Android is one of the most commonly used Operating Systems Systems on the smartphone. However, the basic nature of the Google-owned operating system is an open-source system. This enables anyone to modify the code and hence the device becomes vulnerable to various threats. Such threat also includes a very common error that pops up with a message “there was a problem parsing the package”.
In this article, I will help you understand more about this problem. Not only that, but we will also cover the best ways to Fix “There was a Problem Parsing the Package” Error on Android.
What is There was a Problem Parsing the Package Error?
This is one of the most common errors faced by a majority of Android users. This is so common that every Android user who has been using an Android Device for at least a year have faced this error at least once.
What Causes this Error?
When a code is written, the machine decodes the code before executing it. However, if the code is not correct, then the machine finds that error in the code and it results in the error message there was a problem parsing the package. These are the causes of there was a problem parsing the package error:
- The file is corrupt.
- The file might not be compatible with the Operating System.
- App file is blocked by the system.
- The OS might not have permission to parse the file.
- There is a change in the Manifest file.
How to Fix There was a Problem Parsing the Package Error
If you have seen the message of there was a problem parsing the package, then below are the methods to fix it.
Method 1- Fix the Corrupted File
If you are facing the parsing the package error on your device, it is possible that the file you are trying to install is corrupted. This is the most common reason behind this error and can happen for a number of reasons such as incomplete file downloads, network switch during the download, etc. The best thing that you can do to fix this issue is to download the file again. This will solve the issue if the reason for the error was a corrupt file.
Method 2- Due to an Incompatible Operating System or File
Every file on a device has to be compatible with the OS of the device. If the file and the Operating System are not compatible, then the user gets the error message of there was a problem parsing the package. This is again not a very big issue and can be fixed within a few minutes. If you know that the Operating System of your device has gone obsolete, you should update your device to the latest version of the Operating System which is provided by the company.
If this doesn’t fix the issue as well, you need to go ahead and install the latest version of the application file. Once the file and the Operating System both are compatible, the error message won’t show on your screen.
Method 3- If the File is Blocked by the Operating System
If you see a message saying there was a problem parsing the package, it is very much possible that you have installed some third party programs on your device which, in turn, have blocked the file access to the OS. These are third party programs which want to have administrative access on your device and hence, you get a parsing error. The best method to fix this issue is to disable administrative access from such programs.
If required, you should not think twice before uninstalling the third party programs with security functions. It is because, if these programs don’t find a file or its source like a trusted one, you won’t be able to parse the file.
Method 4- Permission Denied to the Operating System
Many times the internal security system of the OS denies the permission to open the file. This generally happens when we have a file from such a source which is considered to be dangerous by the Operating System. This problem is easily fixed by changing the security settings of the device. You only need to grant permission to such files manually by checking the box against allow installation from unknown sources in the security settings. That being done, the parsing error message will vanish as well.
If there are Changes in the Manifest File
If you are a software developer and you keep on altering the code of the file, then you must have encountered the infamous parsing error message which says there was a problem parsing the package. The users, who make such changes in the code of the file to disable advertisements, get some added benefits or modify the file from its original form need to peek into the AndroidManifest.xml file. It has all the necessary information required by the OS of your device to parse the file.
If you have changed this file, then in order to fix this issue, you need to change the file to its default form. You should also make sure that the file name is the same as the name of the original file with absolutely zero modifications. Once you do that, you will not face any parsing error.
Wrapping Up
We hope that at least one of the above-mentioned methods would have helped you to fix the there was a problem parsing the package issue. However, if the problem still exists, you should try to reset the device and then again attempt to parse the file. Also, if you feel we have left out any important aspect of the topic, feel free to reach out to us via the comments section.
