How to fix the download unsuccessful error on Android Market

Posted on

A techie post on 6000 miles…? Surely not?
But yes – and I have my reasons. Read on.

I’m loving my Android-powered Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 phone: it’s fun, it’s useful, it’s damn good looking and Android is very stable compared with previous operating systems I have used.
However, I recently discovered an issue with the Android Market which manifested with the error: “Download Unsuccessful”.

I still don’t know what caused it, but it not only meant that I couldn’t add new applications to my flock (what is the collective noun for applications?), but also that I couldn’t update the applications I already had.
This was a problem.

I searched the internet for a solution and found several hundred, none of which actually worked. Running out of ideas and a full on, no holds barred, stick that in your pipe and smoke it factory reset seemed to be my only option.
However, through cleverly managing to stick two failed suggestions together I seem to have come up with a simple fix for the download unsuccessful problem, which I’m putting on here to help others and also so I can go back to it when this happens again.

Which it might.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Applications.
  3. Select Manage Applications.
  4. Select Market.
  5. Select Clear cache.
  6. Press the back button (takes you back to list of installed applications)
  7. Select Download Manager.
  8. Select Clear data.
  9. You should now be able to download successfully from the Market.

Obviously, this worked on my X10, but I think that these are fairly basic/standard functions for Android phones, so I see no reason it shouldn’t work on yours as well.

If you use this fix – whether it works for you or not – please leave a comment with your phone details so others can learn from your experience.

52 thoughts on “How to fix the download unsuccessful error on Android Market”

  1. I’m impressed – and very grateful! My HTC Desire (running Android 2.2) hit this glitch last night but I didn’t have any time to worry about it, let alone sort it.

    Now, thanks to you, I don’t need to.

    Big thumbs-up to you.

  2. i tried this method with my x10 mini. at first i thought it had worked because it started to download something. but then the error message decided to appear next time i tried. I’ve tried with wi fi and using edge and neither of them are working even after the instructions in this post.

    Thanks for your help. didn’t work 100% for me. which is strange when the x10 mini is the lil brother of the x10.

    oh well. i suppose i will have to wait for the fault to be sorted out by the guys at the other end of the android market.

  3. No joy for me with this unfortunately. HTC Desire 2.2
    I’ll just have to sit tight and wait for google to fix their mess.

  5. x 10 mini

    A similar procedure fixed my syncing issue to Google Contacts. So I was quit optimist, when I saw this post. I cleared all possible Cacha and Data from Market, Download Manager and Download Agent and rebooted, but the issue persists. Anybody any other ideas ?

  8. Thanks so much 6000 for your advise.

    IT WORKS NOW. But I think I did a bit too much. I cleared data & cache for the following apps on my x10 mini:

    – Browser
    – Download Manager
    – Download Agent
    – Gmail
    – Gmail Storage
    – Google Apps
    – Google Search (Enhanced)
    – Google Talk
    – Google Talk Service
    – Market

    After this I had to login again to Market and I could again download/update any application. Nasty side effect was, that I lost all Contacs / GMail / Calendar sync. After syncing again everything was back. I’m a bit wondering, why I lost the Contacts and the Google Calendar entries, as I did not touch those 2 apps. Is it maybe because of clearing data & cache of “Google Apps” ?

  9. Stef > As long as it comes safely back – who cares where it went in the meantime?
    (Note: This does not apply to my daughter)

  10. Tried. Didn’t work, but this worked on my Sony Ericsson Xperia X10:
    Settings>Applications>Manage Applications>Market>Uninstall Updates

    There is no “update all” button, but programs tell you “update available” and you can download & install those 🙂

  11. Nothing has worked for me and my x10. Really unhappy about it. Does anyone know any other ways to sort it?

  12. I have been experiencing this issue for the last 2 days on my X10.

    I attempted all the “Clear Cache” suggestions without success.

    I have got it working again by doing the following: Settings>applications>Manage Applications>Market>Force Stop

    Re-opening Market will prompt for login details again but once entered it is working fine again.

  16. You guys are awesome, Thank you! I’ve read down this page trying everything everyone’s suggested to try and fix my X10 download unsuccessful problem – it took me to this point…BUT…It’s fixed (Hooray!)
    Without you lot I’d still be sat with my thumb up my bum crying about not being able to download stuff.
    Cheers everyone!
    Tank

    (P.S – I fixed it by uninstalling updates in settings – manage apps – market – uninstall updates)

  19. Did not work for my htc hero
    I seemed to have lost the working version of android market when I upgraded my OS to 2.1
    I think it is very silly that I have not been able to restore the apps I had loaded on the previous OS (1.6)
    for nearly a month now.
    Good Job Android!!! Thanks a lot

  20. Actually none of those fixes worked for me, maybe b/c I can’t uninstall updates on the latest cyanogenMod nightly builds.. but glad that it worked for so many 🙂

  23. so i did everything all the steps to getting my downloads back but i now have lost all contacts…please someone help me!

  24. I had taken my phone back to shop to sort out but they couldnt!I had given up trying to download but I just found this link and bingo it works!! I followed first instructions then all the clearing on google bits. Many thanks- Ive now just put a load of daft stuff on my phone!

  26. Worked through each fix one by one with no luck. But then, eventually Gojlander’s fix worked a treat.
    Uninstall updates from the Market application
    Unsure what implications that will have later on but I guess that prob will be fun too.

  30. Yay this worked for my HTC wildfire s, thank you! It was so annoying and no matter how many times I restarted my phone nothing would download or update!

  34. After update system from 2.3.3 to 2.3.5 may you have some problems with Android Market.

    If you receive a "Download unsuccessful" message when attempting to download an app, try the following troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue:
    • For paid applications, confirm your credit card information is up to date by signing in to your Google Wallet account.
    • Clear your Market cache (visit Settings > Applications > Clear cache > Clear Data).
    • Restart your phone, then try downloading the app again.
    • Wait 10 minutes, and try your download again.
    • Confirm there is connectivity to either a wireless or cellular network on your device, and contact your mobile service provider if you aren't connected.
    • Ensure there’s enough space on your phone or tablet for the app to install.
    *** If none of the above steps work, try remounting your SD card.
    *** Visit Menu > Settings > Storage > Unmount SD card; then remount the SD card from the same menu by selecting Remount SD card, or restart the device if the remount option isn’t available.

  35. I've tried clear cache and uninstall updates from the market, but that doen'st help. (several times)
    I have a rooted xperia x8.
    There is no download manager in the application list as in the x10.
    What else can I do?

  37. Worked on the Samsung Infuse 4G (Rooted/FMV2.2.1) but for some reason I cant update the Android Market and its stuck on the Old Marketplace…

  41. Nope. Doesn’t work. I have tried everything, as in EVERYTHING. Now, I can’t even login to facebook mobile or the app store.

  42. its a sony xperia x10…and frankly speaking i have cleared the cache ,Unmount and SD carddid a factory reset on the phone but all in vain.
    Nothing seems to work

  43. found this link via google – solution worked for me!! thank you
    i had already tried to clear the cache for market, but didnt know there was a download manager app that i had to clear the data too. once done i was sorted
    thank you again!

  44. Tried this way on my Android 2.2 Tablet, did not work so i tried formating lost all data but did’nt have much on anyway, started all over again that worked now i can download from appsmarket, fingers crossed so far so good, Thanks for the help.

  46. Tried it with my Xperia x10 mini pro but step 7… there was no download manager. Weird huh.. dunno what to do!

  47. I’ve tried all these tips but still can’t download in android market, my android version is 2.1 Eclair. I’ve uninstall updates too which makes “Market” selection in my “Manage Applications” is unseen. But it still didn’t work. ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME, I NEED YOUR HELP T^T

  48. I thought I had done everything sugested, but ended up going through all my apps one by one until I found one that had the “Uninstall Updates” button – it was a Samsung App Downloader. finally it worked. (After uninstalling it I also had to take the battery out for a hard reboot.)

  49. Hi, i tried the above suggestion to no avail. I have an sony xperia 8. One day I could download apps, games etc then the next I couldn’t. I have tried clearing cache, uninstalling you name it ive tried it. Im at a loss now and im ready to throw my phone out of the window. Android phones are rubbish i have to say. Theres no need for a phone to be so complicated. Ive drudged through thread after thread and no fixes. My PC companion says I have the latest software so I have no clue what else to try.

  50. iam using irobot tablet and before i can download successfully. i was surprise when i can no longer download anything.can anybody help me please?

    Leave a Reply