Independent. MyID is not affiliated with the Department of Social Protection, MyGovID, or the Government of Ireland.
Home › Troubleshooting › App not working on Android

MyGovID not working on Android

Published 2026-05-31Updated 2026-05-31By MyID Editorial

Most MyGovID problems on Android come from one of three causes: an old Android version, a Google Play Services issue, or a permission that wasn't granted. Work through them in this order.

Quick checklist

  1. Update Android

    Settings → System → System update. If there's an OS update available, install it. Older Android versions can run the app but may fail at the camera/biometric steps.

  2. Update the MyGovID app

    Open Play Store → profile icon → Manage apps & device. Update MyGovID if listed.

  3. Update Google Play Services

    This is the cause people miss most often. Open Play Store and search "Google Play Services" — if there's an update, install it. Restart the phone.

  4. Check permissions

    Settings → Apps → MyGovID → Permissions. Camera, Microphone (for some flows), and Storage (or "Photos and media") must be allowed. Without them, the verification flow will fail silently.

  5. Clear the app cache

    Settings → Apps → MyGovID → Storage & cache → Clear cache. This does NOT log you out and does NOT delete your account — it only clears the local cache.

  6. If still failing, reinstall

    Uninstall the app, restart the phone, reinstall from Play Store, log in again.

Specific Android issues

"Play Store says the app is incompatible with my device"

The MyGovID app requires Google Play Services. Phones sold without GMS (e.g. some Huawei models from 2020 onward, some custom Android builds) will report incompatibility. The workaround is to use the MyGovID website in a browser on the phone instead of the app, but be aware that the app-based identity verification flow is not available without the app.

App opens then immediately closes

Usually a Play Services version mismatch. Update Play Services (step 3 above) and restart.

Camera works in other apps but not in MyGovID

Permission state. Even if the prompt was answered yes initially, Android sometimes revokes permissions in the background. Manually re-grant Camera permission as in step 4.

The verification step uploads forever

Switch from cellular to Wi-Fi (or vice versa). The verification step uploads several MB and can fail silently on poor connections.

FAQ

Does MyGovID work on a phone without Google Play Services?

The website does. The app does not.

Does MyGovID work on a tablet?

The website does on any tablet. The app is phone-format only; on a large-screen tablet it may run but in a small window.