The Google Play Store has made some changes to its user interface. The new UI takes a slightly different approach from what we already know and use by moving elements to other places.

As such, this it can be pretty tricky to find your way around at first. Here’s a detailed guide on how to navigate Play Store’s latest UI update.

What's New in the Google Play Store?

Google Play Store has a new look, which follows the last UI revamp that brought separate tabs for Apps and Games. The new interface removes the hamburger menu (the three lines icon) located on the top left.

Everything that was accessed from the hamburger menu is now located a tap away on the account switcher at the top right. You can access various things from there, like your apps and games, subscriptions, settings, and play protect.

The settings section is more granular now, and you’ll notice slightly larger app icons on the search results.

The My apps and games section is no more. Where you used to get separate tabs for Updates, Installed, Library, Share, and Beta, you now only get two tabs—Overview and Manage—found under the new Manage apps and device section.

The Overview tab includes the number of pending updates, if any, storage information, an option to share apps, and a Ratings and reviews option. The Manage tab contains all your installed apps and games, those with updates available, your entire library of apps and games, and a dedicated section for games.

How to Navigate the New Look Google Play Store

Finding it hard to navigate the new UI? Here’s a detailed guide on how to find everything in the latest Play Store update.

For a start, if you want to access any menus that were previously found in the hamburger menu, tap the account switcher (your Google account profile photo) on the top right.

A new pop-up shows up with several sections:

  • Manage apps and device
  • Library
  • Payments and subscriptions
  • Play Protect
  • Notifications and offers
  • Play Pass
  • Settings
  • Help & feedback

Manage apps and games

This section includes your installed apps, app updates, your ratings and reviews of apps, and information about your device storage. Tap this section if you want to update apps, uninstall unwanted apps, share or receive an app, and manage your storage.

If there are updates available for your apps, you can tap to see the details or select Update all if you don’t care about reviewing the pending updates.

To delete an app, tap the storage info section, select an app by tapping the checkbox, then tap the trashcan icon at the top and select Uninstall on the pop-up. You can uninstall Android apps in bulk this way.

The Manage tab allows you to see more details about your installed apps and games.

Library

The library section has three things, your apps and games wishlist, a link to Movies and TV, and Books apps.

Payments and subscriptions

This section has all the info about payment methods and subscriptions. You’ll also find your Google Play spending history, and you can set a monthly budget for app spending. This section also provides you with a way to redeem Google Play gift cards or promo codes.

You can cancel app subscriptions from here.

Notifications and offers

There are two tabs, one for notifications and another for offers. Notifications tab includes updates regarding your Play Store account, while the Offers section will showcase all the special deals available for you.

Settings

The settings section is divided into four sections—General, User controls, Family, and About. Under General settings, you can change account preferences, notifications, settings, app download preferences, auto-update apps, auto-play videos, theme settings, and more.

The User controls section includes security settings for purchases. The Family section includes setting options for Google Play Family Library users, including parental guidance.

The New Play Store Overhaul: A Hit or Miss?

Is the new user interface a hit or miss? Generally, it's slightly better than the previous. However, it doesn't lack its downsides which has lead to criticism from Android diehards.

Most of the criticism around the new look stems from the removal of the My apps and games section, which was more precise than the new Manage apps and device section.

The new section makes it hard to view your pending updates by making it a two-step process. Oh, and there’s no way to see installed beta versions of apps.

But is everything about the new UI update a miss? Definitely no. The new settings section, for instance, is more precise. Also, Overview, found under Manage apps and devices, can be handy to those who don’t care about the application changelog every time there’s an update of their favorite apps.

Maneuver the New Google Play Store With Ease

Google's new Play Store user interface can be challenging to navigate for a start. But, with these tips, you'll have it easy to navigate various sections of the new UI with confidence. Just remember that everything starts with the account switcher, which holds the key to all other essential sections of the app and your Play Store account.