I found a way to roll back bad Google services updates on Android – in just a few clicks

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a favorite source On Google.

ZDNET Highlights

• If Google Services Updates Are Causing Problems, There’s a Quick Fix
• With the tap of a button, you can roll back some updates.
• Use it carefully, and it may get you out of a jam.

Over the past decade, there have been a few occasions when Android updates wreaked havoc on my phone. One time, it was so bad that I had to do a factory reset and start over.

not ideal.

There have also been situations where an update didn’t cause catastrophic problems, but it did give me a headache or two. For example, a Google Play Services update caused the inability to install apps. That issue wasn’t resolved until Google released an update to the service.

Also: How to Use Google Messages’ New Trash Feature to Recover Deleted Text

The good news is that Android has a hidden section where you can roll back updates for almost any Google service.

For example, if Android WebView (the service that lets you view web pages within an app) suddenly stops working correctly, you can roll back the update, and the service will work as expected again.

If you roll back a service, and it doesn’t fix your phone (and no other options have resolved the problem), first make sure you rolled back the correct service. Your last resort would be a factory reset, as there is no way to roll back a full Android update.

Note that the following instructions pertain to Google services only, so you won’t find updates for installed user apps here. (For this, you need to go to Settings > Apps > All Apps. If any app is causing trouble on your phone, simply uninstall it.)

Also: Slow Android Phone? My 4-Step Refresh Routine Can Make It Go Fast

With that in mind, let’s take a look at where this hidden option to bring back Google services is located and how to use it.

Where is this rollback feature?

I found this feature by accident, so you don’t have to waste time looking for it!

On a Pixel, open the Settings app and go to Google services and preferences NAME > All Services > Privacy & Security > System Services (where NAME is the name associated with your phone). On Samsung, try Settings > Google Services > All Services > System Services.

On the “System Services” page, you’ll find a list of all updated services and services with available updates.

If you find a service with an available update, tap the service name, then tap Update.

Too: I changed 12 settings to extend my Android phone’s battery life by hours

To roll back an update, locate and tap the service you want to roll back. On the service’s page, you should see a button labeled “Remove updates.” To roll back that service to a previous version, tap that button, verify the uninstall when prompted, and wait for the update to come back.

Depending on the service, you may need to reboot your phone to complete the process.

Understand that this is not a cure for every problem with your Android phone. It gives you control over Google service updates that may cause problems in your device.

If you roll back an update and find that it was not the cause of your problem, you can go back to the same service and manually run the update to restore it to its previous state.