you've installed on this phone, touch > My apps & games. Touch LIBRARY to see apps you've installed on other devices using the same Google account.
  • To prevent accidental or unwanted purchases, touch > Settings > Require authentication for purchases.

Get apps from other sources

Before downloading, do some research: check the app's rating and read lots of comments.

To allow your phone to install apps that are not from Play Store:

  1. Go to Settings > Security.
  2. Turn on Unknown sources.

To download apps:

  1. Touch > Chrome and go to the appropriate site to download the app.

    If you see a warning, touch OK to continue.

    You'll see in the status bar when the download completes.

  2. Touch the download notification to install the app. Or, open the Downloads app to install it later.
  3. When installing the app, be sure to review what information the app will access. If you don’t want the app to access this information, cancel the installation. For example, if you're installing an app that makes a shopping list, the app should not require access to your contacts.

Play Store: Update apps automatically

Updating your apps gives you the latest features and improves security and stability. For best performance, apps are set to update automatically.

If an app changes the information it wants to access on your phone, you will receive a notification to update the app manually and will be required to review and accept the new permissions.

To control when your apps are automatically updated:

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Touch > Settings.
  3. Touch Auto-update apps.

  4. Do one of the following:

    • Touch Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only to save data charges on your cellular plan and update only when connected to Wi-Fi.
    • Touch Auto-update apps at any time. Data charges may apply. to update using either Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Play Store: Update apps manually

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Touch > My apps & games.
  3. On the UPDATES tab, touch Update all, or to update a specific app, touch Update next to its name.
  4. Read the summary of what changed, then swipe down to review any changes to permission details, what information on your phone the app can access. If you agree, touch Update.

Play Store: Turn off auto-updates

To stop a specific app from updating automatically:

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Touch > My apps & games.
  3. Touch the INSTALLED tab, then touch the app's name.
  4. Touch and turn off Auto-update.

To stop all apps from updating automatically:

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Touch > Settings.
  3. Touch Auto-update apps > Do not auto-update apps.

Play Store: Restore apps

If you uninstall an app you got from Play Store, you can reinstall it anytime. Have apps you use infrequently, such as a flight tracker? Delete them and easily reinstall when needed.

  1. Touch > Play Store.
  2. Touch > My apps & games.
  3. Touch the LIBRARY tab for a list of every app you’ve downloaded.
  4. Touch an app name, then touch INSTALL.
  5. If you have multiple Google accounts, touch and next to your account touch . Select the other account and repeat the process to restore apps downloaded in that account.