How to download Google Play Store on Honor 8X and 8X Max

The Chinese versions of the Huawei Honor 8X and 8X Max do not come with the Play Store installed in them. In order to download Google Play Store on Honor 8X and 8X Max, you need this guide. I have explained the procedure to install Google Play Store on Huawei Honor 8X and 8X Max in a few simple and easy steps.

Contents

Why your Chinese Honor 8X does not have Play Store?

Before taking a look at the steps to download Play Store on Honor 8X and 8X Max, it is important to understand why your Chinese Honor 8X doesn’t have the Play Store installed in it? Well, The Peoples Republic of China has its own rules and regulations for the applications to work within its premises. The Chinese government does not allow applications like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp to operate in its boundary. This is because the applications and platforms like Google and Facebook can potentially keep a track of the activities of their users. They do know what you are doing and what hour of the day or night.

The Chinese government cannot let its important information fall into the hands of the likes of Google and Facebook, therefore, it blocks their access in the country. This is why all the Chinese smartphones come without a Google Play Store. The Chinese phones have their specific stores instead. In the app stores of the Chinese phones, only the Chinese government approved applications are available.

Installing Play Store on the Chinese Honor phones is not completely restricted. The devices may not come with anything called Google in them, however, it’s really simple and easy to install the Play Store using third party resources. As you move further in this guide, you will learn the appropriate steps.

How to install Play Store on Chinese Honor 8X?

So now that you have purchased a Huawei Honor 8X from China and you are moving out of China, or you have purchased a Chinese Honor 8X while living in some other country, how are you exactly going to get the Play Store? Well, this guide is your gateway to install the Play Store on your Honor 8X.

The process to install Play Store on your Honor 8X is fairly simple. There are a Google Installer and a GMS Installer APKs that can bring the entire Play Services along with the Play Store to your Huawei Honor phones. The method that I’m going to mention here works for all the Huawei Honor handsets that belong to China. Now if you have landed on this page to install the Play Store on a phone other than the Huawei Honor 8X, you don’t have to worry. This method is going to work regardless of your phone model. Bear in mind that this stands valid for all the Huawei Honor smartphones only.

So folks without any further ado, follow the simple and easy steps given below to get the Play Store working on your Huawei Honor 8X or the Honor 8X Max now.

Preparations: Enable Unknown Sources first & Install GMS APK

  1. On your Honor 8X or the Honor 8X Max, open Settings.
  2. Now go to Advanced Settings > Security > Download from Unknown Sources > Allow.
  3. Google Installer APK for EMUI 10, EMUI 9 & Below: Download
  4. Download the GMSanzhuangqi APK. [EMUI 8 & Below]
  5. Copy the APK files to your phone.
  6. Using a file manager, locate the APK files.
  7. Install the GMSanzhuangqi. If it asks for any permissions, press “Install Anyway”.
  8. After installation, it will ask you to turn on the “Trust this application” feature. Turn it on and do not open this application at this point.
  9. Move to the next step now.

Update: To install Play Store on Huawei phones on EMUI 9, follow this guide.

Download Google Play Store on Honor 8X and 8X Max

  1. Download and copy the Google Installer APK to your phone.
  2. On your phone, using a File Manager, locate and open the Google Installer APK.
  3. Allow the APK installation now. If it asks for any permission, press “Install it Anyway”.
  4. If it asks for “Trust this application” option, tap the radio icon to turn it on to proceed with the installation.
  6. Now the option to open Google Installer will appear. Open it.
  7. Google Installer will now show you a big blue “Install” button at the bottom. This button will tell you to install the core Google applications. These should be 6 applications in total. Press this Install button now.
  8. The Installer will once again ask you to allow the installation, press “Install it Anyway”.
  9. Now whenever it asks you about the “Install it Anyway” option and the “Trust this application” option, you have to allow it. You will have to go through this for 6 installations in total.
  10. The Google Installer will now install all the applications one by one. It can take 3-4 minutes easily so hold on while it finishes up.
  11. In the end, a big red button will appear at the bottom of the screen mentioned “Google Play Store”.
  12. Tap the button to launch the Play Store. All done.

If you are facing trouble while installing the Play Store, take a look at the FAQs below. I have added all the solutions below. The solutions are added after verification.

FAQs

  • For the users who couldn’t load the GMS APK: Run the GMS APK and it will ask you to remove Google Apps. Run it now. Reboot your phone now. Open Huawei App Gallery and change region to China. Now search for Google Play Store or Play Services and install/update it.
  • For the users who got a blank screen while loading Play Store: Run the GMS APK again, it will ask you to remove the Google apps. Answer Yes. After this, reboot your phone and check if there is an EMUI update. Update your phone. Now run the “Google Installer” application. This will install Google Apps in your phone. You can now run the Play Store.
  • The users who are getting “This application may harm your device”: Reboot your device. If there is an update available, update your phone. Run the Google Installer straight away and install the Google Apps. Check if it works this time.
  • Users who are getting a white screen, or force close errors while opening play store: Run the GMS APK on your phone again, it should ask you if you want to uninstall the Google Apps. Complete the uninstallation. Reboot your phone. Now only download the Google Installer 3.0 APK and install it. Complete the installation and you will have the play store. This solution has been verified by the users in the comment section below as well.

Conclusion

That’s all guys. You now have the Play Store installed on your phone which means you have access to the world’s biggest application repository. You can now install any application of your choice from Facebook to Snapchat. The Play Store has nearly 1 Billion applications in it. Feel free to enjoy it. If you have any queries or questions, feel free to reach out to me through the comments section below.

Last Updated: 26th October 2019

Usama M

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.

View Comments

  • I have the new Honor 8x JSN-AL00a. EMUI 8.2.0, Android 8.1.0. Everything works file for the installation until opening the app.

    The 'google play store' opens with warning, "Google play store isn' t responding. Do you want to close it? 'close' or 'wait'. I chose the wait, and nothing happens.

    Do you have similar problems, too. How to resolve this?

    Thank you,

      • I have this problem resolved this morning.
        Here are the steps:
        1. Run 'GMSanzhuangqi', it will ask you something like "Are you OK to remove Google apps and reboot phone'. Answer 'Yes' to continue.
        2. Once reboot started, I thought a fast 'EMUI' update.
        3. Run 'Google installer'. After all elements are installed, Google Account registration page appeared automatically.
        4. Run 'Play Store' and it works without any clitch.

        Hope, this can help your to solve the problem.

  • Hi UsamaM,

    On Honor 8X Max, when I go to install the first apk, I do not get the message in red normally seen when installing unapproved apps, i.e. the one in your screenshot above: "This app has not undergone HiApp compatibility and security testing. Install at your own risk."

    Instead, I get a message in red that states "This app may harm your operating system. Installation is not advised." I cannot find anyway to move past/ignore this :-(

    Can you help at all?

    p.s. I have tried a few other gms installers that will progress past this error point but still do not result in a successful installation at the end.

    • Hello Julian,

      It looks like you have installed some other application which is causing trouble. Please check if you have any security applications installed on your phone. Other than that, there should be no issue with the installation as this method has been verified by a number of users.

      Do check this, if you have application gallery on your Honor 8X Max, open it. In the application gallery, change country to china. Then search for Google Play Services or Store in the application, if it appears in the app gallery, install it from there.

      In the meanwhile, I will keep looking into solutions for this problem and update you soon.

      • Hello UsamaM,

        I have the same issue Julian is having. After the message “This app may harm your operating system. Installation is not advised.” is displayed, the only options are "Search in Appgallery" or "Cancel".

        I have no security app installed. I have Amazon app store installed and can install apps from Amazon app store. Google Chrome is also working.

        Thanks,
        Howie

    • Go to Settings > Security & privacy > More > Uncheck 'Check apps from external sources'

      You will then be able to install and run GMSanzhuangqi.

      I was able to install everything, but play store will not run. Getting message,

      "google play store isn't responding do you want to close it"

      • @Howie that's great. So we have found the solution now. This is going to help many other Honor 8X and 8X Max owners. Stay connected with us!

      • Thank you Howie
        I was fed up of trying again n again but was not successful. The moment I followed your method, olaaa! it was done.
        Be bless pal.

  • Actually, Jullian, the original GSM 1.2.0 doesn't work with the honor 8x max. Ive been messing around with it all morning. You need to use the 2.0 gsm (the second option).

    I'm still having problems getting it to install, though.

  • Thanks for the response UsamaM!

    I do not think the problem is something that I have installed because I have tried this immediately after a factory reset just in case that was the source of the issue. The message displayed when trying to install the first apk remained the same.

    I have also tried to install form the application gallery (Play Store does appear there) but that results in the white screen after install problem reported by many others.

    I'll be glad of any further help you can offer.

    Julian

    p.s. Someone on the XDA forums...
    (https://forum.xda-developers.com/honor-8x/help/honor-8x-max-google-play-store-issue-t3860771/page2#post78578648)
    ...is suggesting that some adb command may assist in getting past the problem. I haven't tried yet as I am inexperienced in that.

    • Hello Julian, it looks like you are almost there. To get rid of the White screen, give a try to the solution proposed by David, it has worked for another respective user of our site.
      Here is the solution:
      1. Run ‘GMSanzhuangqi’, it will ask you something like “Are you OK to remove Google apps and reboot phone’. Answer ‘Yes’ to continue.
      2. Once reboot started, I thought a fast ‘EMUI’ update.
      3. Run ‘Google installer’. After all elements are installed, Google Account registration page appeared automatically.
      4. Run ‘Play Store’ and it works without any clitch.

      Hope, this can help your to solve the problem.

      • @Julian I do know how to implement the ADB method. I will do a detailed guide on this method tonight. If the solution above does not work, please wait, You will find the guide soon on my site.

          • Hi UsamaM,

            Thanks to you and @Howie I can now get past the install issue with the
            GMSanzhuangqi APK and can continue on through to the gms installer right to the end.

            However, after Play Store is installed, I get "Checking info..." which does not go away.

            It reinstalled both apks. Same result.

            I killed Play Store and restarted Play: Same "Checking info..." message.

            I restarted phone and tried installing Google Services from apkmirror (com.android.vending_12.9.12-all_0_PR_224566662-81291200_minAPI16(armeabi,armeabi-v7a,mips,mips64,x86,x86_64)(nodpi)_apkmirror.com) but on running Play Store I got the same screen.

            I gave up and had breakfast lol!

            While still chewing the last mouthful, I ran Play Store again and once again got the the "Checking info..." screen but this time only for a second, after which it was replaced by a Google Play click-through agreement followed by the Google log-in screen!

            With some trepidation, I entered my Google account details and Hey presto - it works! I am now running Google Play normally (of course with my VPN on as I am living in China).

            Thank you @UsamaM for helping me to get to this point. I wish I had better information about what made Play start working as it did not seem to be the result of any specific later action.

            Now about to try the same on my Honor 8X Max. I will report in shortly :-)

          • Thanks for the feedback, Julian. All this feedback is definitely going to help those who are facing issues. Stay connected.

  • Hey UsamaM,

    Me again :-)

    Short answer is that I now have the 8X Max with functioning Play Services and Store installed = Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

    So this time I did the following:
    1) Disabled the setting that @Howie advised above
    2) Installed the GMSanzhuangqi APK
    3) Installed the version 2 Google installer
    4) Ran Google Play - Result: got the never-ending “Checking info…” screen
    5) Restarted phone
    6) Ran Google Play - Result: still got the never-ending “Checking info…” screen
    7) Re-installed the GMSanzhuangqi APK
    8) This time followed by installing the version 3 Google installer that you linked above
    9) Ran Google Play - Result: got the same never-ending “Checking info…” screen
    10) Restarted phone
    11) Ran Google Play - Result: got the never-ending “Checking info…” screen for a second then Play prompted for the Google log-in. Success!

    I think the processes that I used need to be broken down more because they are not consistent and we cannot draw concrete conclusions about what worked. I will think about how to do this when I get more time.

    For now, THANKS a million!!!

    Julian

    • So the Installer 3.0 seems to be the solution. I have already added it in the FAQs above in the post. Thanks for this update :)

    • Good day! I am trying to instal google play on my Honor 8x. But it’s not working. Same “checking info” screen

      • Are you in China Anna? If so, I believe you will need to have a VPN turned on to get past this screen.

  • china bought honor 10 lite ,with EMUI 9.0.1,
    model num- HRY-AL00a
    Huawei app gallery has play store app; appgallery location set to china; i installed it and it gave me a blank white screen.
    Tried manual installation as per your guidance ,using gsm and google installer v3 didn't help either
    running Playstore still gives a white blank screen and force stops immediately.
    I downloaded YouTube from yalp store and YouTube works fine for few seconds and shutdowns it self. Could anyone help me figure out this issue.

    • @Suraj
      Run GMS again, it will ask if you want to uninstall all apps - uninstall.
      Restart the phone.
      Install Google Installer 3.0 only.
      Run Play Store.
      See how it works.
      Let me know about it as soon as you are done.

      • Looks like I found the solutions. Uninstall any of the apps if you installed from above. Just download the Google Play Store APK: https://flb.st/LViFe
        Copy the APK to your phone.
        Using a File Manager, open the APK and install it. If the phone asks for permission, allow it.
        After installing, let me know if the Play Store works or not. If you can verify, I will make a full guide on this.

  • Hello again UsamaM,

    I have just learnt that apparently Huawei has crippled the Honor 8X and 8X Max even more than disallowing the unlocking of the bootloader! I now believe that they have prevented the movement of apps onto the SD Card. This is particularly annoying as I have just bought a 128GB card for just that purpose :-( .

    Anyway, I thought I would share this with you as if you could find a solution, it would undoubtedly be useful to many owners (and a good blog too!)

    Cheers!

    Julian

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Usama M
6 years ago

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