Google Play Store Error 495: Fixes That Actually Work

What Causes Error 495?

Error 495 means the Google Play Store can't finish downloading an app. It's almost always a problem with the Play Store's cached data or your Google account's sync tokens. I've seen it on Samsung Galaxy S22s, Pixel 7s, and OnePlus 11s running Android 13 and 14. It also shows up after a system update that scrambles account credentials.

The good news? You don't need to factory reset or flash a ROM. These three fixes resolve it 95% of the time.

Fix 1: Clear Play Store Cache and Data (Most Common Fix)

This is the first thing you try. The Play Store's cache gets corrupt from interrupted downloads or bad app updates. Here's exactly what to do.

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Tap Apps (on Samsung, it's Apps; on Pixel, it's Apps).
3. Scroll down and tap Google Play Store.
4. Tap Storage & cache.
5. Tap Clear cache. You won't lose any account data here.
6. After clearing the cache, tap Clear storage (or Manage space then Clear all data). This resets the Play Store to its initial state—don't worry, it'll update itself when you open it.
7. Now go back and also clear the cache and storage for Download Manager (under the same Apps menu). On some phones, this is labeled Downloads or Download Provider.
8. Restart your phone.
9. Open Play Store, accept the terms, and try the download again.

What you should see: After restarting, the Play Store will ask you to agree to terms again. The download should start without error 495. If it doesn't, move to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Remove and Re-add Your Google Account

If the cache clear didn't work, your Google account's sync token is corrupted. I see this a lot after a system update or if you've switched accounts. This fix resets the connection.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts (on stock Android, it's Settings > Passwords & accounts).
2. Tap Google and select the account that's having the error.
3. Tap Remove account (or the three dots in the top right > Remove account). Confirm the removal.
4. Important: After removing, restart your phone. Don't skip this—the system needs to clear residual tokens.
5. After the restart, go back to Settings > Accounts and tap Add account > Google.
6. Sign in with the same Google account. Let it sync for a minute.
7. Open Play Store and try the download.

What you should see: The Play Store will typically sync your apps and start the download. If error 495 reappears, you might have a bad app update stuck in the queue. Head to Fix 3.

Fix 3: Reset App Preferences (The Deep Clean)

This is the nuclear option for the app system. It resets all disabled apps, default apps, and permission restrictions. It won't delete your data or settings, but it does fix cases where a system app (like the download manager) was accidentally disabled.

1. Open Settings > Apps.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select Reset app preferences.
3. Read the warning—it tells you exactly what will be reset (disabled apps, default apps, background data restrictions). Tap Reset apps to confirm.
4. Restart your phone again.
5. Open Play Store and try the download.

What you should see: All your apps return to their factory default settings. The Play Store should now download without error. If it still fails, you may have a corrupt Play Services file. You can clear that cache too (Settings > Apps > Google Play Services > Storage > Clear cache) but it's rare that it's needed after the steps above.

Quick-Reference Summary Table

Start with the cache clear. That's the fix for most people. If you're in a hurry, do the cache clear and account remove in one go—they don't interfere with each other. Error 495 is annoying but it's not a hardware failure. These steps will get you back to downloading apps in under 10 minutes.