Getting the “Download failed because you may not have purchased this app” error in Garena Free Fire? Here’s what to do.
Garena Free Fire is an epic shooter game, which is widely deployed on Android smartphones. One of the common problems associated with the Android version of the game is the failed download error, which reads – “Download failed because you may not have purchased this app”.
To fix this and safely launch the app on your smartphone, herein are some fixes for you.
Garena Free Fire: Error Download Failed You May Not Have Purchased This App
If you encounter this error, a number of things could be wrong. These could range from misplacement of the game’s Obb (for APK download) to game license issues. However, in most cases, the former is usually the cause of the error.
Anyway, here are some fixes to try:
Method 1: Reclaim License
In less common cases, where the “Download failed because you may not have purchased this app” error is caused by a license problem. The ideal solution would be to reclaim the license.
To reclaim Free Fire’s license on Android smartphones/tablets;
- go to Google Play Store;
- open the searchbar and key in Garena Free Fire;
- select the corresponding option in the search results; and
- proceed to download/install the game.
By downloading directly from Play Store, the game should safely install on your smartphone.
In the event that you’re unable to download directly from Play Store (for whatever reason), you can try the next fix.
Method 2: Replace Game’s Data Location
This is the more common scenario (with APK downloads), whereby Free Fire’s data (OBB) files are placed inappropriately. Basically, the game’s data files are not placed properly; hence, they’re unable to sync with the downloaded APK.
To correct this, follow the guidelines below:
- Install the game’s APK (don’t open it yet).
- Locate the folder tagged – “com.rockstargames.bully” – and copy it.
- Navigate to the “Android/Obb” file path and paste the copied folder.
- You should now have a new file path – “Android/Obb/com.rockstargames.bully”
Now, launch Free Fire and see if the problem is solved. If it persists, you can uninstall it: Settings > Apps > Garena Free Fire > Uninstall. And then reinstall a new package.
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Daniel Segun is a technology writer with over 5 years of experience. He loves to teach and inspire others. When he is not writing, he’s probably busy developing websites. You can reach him here.
