How to Fix Play Store Error 941 (Update Interrupted)
What Play Store error 941 means
Error 941 is one of the classic Google Play Store error codes, and it has a very specific meaning: an app update was interrupted in the middle of downloading. You were probably updating an app — or the phone was updating apps in the background — when the process stopped unexpectedly. Your Wi-Fi dropped, you switched between Wi-Fi and mobile data, the phone died, or the Play Store itself started updating in the background at the worst possible moment. Either way, the download never finished, and the Play Store's internal state is now half-broken: it remembers a download that never completed, so every retry hits the same wall.
That is why simply tapping "update" again rarely works. The half-finished download data is still sitting in the Play Store's cache, and the store keeps tripping over it. Nothing about your apps or your Google account is actually damaged — your apps are fine, your purchases are fine, and you are not at risk of losing anything. The problem lives entirely inside the Play Store app's own temporary state, which is why the fix is a ladder of clearing, resetting, and refreshing that state until the stuck download clears out. Work through the steps below in order; the first two fix it for most people.
Common causes
- Interrupted download: the network dropped, the connection switched between Wi-Fi and data, or the phone died while an app was updating.
- Corrupted Play Store cache: temporary download files from the interrupted update are stuck and block every retry.
- The Play Store updating itself mid-update: the store sometimes updates its own app in the background, which collides with the app update already in progress.
- Low or full storage: with almost no free space, the download cannot finish writing and fails with error 941.
- Stale Google account state: the device's link between your Google account and the Play Store's download queue gets out of sync after the interruption.
How to fix Play Store error 941 — step by step
Work through these fixes in order. Start at the top — each step only gets slightly more involved, and most people never need to go past step 2.
- Clear the Play Store cache and data. Open Settings, then Apps, then See all apps. Find Google Play Store, tap Storage and cache, then tap Clear cache followed by Clear storage. Reopen the Play Store and try the update again. This wipes the stuck half-downloaded files and lets the store start fresh — and it does not delete your apps, purchases, or account.
- Clear the Download Manager cache and data. Go to Settings, then Apps, then See all apps. Tap the three-dot menu and choose Show system, then find Download Manager. Tap Storage and cache, then clear both its cache and its data. The Download Manager is the system component that actually fetches files for the Play Store, so its own stuck state is a common hidden cause of 941.
- Uninstall Play Store updates. Open Settings, then Apps, then See all apps, and open Google Play Store. Tap the three-dot menu in the top corner and choose Uninstall updates. The Play Store reverts to its factory version and updates itself again, clearing stuck state. Wait a few minutes for it to finish re-updating itself, then retry your app update.
- Free up storage and switch your connection. Open Settings, then Storage, and free up space until at least 1 GB is available. Delete unused apps, clear out downloaded files, or move photos to the cloud. Then switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or move closer to your router, so the update downloads on a stable connection. A flaky connection plus low storage is the combination that causes most 941s.
- Remove and re-add your Google account. Open Settings, then Passwords and accounts, tap your Google account, and choose Remove account. Restart your phone, go back to Passwords and accounts, and add the same Google account again. This gives the device a fresh link between your account and the Play Store's download queue. You will need to sign in again and wait a moment for your apps list to resync.
- Wipe the cache partition from recovery mode. Power off your phone, then press and hold Volume Up and the Power button until the recovery menu appears. Use the volume keys to highlight Wipe cache partition, press Power to confirm, then reboot the phone normally. This clears system-level cached files without touching your personal data, apps, or photos — it is not a factory reset. After the reboot, retry the update.
Did this fix it? Quick checklist
- App updates download and install without error 941
- The Play Store opens and searches normally
- At least 1 GB of free storage is available on the phone
- The Google account is signed in and syncing in Settings
If 941 keeps returning on every update after the full ladder, check whether your phone runs an old Android version with an unsupported Play Store, or whether you are using a custom Private DNS with ad-blocking — some aggressive block lists catch Play Store endpoints and interrupt downloads. If neither applies, contact Google Support from inside the Play Store: tap your profile icon, then Help and feedback, and describe the error.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Play Store error 941 happen?
Error 941 means an app update was interrupted while downloading. When the Play Store's update process stops unexpectedly — a dropped network connection, the phone dying, or the Play Store updating itself in the background — the half-finished download leaves the store in a broken state, and error 941 blocks the retry.
Will clearing the Play Store's data delete my apps or my Google account?
No. Clearing the Play Store's cache and storage only resets the store app itself — its settings, search history, and temporary download files. Your installed apps, purchases, and Google account are untouched.
How is error 941 different from errors 495 or 963?
They are cousins in the Play Store error family. Error 941 specifically means an update was interrupted mid-download, while 495 is a general download failure and 963 points at the SD card or update process. The same fix ladder — clear Play Store and Download Manager data, then re-add the account — resolves all three.
What if error 941 comes back on every update?
A recurring 941 means the underlying trigger is still there. Check that you have enough free storage, that the Play Store is not updating itself mid-download, and try removing and re-adding your Google account. If it still returns, clear the Download Manager data from the system apps list or wipe the cache partition from recovery mode.