If you are a longtime Android user, it is possible that your Google Play Store account is listing all the phones your account was associated with. Even if you have sold, lost, or trashed it. If you want to streamline the device selection on the Play Store listing during installation, just follow some simple steps.
We will first cover how to hide old phones from the drop-down selection offered when installing an app using a browser, and later cover how to properly remove a phone from your Google Account.
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If you frequently install apps using the web pages at the Google Play Store—maybe by following our app selections ?—and used the same Google Account on many phones and tablets, the device selection menu can get quite cluttered. To hide a phone or tablet on the Play Store installation screen just follow these steps:
Open the Devices page
Simply uncheck the box under the Show in menus column for the device to hide.
With that, the phone or tablet won’t be offered whenever you try to install an app next time. To undo the change, just check the box again on the same page.
Open the Devices page on the Play Store settings and uncheck the devices you don’t want to see. © nextpit
The Play Store will only list compatibility and offer installation for devices that were selected. © nextpit
To properly remove the device from the Google Account we have to go a bit deeper:
Open the Your devices page
Select the device to be removed.
Choose the Sign out option.
Open the Devices page on the Play Store settings and uncheck the devices you don’t want to see. © nextpit
The Play Store will only list compatibility and offer installation for devices that were selected. © nextpit
Some may feel attached to their old backlog of devices, but if you want to declutter your Google Account—and potentially reduce the risk of privacy and security issues—, that will do. Just remember to back up any important information and always keep your account recovery options updated.
#RIP old friend! / © nextpit
Are you attached to the list of old Android phones on your account? Do you frequently use the Play Store page to remotely install apps? Share your tips (and long-forgotten phones found) in the comments below!
Article updated in October 2024 with instructions for removing devices both on the Google Play Store and the Google Account. Comments prior to the date may seem out of context.
