In mid-March, Google removed the ability for users to download their Play Music library via Takeout. With that data now gone, Google Play Music is getting one last update on Android to hide the app.
Version 8.29.9112-1.W of Play Music is widely rolling out via Google Play today. It still shows a “Google Play Music is no longer available” screen that prompts users to “Explore YouTube Music.” However, below that is a new “Free up space” section:
Easily delete the Google Play Music local data from your device to free up space.
“Hide app” makes it so that “Google Play Music will no longer show on your homepage or all apps view.” After confirming, Play Music will no longer appear in your app drawer and you’ll no longer be able to open it. In Google Play, the only option you’re given is to uninstall.
There’s also “Delete all local data” if you weren’t able to remove downloads before the app locked out, and “Open app info.”
This update is meant to address how you cannot uninstall Play Music if the app was preinstalled on your device. In Google’s case, the Pixel 3 and earlier have it as a default application where the only option is disabling from the “App info” page, which is not obvious for most users. On newer phones that have YouTube Music loaded, you can just delete like any other downloaded app.
More about Google Play:
- Play Music is now fully gone as Google Takeout downloads stop [Updated]
- Goodbye Google Play Music: 7 alternatives to YouTube Music you should probably try [Video]
- Google fully shuts down Play Music around the world
Author: Abner Li
Source: 9TO5Google
