How to Fix Error -24 while installing apps on Android

You may have encountered an error -24 while installing or updating an Android application on your device. This error is common with apps like Whatsapp caused by a bug in mostly Android 4.4 version when Whatsapp is installed in Android RunTime (ART).

This error occurs from an incomplete un-installation (apk corruption) or when an app folder from a failed install in your /data/data/ directory prevents you from installing the app again. Maybe when you uninstalled an app a data folder was left behind in your device and when you tried to re-install same app later, the folder that was left behind now prevents you from installing the app causing an error -24. It could also be as a cause of flashing your device ROM without wiping data.

So when you try to re-install such app again on your device, it sees that data folder and don’t know what to do with it and then throws an error -24. In this tutorial I am going to share with you how you can fix the error -24 so as to be able to complete your app installations.

Requirements:

Your Android device

Root access

ES File Explorer

How to fix error -24

I am assuming you already have the root access in your Android device; else you may have to find a way to root your Android device.

Launch your ES File Explorer and navigate to /data/data/ folder

Find the package name that is giving you the error -24. For example if it is Whatsapp look for com.whatsapp folder or any other app name you are trying to install in the case of getting the error -24 from other apps.

Delete the folder entirely from your Android device. Note if you do not have root access you may not be able to do this as it will always return “permission denied” error. Deleting data from apk and /or installing/uninstalling apk files requires special permission that only SuperUser (SU) can grant. So you need root access to be able to delete this folder.

Restart your device and try to install the app again, this time it should work and you can be able to install any app that previously gave you error -24 on Android.

If this method does not work for you, the only option that will work will be to perform a factory reset of your device.

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