iOS users have always had options other than the official app store for their apps and games – Cydia and a whole host of Cydia alternatives. Android users haven’t had that luxury unless they rooted their devices – not many people opted for that because of the risks involved. Now though, there is another alternative – a third-party app store called Panda Helper.
What is Panda Helper?
Originally released for iPhone users, Panda Helper is also available in APK format for Android users. It is an unofficial app store, a great alternative to the Android Play Store, offering thousands of third-party apps and games. Many of these are stock apps, tweaked with new, better features and more – along with games with all the restrictions lifted. And you will also find a few tweaks, including game emulators, screen recorders, and many more cool apps and games. It’s all free, and it’s all yours just by following the simple download steps below.
How to Download Panda Helper on Android:
Downloading Panda Helper requires you to install the APK file directly on your device. It is easy enough to do, but you must follow these steps as written or it won’t work:
- Open your Android phone the Settings app and go to the Security section
- Find and enable the option for Unknown Sources – this is the only way you can install third-party content on your Android device
- Now download the APK for Panda Helper onto your tablet or smartphone from panda-helper.org
- Find it in Downloads and tap on it to start the installation
- When it’s done, Panda Helper is on your home screen and is ready to use.
How to Use Panda Helper:
Using Panda Helper to download apps and games is simple:
- Open Panda Helper from your home screen
- Find the app or game you want – there is a useful search facility if you are looking for something specific
- Tap on your choice of app or game and follow the on-screen instructions to install it
Fixing Panda Helper Errors
Panda Helper is used by millions of people the world over, and few issues have been reported. However, there are a couple of common errors that are easy to fix.
Panda Helper Stopped Working
This could happen for a few reasons, and there are a couple of ways to fix it. Start with method 1 and work through until something works for you:
Method 1: Reset The App Preferences
This seems to work for most users:
- Open your Settings app and go to Apps (App Manager)
- Find All Apps and tap the menu
- Tap on Reset App Preferences and then tap Reset Now
- Open Panda Helper, and it should work.
If not
Method 2: Clear Package Installer Data and Cache
- Open Settings and go to Apps
- Tap System Apps > Package Installer
- Tap on Clear Data and Clear Cache*
- Try Panda Helper, and it should work
* For those on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, these options are under Storage
Method 3: Enable Unknown Sources
You should have done this before you installed the APK to your device – it is the only way to ensure third-party content works:
- Open Settings > Security
- Find and enable the Unknown Sources Option
- Try Panda Helper again – if it doesn’t work, delete it and start over, making sure Unknown Sources is enabled BEFORE you install Panda Helper
Panda Helper Not Installed
Another error that is simple to fix:
Method 1: Clear Package Installer Data and Cache
- Launch Settings and tap on Apps or App Manager
- Tap on System Apps and go to Package Installer
- Tap the options to Clear Data and Clear Cache*
* Android 6.0 Marshmallow users will find these in Storage
Method 2: Enable Unknown Sources
- Open Settings and go to Security
- Tap to enable Unknown Sources
- If Panda Helper still doesn’t work, delete it and reinstall it, making sure this option is enabled
Method 3: For Rooted Devices
If your device was rooted before you installed Panda Helper, try these steps:
- Open your mobile browser and download a good root explorer app
- Open the app on your device and copy the APK file
- Open Settings and go to Apps
- Check that the app permissions are enabled and close it – Panda Helper should work now.
Method 4: Clear Your Device
It could be the simplest thing – your device simply doesn’t have enough space on it. Delete any files you no longer need, move your media and photos to an external storage device, uninstall apps you don’t use, and generally tidy things up to give you more space.
If you are trying to install Panda Helper onto an SD card, it must be mounted correctly. In all honesty, you should avoid using SD cards – the Package Installer may struggle to read the APK file, and you could end up with conflicts – stick to using internal storage.
Panda Helper offers Android users a great alternative to the official Play Store. It’s free, so give it a go today and see how you get on with it.
