Ever found yourself astounded after having encountered an error which claims that your “device is not certified by Google”? Well, you are not alone. Others are probably getting the same problem recently as well.
While some of us who owned branded phones can sit pretty and not worry about ever encountering such, those who owned an Android device made by a no-name brand may not be as relaxing. But do not be mistaken that the label “no-name” got you thinking that it mostly only applies to Chinese brands, even Amazon apparently is among them, particularly its tablet products.
As it turns out, Google is raising the banhammer and is culling those smart devices which run on its flagship mobile OS but is not necessarily blessed by to use it.
So, what does this imply to those affected by the ban wave?
What happens when you get the “Device is not certified by Google” error?
Basically, those devices which got the error are rendered unable to download anything from the Google Play Store. This means that services and popular Google Play Store applications, especially the Gmail or Google Maps will become inaccessible which is quite a pain given how useful these apps are.
But before you wallow in depression thinking that your hard-earned Android smartphone has become nothing but a basic portable feature phone, there is actually a silver lining to this problem.
See also: How to get the Recycle Bin feature on any Android device
Validate your Android device’s certification
In a random chance that you think your device is just an unfortunate victim of this sort of banning from Google, it pays to see for yourself whether or not it is certified. Luckily, finding it out yourself is a relatively simple process:
Step 1: Run the Google Play Store app.
Step 2: Open the menu from the sidebar on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: Tap on the Settings option.
Step 4: Scroll all the way down until you find the “About” section and find the part which says “Device Certification.”
Reaching this point may not necessarily fix the problem just yet and may even disappoint as a dead end if your device is indeed not certified by Google. However, this is not the end of the road just yet.
How to register Android device for Google certification
But we can fix that:
Step 1: Identify your device’s GSF Device-ID. You can do so by running an app called “Device ID” from the Google Play Store. Alternatively, you may download the app here.
Step 2: Run Device ID app and take note of the code which appears under the “Google Service Framework (GSF).”
Step 3: Go to rapidtables.com/convert/number/hex-to-decimal.html in order to convert the hexadecimal ID to its decimal counterpart.
Step 4: Go to this page and manually register your Android device.
Step 5: Enter your generated GSF Device-ID into the Android ID box.
Step 6: Tap on the Register button below to complete the process.
As a caveat, however, this process does not guarantee a complete 360 of the ban. As this method is still in its early process, the benefit may not be fully matured and results may vary depending on the scenario.