You cannot install the Android Google Play Store on an iPhone, and Android apps cannot run on iOS. You can, however, use Google Play Books to read eligible purchased books and listen to audiobooks, and Google TV to watch eligible movies and shows. Get those iPhone apps from Apple’s App Store and sign in with the Google Account that owns the content.
The menu names below are from Google’s US English iPhone apps and also match iPad. The books and movies you can get depend on your country.
Choose the Right Route
- You want an Android app or game: search for its iPhone version in the App Store. A Google Play purchase is not an iPhone app installation.
- You already own an ebook or audiobook: use Google Play Books and the account that bought it.
- You already own a movie or show: check Google TV with the purchasing account. Some content has separate availability rules.
- You want an app on an Android tablet or TV you also own: you can send it there from the Play website on your iPhone (see below).
- You want to spend Play credit: you can use it only on Google purchases. It can’t pay for App Store apps.
The Play Store runs only on Android and ChromeOS devices, per Google’s supported-device list, and Google says only Play Protect certified devices are supported. An APK file is an Android app package, so it won’t install on an iPhone. Websites that promise a Play Store download for iPhone, an emulator, or a jailbreak to get one are not a safe or supported route; skip them.
Google’s Own Apps That Replace Play on iPhone
| What you used on Android | What to get from the App Store |
|---|---|
| Play Books (ebooks, audiobooks) | Google Play Books |
| Play Movies & TV | Google TV |
| Google Play Music | YouTube Music |
| Gmail, Drive, Photos, Maps | The iPhone versions of the same Google apps |
In the App Store, check that the developer listed under the app name is Google before you tap Get. Windows PCs are a different story, and getting the Google Play Store on Windows 11 explains what works there.
Read Your Google Play Ebooks
Download Google Play Books from the App Store. Make sure the developer is Google.
- Open Google Play Books. Sign in using the Google Account that purchased the ebook, which may not be the first account on your phone.
- Tap Library. Locate the book you want to read and tap its cover. The ebook should open in the reader.
- Change the text if you want. Tap the page, then use Display options for font and size, and Contents to jump to a chapter, bookmark, or note. Books shown as Original pages keep the print layout; Flowing text lets you change font, size, and line spacing. Not every book offers both.
If a book is missing, check that you’re signed in to the account that bought it. Tap your profile picture to switch accounts before buying a second copy. To try a book first, open it and tap Sample. Printing works only from a computer, not the iPhone app. Google’s iPhone ebook instructions cover these controls. A Kindle library is separate; if you also read on a Kindle, you can sync an iPhone and a Kindle.
Listen to Google Play Audiobooks
- Open Google Play Books and sign in. Use the account that purchased the audiobook.
- Tap Library and select the audiobook. It opens for listening; an ebook purchase is a different edition and does not automatically include its narrated version.
- Check the sound output. If playback is running but silent, check media volume and whether audio is being sent to a Bluetooth device.
While listening, tap Bookmark at the top to mark a spot; find saved spots under Contents > Bookmarks. If you switch from your Android phone, playback picks up near where you stopped. Some audiobooks include a PDF; open it from the book’s More menu with Open accompanying PDF. Under Play Books Settings, Audio quality controls how much storage downloads use.
Google’s audiobook guide for iPhone explains the library and playback route. An Audible purchase belongs to a separate service; signing into Play Books does not import it. For Apple’s own store, follow the steps to buy an audiobook on iPhone.
Buy a Book Through the Supported Web Checkout
You can’t pay inside the iPhone app, but it links to Google’s web checkout. For an ebook, open the book and tap Manage account, then follow the link and tap Continue. For an audiobook, tap Get audiobook, then follow the link and tap Continue. Your iPhone warns that you’re leaving the app; that’s expected.
Before you pay, check the account, price, and edition. An ebook and its audiobook are separate purchases, and abridged and unabridged audiobooks are sold separately too. If you don’t see the link, update Play Books. After buying, go back to Play Books with the same account.
Read Books Offline
Google’s offline-reading instructions describe downloading eligible ebooks from your library:
- Connect to the internet and open Google Play Books > Library.
- Under the Books tab, tap Download next to the title.
- Wait for the Downloaded indicator, then open the book once to make sure it works before you travel.
To limit mobile-data use, tap your profile picture, open Play Books Settings, and enable Download only over Wi-Fi. To remove an offline copy, touch and hold the book and choose Remove download. That is different from permanently deleting it from your library. Manga chapters are not currently available for offline reading.
Find Eligible Movies and Shows in Google TV
- Open the App Store and search for Google TV. Check the developer and tap Get or Open.
- Open Google TV and use the purchasing Google Account. Check the account from its profile control if your library seems wrong.
- Open Your stuff and select an owned or rented title. Start playback when the title is available to your account and device.
Google’s Google TV overview for iPhone calls this section Your stuff. It includes purchases from the old Play Movies & TV service and your watchlist. Newly bought TV shows from YouTube don’t appear there.
You cannot buy or rent inside the iPhone Google TV app. Google directs purchases to its supported Google TV or YouTube routes. Check the purchase page and account before paying; not every recommendation is something you own or get with a subscription.
Download Movies for a Flight
Google TV on iPhone can save owned and rented videos for offline viewing, per Google’s offline download guide:
- Connect to Wi-Fi and open Google TV.
- Tap Your stuff, then Library, and find the title.
- Tap the Download icon. You get a notification when it finishes.
A purchased video can be downloaded on up to five devices; a rental on only one. To use mobile data, tap your profile picture, then Google TV settings > Network > Download on any network. To delete a download, tap the red check mark next to the title and tap Remove. If a download won’t play, connect to the internet, delete it, and download it again.
Send an Android App to Your Other Android Device
Your iPhone can still act as a remote for the Play Store on an Android tablet, phone, or TV signed in to the same account:
- In Safari, go to play.google.com and sign in with that Google Account.
- Search for the app and open its page.
- Tap Install and choose your Android device from the list.
The app installs on the Android device the next time it’s online, not on the iPhone. Google’s Play Store help explains that apps are tied to your account and can be used on multiple Android devices without buying them again.
What Happened to Google Play Music?
Google Play Music is discontinued. YouTube’s official shutdown announcement described its replacement by YouTube Music in 2020. Instructions that tell you to install Play Music or use its Music Manager are out of date, and the library-transfer window has closed, so an old Play Music collection can’t be recovered by signing in again.
Check Google Play Credit Before Buying
Google’s Play balance eligibility page lists supported purchases and country restrictions. Your balance works only for Google purchases; it is not an Apple App Store payment method. Not every iPhone purchase accepts it, so check that the balance shows up at checkout.
To check your balance on the web, go to play.google.com > profile icon > Payment & Subscriptions and look at Play Balance. See Google’s balance-check instructions. To add a gift card, open play.google.com/redeem in Safari, enter the code, tap Redeem, and confirm the account, per Google’s redeem instructions. A Google Play gift card can’t pay for iPhone apps from the App Store.
If a Purchase Is Missing
Check the service first: a Play Books ebook belongs in Play Books, an eligible movie in Google TV, and an Apple Books purchase in Apple Books. Then check the Google Account. The account on the purchase receipt is a more useful clue than the account you most recently used for Gmail.
For books, Google’s iPhone troubleshooting guide says to sign in with the purchasing account and check Library > Purchases. If the account isn’t listed, tap your profile picture, then Manage accounts on this device, remove the account, and add it again. Update the app if needed. If a download fails, check your connection and free storage.
If you see Device limit reached, remove the download from a phone or tablet you no longer use. Tap Remove download under the cover; the book stays in your library. Choose Delete from library only if you want it gone from every device.
Common Questions
Does adding the Play website to my Home Screen install the store?
No. A browser shortcut opens the website; it does not add Android app compatibility. Use an actual iPhone app for the content you want.
Will my Android game progress and paid upgrades transfer?
Usually not automatically. Install the iPhone version and check whether the developer offers account sign-in or cloud saves. Paid upgrades bought on Google Play usually don’t carry over to an iPhone.
Do I need a new Google Account?
For existing purchases, use the account that already owns them. A new account can explain an empty library. You still need your Apple Account to download the iPhone app from the App Store.
Can I watch Google Play movies without the app?
Google’s iPhone help routes playback through the Google TV app, and offline downloads work only in that app on phones and tablets. If you want a bigger screen, sign in to Google TV on a supported TV or streaming device with the same account.
Next step: install Google Play Books or Google TV from the App Store and sign in with the account on your purchase receipt.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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