Unsurprisingly, every update might include more than just new features. Sometimes, updates make matters worse by taking away options that many people relied 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 as just one more thing theGoogle Play Store desperately needs to improve— but is this issue a permanent one?
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The news was first spotted on9to5Googlewhen Android users long-pressed the Play Store app icon on their home screen or app drawer; they saw something missing: the My Apps option. This is a big deal for many, since it’s the quickest and easiest way to know if you have any pending app updates.
Source: 9to5Google
Without this option, users must open the Play Store app, tap on their profile picture, then selectManage apps & device, and only then will they be left where this helpful option would leave them after a long-press and tap.
The missing My Apps shortcut doesn’t appear to be tied 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 instance where the option going away doesn’t necessarily mean that Google is getting rid of it.
Not all is lost
Clearing storage will erase the last updated list and dates. You’ll also need to reapply your purchase authentication preferences.
The good news is that you may probably get the option back. To do so, long-press the Google Play Store app icon and tap the info icon or go toSettings → Apps → Google Play Store → Storage & cache → Clear storage. If you don’t want to do this, you can always take the long road and see if Google fixes the issue in the following update. Ensure you regularly check for any pending updates by opening the Google Play Store, tapping your profile picture, then going toSettings → About → Update Play Store.
But it’s not all bad news for Google lately — some Play Store users are starting to see anew search tab, for instance. This new feature should make searching for your next app a lot easier with quick-access search suggestions. Hopefully, the good news won’t stop there.
