How to install Google Play Store on Chinese Galaxy A7/A8/A9/C5/C7/C9

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Samsung in China has a number of cool phones. These phones include Galaxy A7, Galaxy A8, Galaxy A9, Galaxy C5, Galaxy C7, Galaxy C9, Galaxy A9 Pro, Galaxy C9 Pro and many other smartphones. All these phones have certain limitations and one of them is no presence of Google applications on the phone.

Chinese Galaxy Smartphones do not have anything like the Google Play Store, Google Play Services, Google Play Music, Google Play Books or any other such application. Without the base Google Play Services installed on a Chinese phone, it is almost impossible to install even the Youtube application on the smartphone. Now, this limit makes sense as long as you are living in China, the lifestyle keeps you away from anything Google. But if you have a Chinese smartphone outside a Chinese region, living with such restrictions will be a total injustice.

The restrictions on these phones are not something permanent. Android users, by following a slightly custom method can wave off all these limitations and unleash the true power hidden inside their smartphone. Same can be done on all the Samsung Chinese Galaxy smartphones which are mentioned above. It is pretty easy to install Google Play Store, Google Play Services on those phones and then enjoy all applications which you can install later on.

Installation of Google Play Store on the phone basically requires flashing of a GApps package. There is a variety of GApps available for various custom ROMs. You can pick up one of those packages and flash it on your stock ROM. The package will simply load all Google applications on your smartphone. It definitely requires a custom recovery running on your phone.

Your best option to go with is the TWRP recovery as it’s available for almost all of the phones we are talking about. It is a good idea to have your phone rooted as well for this process to work properly. The appropriate steps to install Google Play Store on Chinese Galaxy A7/A8/A9/C5/C7/C9 are given right here.

Important instructions and downloads:

Install Google Play Store on Chinese Galaxy A7/A8/A9/C5/C7/C9

  1. Now go to the Minimal ADB and Fastboot installation folder location on your PC. It should be something like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot.
  2. Copy the GApps package file in this folder.
  3. Now from the Minimal ADB and Fastboot folder, open the MAF32.exe file. This will open a command window.
  4. Now reboot your phone in TWRP recovery mode. Turn it off first, now turn it on by pressing and holding Vol Up + Home + Power Key. In TWRP recovery, tap Advanced > ADB Sideload.
  5. Connect your phone to your PC now.
  6. In the command window, enter this command to verify connection with your phone: adb devices
  7. As the connection gets verified with a code, enter the following command now.
    1. adb sideload GAppsPackagename

  8. Replace the GAppsPacakgename with the name of the file that you have copied in the ADB and Fastboot folder.
  9. This will sideload GApps package on your phone.
  10. As the process comes to an end, reboot your phone.
  11. Now on your phone, go to settings > application/application manager > more > show system apps > tap each Google App appearing in this menu and give it all permissions one by one. Reboot your phone after this and you are all done. That’s it.

You can also flash the same file using this guide: How To Use Flashify To Install Custom Recovery, Kernel [.img/.zip files]

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Usama is a software engineer by profession and at TechBeasts.com he uses his expertise to solve everyday consumer tech problems with his main areas of interest being Android, iOS and Windows.

5 COMMENTS

  1. I have a Chinese version Galaxy C9 pro. I did not mean to get it but it’s what the Amazon seller sent me. It is too late to return because it took me two months to find a Chinese person to even set it up for me and then change to English.

    I am so desperate. Features are different. I can’t even screenshot and I do that all day every day for my job.

    I don’t know what to do. I need a manual. I get no help online or even on youtube. No one has this %&$# phone. Where do I look????

    I will pay for help. Or oh lord trade the phone with someone.

  2. Am using samsung metroPCS sm-G550T1, and does not support 3G and 4G. Only edge E, if i try changing it to 3g the network signal cancels. Any help pls

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