Google Play is one of the world’s largest and most popular app stores, and if you own an Android-based smartphone or tablet, you have probably already used it a few times.
Of course there are always a few things you can do to make full use of the digital services that are at your disposal, and Google Play is no different. Here are some tips, tricks and pieces of advice to help you explore its true potential.
Earn credits to save money
As well as being able to pay for content on Google Play using the currency of your choice, you can also trade credits for everything from mobile games to music downloads and more besides.
You can earn Google Play credit in a number of ways, such as by using apps which reward you for completing specific tasks, playing games and fulfilling other criteria. If you spend a lot of time on your phone anyway, this can be a simple money-saving option that sticks within the trusted Google Play ecosystem.
Act fast to get refunds
You may not realize it, but Google Play actually gives customers the option to request a refund for content they have paid for, so long as they do so within 120 minutes of originally making the purchase.
All you have to do is open the page on Play Store where the app is hosted and, if you are still within the aforementioned time limit, there should be a ‘refund’ option there for you to press.
This is not just perfect for people who find that an app they buy isn’t to their tastes, but also for parents who realize that their kids may have made purchases without their permission.
Avoid data usage issues by preventing automatic updates
In many cases, Google Play will choose to download and install updates for the apps you have on your device in the background. This is clearly convenient as it avoids you having to do this manually, but might not be ideal if the connection you are using has a data cap, or you are trying to avoid over-taxing it with superfluous activity.
Thankfully you can stop automatic updates from running by launching the Settings menu in the Play Store, navigating to the Update Apps subcategory and selecting the option to avoid these downloads altogether.
Add age restrictions
If your smartphone is used by other members of your family and you do not want younger kids encountering content that is inappropriate for them when using the Play Store to find entertainment and learning apps, you can add an age filter to the search results and also set a password to authenticate downloads and purchases.
The Content Filtering submenu within the mains settings screen is where you can get this done, and it even has multiple levels of filtration depending on your preferences. If in doubt, choose the strictest option and you can then hand your Android phone to anyone without the potential for problems arising.
