Whether it’s “Google Play authentication required” or the notorious Wi-Fi authentication problem that won’t let you connect to a Wi-Fi network, it can be frustrating when you face the problem without knowing what to authenticate. Save yourself from stress and headaches by learning how to fix authentication problems on a cell phone here!
How to fix Android authentication problems
Authentication problems on Android usually come in two ways: the popular “Wi-Fi authentication problem,” and the notorious “Google Play authentication is required” error that won’t let you download anything on the Play Store. Sometimes too, you may have an internet authentication problem that has to deal with your networks.
In whichever way you’re having an authentication problem on your phone, the guides below will help you out. This article will teach you:
- How to solve the Google authentication problem,
- How to fix Wi-Fi authentication problems, and
- The solution to the internet authentication problem on Android.
How to solve the Google authentication problem
The Google authentication problem on tablets and smartphones is a common and annoying issue that disallows you from doing various things on Google apps, especially Google Play Store where it says “Google Play authentication is required.” If you also encounter this on your smartphone, try the solutions below.
1. Reset Google Play Store
Sometimes, the Google Play authentication issue occurs when the Play Store is faulty – maybe after a bad update, corrupted cache, or some server issues. With that, resetting the Google Play Store app (clearing its cache and data) comes in handy. Follow the procedures below to learn how to fix authentication problems on a cell phone by resetting the Google Play Store.
- Locate the Play Store app icon in your app drawer.
- Long-press on it, then select “App info” from the context menu.
- (Otherwise, you can go to Settings → Apps → See all apps → then select Google Play Store.
- Once you’re on the App info page, tap “Storage & Cache”
- Finally, tap “Clear data” to reset the Google Play app.
You can now try downloading an app from the Play Store to see if it brings back the “Google Play authentication is required” problem.
More so, following the same steps above can help fix your authenticator app crashing. Just reset the authenticator app and start afresh.
Also, Read | How to fix Google Play Store Something Went Wrong
2. Remove and re-add your Google Account
If the first solution didn’t do any trick, the next thing we’re looking at is removing and re-adding your Google Account. Doing so will help Google start afresh with your phone, and possibly, fix the notorious authentication problem. More.
Here’s how:
- Open your phone Settings
- Go to the Accounts section and select your Google account.
- Tap the “Remove account” button to remove the account.
- Restart your device.
- Now go back to Settings → Accounts → Add an Account.
- Select Google from the list, then enter your credentials to sign in to your Google account again.
If that still doesn’t fix the authentication issue, continue troubleshooting with the fixes below.
3. Force your Google Account to synchronize.
If your phone is having a hard time syncing your Google account then it's probably caused by the Android authentication problem. All you need to do here is force the account to synchronize. Here you go:
- Open your phone Settings
- Go to the Accounts section
- Scroll down and disable “Automatically sync app data.” Wait for 30 seconds, then turn it on again.
- Now, select your Google account from the list, then select “Account Sync.”
- Next, tap the 3-dot button in the top right, and finally, select “Sync Now” to re-sync your Google Account.
Fixing your Google account to sync could take a minute or more. Once that’s done, try using the affected app again to see if the authentication problem is no more.
Also, Read | Google Play Store Something Went Wrong
4. Uninstall Play Store updates
Last, if nothing works, we’ll recommend you to uninstall Google Play Store updates. Developers send updates now and then to fix things. However, not every update is a good one. And if none of the fixes above worked for you there’s an issue with the Play Store app.
You can learn how to fix authentication problems on a cell phone by uninstalling Play Store updates. Here’s how:
- Locate the Play Store app icon in your app drawer.
- Long-press on it, then select “App info” from the context menu.
- (Otherwise, you can go to Settings → Apps → See all apps → then select Google Play Store.
- Once you’re on the App info page, tap the 3-dot button in the top right.
- Select “Uninstall updates” to revert Google Play Store to its factory version.
How to fix the WI-FI authentication problem
Another notorious authentication issue on mobile phones is the Wi-Fi authentication problem, which disallows users from connecting to a Wi-Fi network – either existing or new.
The issue is as frustrating as having to live in a remote village. The number of people searching for “Authentication problem WiFi Android” is increasing fold by fold. Nonetheless, you can fix the issue. Whether your search query is “authentication problem hotspot” or “Android authentication problem WiFi,” the solutions below will help you out.
1. Toggle on/off Airplane mode for a few minutes
Well, the first solution to fix the Wi-Fi authentication problem on Android is to disconnect from the network and enable airplane mode for a few minutes. Sometimes, there could be a network glitch on your phone causing the issue. And for that, turning on airplane mode turns off the phone modem, helping you to fix the issue.
Here’s how:
- Disconnect from all active networks.
- Pull down your phone twice from the top to show the Quick Settings
- Tap the Airplane tile for a minute.
- Now, tap it again to turn off Airplane mode.
Try connecting to the Wi-Fi network again to see if it’s working now. If not, continue troubleshooting!
2. Forget and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network
One common reason for Wi-Fi authentication problems on smartphones is an incorrect password. If you’re trying to connect to a new network with an incorrect password or the password for the existing network has been modified, you’ll continue receiving the authentication error.
In that case, you need to forget the Wi-Fi network, and then try connecting to it with the right password again. Here’s how:
- Open the Quick Settings panel and long-press the Wi-Fi tile
- Select the network you’re trying to connect to.
- After that, select “Forget network” to remove the WiFi network from your phone.
- Now, go back and reconnect to the network again with its correct password.
If you still receive the authentication problem, that means the password you’re using is incorrect or has been changed. Nonetheless, continue learning how to fix authentication problems on a cell phone with the solutions below.
3. Restart the Wi-Fi router
Next, you need to restart the router and your phone now. And if possible, if you’re trying to connect to a mobile hotspot, restart the second phone and yours. Doing so could fix system glitches if that’s what causes the authentication problem.
If you use a battery-powered router, you’ll find a button to restart it on it. If your router draws power from a source, you can remove the power cable for a moment, then re-insert it to turn it on.
Also, Read | How to Fix TECNO Phone can't Download Apps.
4. Reset the Wi-Fi router
Finally, if a wrong password causes the problem and you can’t remember the correct password anymore, the only way out is to reset the router password. Doing so will revert the password to the original, and you can modify it to anything you want later.
There are various ways to reset your Wi-Fi router, but you must know the initial password first. Some routers have it on a sticker in their back, while some may have it inside the user manual. Just ensure you know the password.
And to reset your router, we recommend you go through the user manual. You can reset some routers remotely, while some require you to press a certain hardware button.
And if you’re trying to connect to a mobile hotspot, you go to Settings → Connections → Mobile hotspot to change the password to a relatable one, so you can access it on the other phone easily.
That’s it. Your Wi-Fi should work now. But if none of the fixes above worked for you, you can check our extensive guide on How to fix WiFi not working on Android.
The solution to Internet authentication problems
Fixing internet authentication problems on Android is like what we’ve mentioned earlier. If your mobile network is malfunctioning, things you can do include restarting your phone, repositioning your SIM cards, ensuring network availability, and ensuring you have an active data plan.
Also, Read | How to fix the “mobile network not available” error
If the above didn’t do any trick, you can follow the steps below to reset your network settings. Kindly note, that doing so will reset all your Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other saved networks.
- Open your phone Settings
- Tap on
- Select Reset options
- Carefully tap on Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth
- Tap RESET SETTINGS and confirm the action.
That’s it. If you still have problems with mobile networks, however, try our comprehensive guides on, "How to Configure TECNO Phone for Internet Browsing".
Wrap up
With all the tips and tricks mentioned above, you surely know the authentication problem meaning, and how to fix the authentication problem on a cell phone by now. Authentication problems can be frustrating at times, but it should no longer freak you after following the guides above!
