"Authentication is required" in Play Store: how to fix it
Play Store keeps asking you to sign in with "Authentication is required". Why it happens and how to fix it without losing data.
The full message is "Authentication is required. You need to sign in to your Google Account.", and sometimes it returns even after signing in. The store is holding a session Google no longer accepts, typically after a password change, turning on 2-Step Verification or restoring a backup.
Fix 1: sync the account
In SettingsPasswords & accountsGoogle, pick the account, open Account sync, then choose Sync now from the three-dot menu.
Fix 2: clear Play Store storage
SettingsAppsGoogle Play StoreStorage & cacheClear storage.
Fix 3: remove the account and add it back
- Make sure you know your Google password and can receive the verification code.
- SettingsPasswords & accounts(your account)Remove account.
- Restart and add it again in SettingsPasswords & accountsAdd accountGoogle.
Forgot your password? Don't remove the account. Recover it first at accounts.google.com with Forgot password?. This site has no access to anyone's Google account.
Store closes before it even asks you to sign in? See Play Store keeps stopping.
Frequently asked questions
Does removing my Google account delete photos or contacts?
Not from the cloud. They disappear from the phone while the account is gone and come back when you add it.