Android syntax error. There was a syntax error while parsing the package. How to solve this problem

Many people are faced with the fact that the application they are interested in or has already pre-downloaded is not installed. This can happen to any Android OS user. A syntax error that appears while parsing a package is an unpleasant situation against which no one can be sure. But first of all, it is important to analyze information about this phenomenon and look for methods to solve it, as an ordinary problem.

An error when parsing the Android package is a certain kind of failure. This is possible if completely different applications are installed. If you compare various information, it becomes possible to come up with a number of reasons for the parsing error in the Android package. How can I fix this without any hassle or time?

Downloading an application from an unknown source

The first and one of the most common reasons for this problem to appear may be downloading any files from various sources, which may not include the Play Market. To correct a syntax error when parsing the Android package that arose for a similar reason, the user must be allowed to install different applications even if they are not downloaded from the Play Market. Perhaps everyone knows that by default, installing applications from obscure, unknown sources is prohibited on every device. To allow such an installation, you need to do several steps:

1. Go to “Settings”, then click on the section called “Lock screen and security”. It may be called "Security" if the version of the user's device is somewhat outdated.

2. Implement permission, which will henceforth allow you to install applications from any source, even if it is not the Play Market.

Antivirus blocks the ability to install the application

It is also important to note that a syntax error when parsing a package may occur due to the fact that a previously installed antivirus is blocking a certain application from installing it. To solve the problem caused by the antivirus, you should disable it or remove it for a while. This will also help the user understand whether he has correctly identified the cause of the problem. But you should not forget that installing an application on a device on which the antivirus is disabled does not exclude the possibility of damage to the system.

Possible application corruption or incomplete download

The third reason for a syntax error to appear when parsing a package is that the downloaded application is corrupted or does not load it completely. A poor Internet connection coupled with a lack of memory on the device can certainly explain this problem. Due to such circumstances, the application may be downloaded only partially, which will result in the appearance of such an error. You can find out for sure whether a particular file was downloaded in its entirety using a browser. You need to open it and go to the "Downloads" section. A file that could not be downloaded completely will be highlighted with a specific message. If the application is successfully downloaded in the exact volume in which this was supposed to happen, you should check whether it is damaged. Downloading it again from another source can help with this.

Changing the name of a downloaded file

The fourth reason for the error to appear may be the renaming of an installed application. If the user decides to rename the file at any time after installing it, this issue may occur. To solve this, you just need to name the file the way it was originally named.

Now we will figure out why the message “Error parsing the package” appeared on the screen of your Android and how to get rid of it. We are considering all options and ways to solve the problem.

This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

Reasons why an error occurs when parsing a package

An error parsing a package is a problem when installing a program. If, when installing an application, the gadget cannot continue this process for some reason, the system issues this message automatically and the installation stops. The screenshot below shows how it will look.

Reasons for syntax error:

  • Changes made to the program manifest file (for example, changing requirements for the Android OS version).
  • Incomplete download or corruption of the .apk file. (Read)
  • Downloading and installing third-party programs from unknown sources without permission in the device settings for such actions.
  • Incompatibility of the Android version or gadget hardware with the requirements of the installed program.
  • Security settings block the installation of all third-party applications.
  • There are viruses on the device that interfere with the installation process.

Now let's look at each point in order.

Checking the program manifest file

This solution is suitable for users who use programs to make changes to application manifest files. If you have made any changes to the AndroidManifest.xml application file, you should try to restore it to its original “default” position.

Before performing the actions, you need to make sure that the name of the .apk has been changed. For example, if the original.apk had the name original.apk, and you renamed it to original1.apk, then it should be renamed back, assigning the original name - “original.apk”.

When you have completed the renaming, try to install the program on the gadget again and check whether the error we are considering has disappeared. Another problem may be related to the program code.

The specific cause in this situation is quite difficult to diagnose, and there are no universal solutions to the problem. Here you need to either take a long time and seriously figure it out, or choose the path of least resistance, using an alternative option for installing the selected application (for example, from a different device).

Permission to install programs from unknown sources

The user will not be able to install the .apk program if installation of applications from unknown sources is prohibited. Let's look at the instructions on how to resolve it:

Now you can install the application.apk. After installing the program you need, do not forget to disable the installation of applications from unknown sources for security reasons.

Enable USB debugging

To install applications on Android using an .apk file, enabling USB debugging is not really necessary. But you can find user messages on the Internet that they were able to solve a problem on Android with a syntax error using this method.

To enable USB debugging, you need to enable developer mode on your gadget. To do this, we perform the following steps:

  • Go to “Settings”.
  • Find the “About phone” menu and go into it.
  • Scroll down to the “Build Number” tab, click on it 7 times (after the 7th touch, the screen should display “You are now a developer”).
  • Now go back to the Settings menu, scroll down and find the Developer Menu.
  • Find the “USB Debugging” item and activate the process.

For some devices, the process of enabling USB debugging may have certain features.

Disabling the antivirus

A syntax error may occur due to an antivirus program blocking the installation. Most antivirus programs try to block the installation of programs that they consider suspicious or unreliable. Therefore, the cause of the error may be that the .apk file is blocked by the antivirus in order to prevent the installation of “suspicious” software.

The antivirus must be temporarily disabled to install the .apk file. If the reason is guessed correctly, the installation process will proceed without error messages.

APK file is damaged or not fully downloaded

An error may appear if the application is installed not from the Play Store, but as an .apk file from another source.

If the error appears, then the problem may be in the initially damaged .apk file. It may also not contain any installation files.

It needs to be downloaded and installed again. If this does not help, then download the file from another source.

Make sure you download the complete file. This is checked by comparing the size of the downloaded and offered file. Due to the partial download of the .apk file, a parsing error may occur during installation.

Difference in firmware versions

When your gadget's firmware version is lower than the version for which the application was written, a parsing error may appear. To make sure that this is the problem, check the Android version on the gadget:

  • Go to “Settings”.
  • Scroll down and select the “About phone” tab.
  • Click on the “Device Information” section.

When installing an application, a notification may appear indicating that an error occurred while parsing the package. This error usually occurs when installing applications not from the Play Market. There are several simple ways to fix the error.

How to get rid of an error when parsing a package

  • The first method: allow installation of applications not from the Play Market.

By default, installing applications from unknown sources is prohibited on all devices. In order to allow this installation you need to:

1) go to "Settings", select section " Lock screen and protection"(or " Safety" on older versions);

2) enable permission to install applications from sources other than Play Market.

  • Second method: disabling the antivirus.

An error when parsing the package may also appear due to the fact that the antivirus is blocking the installation of the application. In order to check whether the antivirus is causing the error, you need to disable or temporarily remove. An application installed on a device on which the antivirus is disabled can harm your device.

  • Third method: re-download the application.

The error may also appear due to the fact that the downloaded file is damaged or has not been downloaded completely. If the Internet connection is poor or there is not enough free space on the device, the file may not be downloaded completely, but partially, as a result of which this error occurs. You can find out whether the file has been completely downloaded by opening your browser and going to the section "Downloads". The undownloaded file will be highlighted with a corresponding message. If the application has been downloaded in full, then you need to check whether it is damaged. For this it can be download from another site and, if it installs, then the problem was that the file was defective.

  • Fourth method: renaming the application.

If, after downloading a file to your device, you renamed it, then this may also be the cause of the error. Name the file as it was originally called.

If you still cannot get rid of the error, check the compatibility of the application with your device. Perhaps your version of Android is already outdated, and for the application to work newer version required.

The Android operating system has evolved significantly in recent years. However, it is still not as stable as users and its creators - primarily Google - would like. From time to time, smartphone owners encounter certain errors. The thing that unsettles them the most is the Android syntax error. What does this even mean? The article you opened will try to answer this question.

In the software world, syntax refers to code. Writing it requires not only skills, but also talent - only then will the ideal application be born. If the developer is missing something, the code may be written incorrectly. In this case, there is a way out - just use the services of other developers who will check the code for errors. There are also electronic services that do the same thing. But they cannot yet be called reliable.

If the code is written incorrectly, then sooner or later it will come back to haunt the user by closing the application, freezing and other problems. As for the syntax error, a message about it usually appears when installing an application on Android. This indicates that the installation file is damaged. When downloading a program from Google Play, this almost never happens - the fact is that the American giant tries to check all applications for correct installation. But if you decide to download an APK file from a third-party resource, then you may actually receive a syntax error message.

What caused the error?

There are two most common reasons that cause a window to appear with a message about such an error:

  • The file you are trying to install has not downloaded completely.
  • The developer assembled the installation package (the same APK file) incorrectly - this can happen when creating beta versions of the program.

In the second case, you will not be able to do anything - try downloading the previous version of the application. Well, the first case is a very rare occurrence if you have broadband access to the network or at least a 3G connection.

Troubleshooting

It is impossible to remove the error. Try downloading the APK file again - maybe this will help. If it occurs again, then you need to write to the developer - it looks like he screwed up the creation of the installation package. But your requests will not help if you download a program that is not designed for your version of the operating system. The developer is not required to support very old versions of Android.

When using an Android smartphone or tablet, the user may encounter certain circumstances. One of them is “Error parsing package” which may appear while installing the application. The question arises - what kind of error is this and what, exactly, should be done?

The error itself looks like this:

The file was not downloaded completely

A fairly common problem is when the file either was not downloaded completely, or it was damaged during downloading or installation on the device, or was inoperative from the very beginning.

What to do? First of all, reinstall the application. If it doesn't help, try downloading it from another source and installing it again.

Software incompatibility

The error may also occur if there is software incompatibility. What does it mean? Let's say your smartphone has the Android 4.4 operating system installed, while the minimum requirements for installing this application are Android 5.0. Of course, this application will throw an error during installation. Try downloading an earlier version that is compatible with your version of Android; fortunately, this can often be done directly from the Google Play Market, which supports applications for various versions of the Android OS.

Don't rename the file

It happens that a user who has downloaded an APK file to a computer or device renames it. This may be one of the reasons for the error. In this case, it is better not to change the file name to the original one, but to download the application again.

Installation of applications from an unknown source is blocked

If you install an app from a source other than Google Play, you may receive an error because downloading from other sources is blocked on your smartphone. This is a special protection that, among other things, prevents malicious files from being installed, so disabling it can simply be dangerous for the life of a smartphone or tablet. However, we will tell you how to do this, but all responsibility falls on your shoulders.

Go to "Settings".

Select the "Security" section.

Check the box next to “Unknown sources”.

Confirm the action by clicking OK.

Installation of applications from unknown sources is allowed.