How to Fix Android: Installation Error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE Easily

Are you looking some ways to get rid of “Android: Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE”?

Don’t worry, this blog will help you to get away of such error message on your Android device. Not only you, but there are several other users who have come across such unexpected situation while accessing their android device.

So let us go further and know about the error and also how to fix Android: Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE.

About Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE

This error is one type of headache to the developers of Android. Generally, it occurs though your device has sufficient storage. However, when several people reported about the problem and they requested for the solution then Google was silent in the issue.

Later on, it was found that rebooting the device might help to get away of the situation. After rebooting, the device was normal and the problem was fixed but again the same problem occurs.

So, how to solve such error? Don’t worry, let us read further.

Practical scenario:

Android: Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE

I’m getting “Installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE” error while installing the application on my device today. It is working fine till yesterday, today only im facing this problem. I have deleted some files on my SD card, but still facing the issue. I’m sure it is not the issue with the space on SD card. Can anybody suggest how to resolve this.

– From Stack Overflow

Reasons behind the error

Generally, everyone knows how Android app installation or updates effect takes place. If anyone don’t know then here is what you should know about. When any app is installed then the APK file is saved as /data/app/-1.apk (1.apk).

Now when the same app needs an update then the APK file is saved as /data/app/-2.apk (2.apk). In normal situations after the update, the first version (1.apk) gets erased.

Now here you can find out why the error occurs. When you install any updated app on your device and the old APK file is still present in the device then it is a common problem with many user.

The first APK file which was named as (1.apk) still remains in the same place and when the updated app is installed then it has no place for 2.apk file. In such condition, an installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE occurs.

Now the question arises, how to fix the error message on android?

Related: [GUIDE]- How to Fix “Insufficient Storage” Error Message on Android

How to fix Android error “INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE”

It is very important to know how to fix any error that you come across on your android device. The error that you have faced now, it has simple solution.

Simply rebooting the device one to two times can clear the message. But it has a chance to come back again (already mentioned above).

This situation is really an irritating one as users cannot install any popular games app, video apps, music apps and many others just because of the unwanted popup error message.

Therefore, to get out of the unexpected error message, here you will get some of the best ways to deal with such condition.

But before going to any solution, you have do some simple steps so that you don’t have to face any data loss situation further.

So follow the below steps carefully.

Step 1: Backup your Android data

Yes, this is one of the important step that you must do before going for any solution. You have to backup all your data’s including photos, contacts, videos, text messages, call history etc to safe place but do you know how?

Use Android Data Backup & Restore software to backup all your important data from your android device. This is one of the best ways to keep your data in safe place and whenever it is needed, you can restore them without any issue.

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Steps to backup and restore android data

With Toolkit for Android - Data Backup & Restore, you can easily backup your Android data. This tool has make it quite easier to back up your Android data to computer and even selectively restore backed up data to your Android device. Let us have a look how one can easily backup and restore their Android phone.

Part I: Back up your Android Phone

Step 1: Connect your Android device to computer

At first, there is a need to launch Toolkit for Android on your computer and then select Phone Backup

After the above step, connect your Android phone to the computer with the use of a USB cable. But it is quite important to make sure that you have enabled USB debugging mode on your Android phone. If your Android OS version is above 4.2.2, then remember that there will be a pop-up message display on your phone. Now simply tap on OK so that you can allow USB debugging on your device.

Click Backup to start the backup Android phone data.

If you have already used this tool to back up your device in the past, then you can simply view your past backup by clicking on 'View backup history'.

Step 2: Select file types to back up

When your Android phone gets connected, then you have to select the file types you want to backup. Remember one thing that Toolkit for Android has checked all the file types for you by default. After this, simply click on Backup so that you can begin the backup process.

It will take a few minutes to complete the backup process. So, please do not disconnect your Android phone and also do not use the device or delete any data on the phone when the backup process is in progress.

After the backup process gets over, you can then click on View the backup button to see what is there in the backup file.

Part II: Restore Backup To Android Phone

Step 1: Connect your Android device to computer

Here, you are required to launch Toolkit for Android on your computer and then select 'Phone Backup. Now simply connect your Android phone to the computer with the use of a USB cable.

Step 2: Select the backup file you would like to restore

After clicking on Restore button, by default, the program will display the files from the latest backup on computer. Here you need to select backup file you need and then tap on View next to it.

Step 3: Preview and Restore Backup file to Android Phone

You can have a preview here of each file in the backup. From here, you can check the files you need and then simply click on 'Restore”.

The overall process will take few minutes to complete. So, please do not disconnect your Android phone or do not open any Android phone management software during the process

Step 2: Check each method to fix installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE

Here you have to follow some methods to fix the error. In between, it may happen that some of the data might get lost then also no need to worry. Using Android Data Recovery tool will help you to get back all your erased data.

After that, follow the methods to get out of the problem.

Method 1: Erase both APK files

• First, uninstall the app
• Now search the both files path and delete them (/data/app/-1.apk) (/data/app/-2.apk)

In fact there is another way by which you can get out of this, for that, you have to run

• adb shell “pm uninstall”
• adb shell “rm -rf /data/app/-*”

Method 2: Add android:installLocation attribute

You have to add android:installLocation=”preferExternal” in your AndroidManifest.xml file within manifest tag. This will force the app to get installed on external storage of device.

For example:

<manifest xmlns:android=”http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android”

package=”com.andrewsmith.android.darkness”

android:installLocation=”preferExternal”

Now go to Settings > Storage > hit on cached data and then clear the cache data from device. Doing this will help you to clear cache files and some space will be available.

At last, reconnect your device, then clean the project and run it again on your device. Now your device will be able to run the project.

Also Read: [Solved] “No Command” Error In Recovery Mode On Android

Method 3: Increase the capacity of Android emulator’s memory

The error also occur at the time of running Android application on Emulator and it occurs due to less virtual memory. So to fix it, follow the steps:

• First, right click on root of Android project and then go to “Run As” and then “Run configurations…”
• Here you have to locate “Android Application” and after that select your project and then go to “Target” tab
• After that, search “Additional Emulator Command Line Options” and there you have to paste “-partition-size 1024”
• At last, click on Apply option and Run to use emulator

I hope that after following all these methods and fixes, you will not get any such type of error on your Android device.

Conclusion

The error you have come across is common to many Android users so there is nothing to get worried about. However, I have mentioned some of the best methods to fix installation error: INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE.

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