For apps that you have downloaded via the Google Play store, you will always be notified when there is an update to the app. However, if you have installed apps from outside the Play store, you will have to manually check if there is an updated version for the app. This can be a cumbersome task, especially when you have a number of these apps installed on your device and all of them are from different sources. If you are facing this problem, here’s a way for you to check for updates for the non-play store apps.
Checking for Updates for Non-Play Store Apps on an Android Device
There is an app called ApkTrack that lets you check for updates for the apps that you have downloaded from outside the Google Play store.
To get started, download the ApkTrack app from its developer’s website, as it is not available on Google Play.
Make sure that “Install from unknown sources” is enabled on your Android device. If you’re unsure, head to Menu followed by Settings. Tap on Security and ensure that the Unknown sources option is tick-marked.
Launch File Manager and tap on ApkTrack to install the app on your device. Once installed, launch it from your app drawer.
When the app is launched for the very first time, you will need to allow the app to search for the installed apps on your device. To do that, click on the Search icon given in the top-right corner of the app. It will fetch all the apps that exist on your device.
Once you see all of your apps listed in there, tap on the Sync icon given next to the Search icon to find updates for these listed apps.
When the app has finished searching for updates, you will get notifications of which apps need to be updated.
From here you need to click the sync icon given next to the individual app to find the updated APK and to download and install it onto your device.
You can have ApkTrack search for updates in the background by enabling an option in the Settings menu.
Press the Menu button on your device and select “Settings” to go to the settings panel.
Tick-mark the option that says “Enable background checks” to allow the app to automatically check for updates for the apps installed on your device.
Conclusion
While it is very easy to be notified about an update for the Google Play store apps, it is quite difficult to know if there is an update for an app that was downloaded from outside the Google Play store. ApkTrack helps you find updates for such apps so you can have them all updated on your device.
Cheers!
Mahesh Makvana is a freelance tech writer who’s written thousands of posts about various tech topics on various sites. He specializes in writing about Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android tech posts. He’s been into the field for last eight years and hasn’t spent a single day without tinkering around his devices.
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