Apps are what make a smartphone useful. One app lets you pay with UPI, another books a train ticket, another shows you the weather or lets you video-call your family. But apps can also be the easiest way for scammers and data-hungry companies to get into your phone. This is Part 5 of our Tech for Beginners series, and today we will learn how to install apps from the right place, how to check that an app is genuine, how to keep apps updated, and how to remove the ones you no longer need.
If you are still getting used to your phone's screens and menus, read Part 4: Home Screen, Notifications and Quick Settings first. Words like "app", "storage" and "update" are explained in Part 1: Smartphone Basics, Parts and Key Terms.
A quick note: app stores change their design from time to time, and Android phone brands add their own touches. Button names and positions on your phone may differ slightly from what you read here, but the steps and the safety ideas stay the same.
Where apps should come from
Every smartphone has one official app store, and that is where you should get almost all your apps.
- Android phones (Samsung, Xiaomi/Redmi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus, Motorola and others) use the Google Play Store, the icon with a coloured triangle.
- iPhones use the App Store, the blue icon with a white "A" made of lines.
Some Android brands also include their own store, such as the Galaxy Store on Samsung phones. These are run by the phone maker and are generally fine, but if an app is available on Google Play, it is simplest to get it from there.
Why does this matter? Official stores check apps before they appear. Google says Google Play runs a safety check on apps before you download them, and its built-in protection, Google Play Protect, also scans the apps already on your phone, including ones that came from other sources. Apple reviews every app before it is allowed in the App Store. No check is perfect, so you still need to use your judgement, but the official store is far safer than a random link.
How to install an app on Android
- Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or have enough mobile data. Large apps and games can be several hundred MB.
- Open the Play Store app.
- Tap the search bar at the top and type the app's name, for example "IRCTC Rail Connect" or "DigiLocker".
- In the results, tap the app to open its page. Do not tap Install from the results list yet. First check that it is the genuine app (see the checklist below).
- Tap Install. The app downloads and installs on its own.
- When it finishes, tap Open, or find the new icon in your app drawer.
The first time you use the Play Store, you need to be signed in with a Google account, which we covered in Part 2: How to Set Up a New Android Phone.
How to install an app on iPhone
- Open the App Store.
- Tap Search (a magnifying glass, usually at the bottom of the screen) and type the app's name.
- Tap the app in the results to open its page and check that it is genuine.
- Tap Get (for a free app) or the price (for a paid app).
- Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple Account password when asked. On iPhones with Face ID, you may need to double-click the side button.
- Tap Open when the download is finished.
The five-point check before you tap Install
Scammers sometimes publish fake apps with names and icons that look almost the same as famous ones, especially for banks, UPI, courier tracking and government services. Spend thirty seconds on these checks.
- Developer name: look under the app's name. A real bank app is published by that bank, and a government app is usually published by the department or a body such as NIC (National Informatics Centre). If "State Bank" appears under a name like "Best Apps Studio", stay away.
- Number of downloads: on Google Play, popular genuine apps usually have millions of downloads (shown as a figure such as "100M+" or similar on the app page). A "banking app" with a few thousand downloads is a red flag.
- Ratings and recent reviews: look at the star rating, then read a few of the most recent reviews. Many complaints about fraud, hidden charges or "this is not the real app" are a clear warning.
- Official link: when in doubt, go to the organisation's official website and use its link to the app store. Banks and government services usually list their official apps.
- Privacy details: on Google Play, open the Data safety section on the app's page to see what data the developer says it collects and shares. On iPhone, scroll down to App Privacy on the app's page. A simple torch or calculator app that wants your contacts and location is suspicious.
Understanding app permissions
A permission is the app asking to use a part of your phone: the camera, microphone, location, contacts, photos or SMS. Modern Android phones and iPhones ask you at the moment the app first needs something, with a pop-up.
How to answer permission pop-ups
- Allow only when it makes sense. A video-calling app needs your camera and microphone. A maps app needs location.
- For location, prefer "While using the app" or "Only this time" rather than "Allow all the time", unless you truly need it.
- For photos, newer phones let you share only selected photos rather than your whole gallery. Use that option when you see it.
- Deny anything that does not fit the app's job. You can always allow it later if a feature does not work.
- Be careful with apps asking for SMS access or accessibility access unless you know exactly why. Fraud apps often request these to read OTPs or control your screen.
Review permissions you have already given
- Android: open Settings, tap Security and privacy or Privacy, then Permission manager. You will see each permission (Camera, Location and so on) and the apps that have it. Tap an app to change it. On some phones, go to Settings, Apps, choose the app, then Permissions.
- iPhone: open Settings, tap Privacy & Security, then tap a category such as Location Services, Camera or Photos to see which apps have access. You can also scroll down the main Settings list, tap an app's name and change its access there.
Why you should not install APK files from links
On Android, an app file outside the Play Store is called an APK. One of the most common scams in India works like this: you get a WhatsApp message or SMS saying your electricity will be cut, your parcel is stuck, your KYC must be updated or you have won a reward, with a file or link to "install this app". Once installed, the fake app may read your SMS messages, including OTPs, and help the fraudster empty your bank account.
Simple rules to stay safe:
- Never install an app from a file sent on WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS or email, even if it seems to come from someone you know. Their phone may be compromised.
- If your phone asks whether to allow "Install unknown apps" for WhatsApp, Chrome or your file manager, tap Cancel.
- Keep Google Play Protect switched on. To check: open the Play Store, tap your profile picture at the top right, tap Play Protect, then the settings gear, and make sure Scan apps with Play Protect is on.
- Banks, the electricity board and government departments will not ask you to install an app from a WhatsApp file.
iPhones do not normally allow installing apps from random links, which removes much of this risk, but fake websites and phishing messages still target iPhone users. Our guide to common online scams in India explains the tricks in detail.
Keeping apps updated
Updates fix bugs, add features and, most importantly, close security holes. Banking and UPI apps in particular may stop working until you update them.
Turn on automatic updates on Android
- Open the Play Store and tap your profile picture at the top right.
- Tap Settings, then Network preferences.
- Tap Auto-update apps and choose Over Wi-Fi only if you want to save mobile data, or Over any network.
To update manually, tap your profile picture, then Manage apps & device, and tap Update all if updates are available.
Turn on automatic updates on iPhone
- Open Settings and tap App Store.
- Turn on App Updates under Automatic Downloads.
To update manually, open the App Store, tap your profile picture at the top right, scroll to the list of pending updates and tap Update All.
Also keep the phone's own software updated. On Android, look in Settings under System or Software update. On iPhone, go to Settings, General, Software Update.
Removing apps you do not need
Unused apps take up storage, may run in the background and may still have permissions you forgot about. Clearing them out is good housekeeping.
Uninstall on Android
- Touch and hold the app icon on the home screen or in the app drawer.
- Tap Uninstall (on some phones, drag the icon to an "Uninstall" area at the top of the screen).
- Tap OK to confirm.
You can also go to Settings, Apps, choose the app and tap Uninstall. Some apps that came with the phone cannot be uninstalled. For those, you may see a Disable option, which hides the app and stops it running.
Delete on iPhone
- Touch and hold the app icon.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Delete App, then Delete to confirm. (Choosing "Remove from Home Screen" only hides the icon.)
iPhones also offer Offload App in Settings, General, iPhone Storage. Offloading removes the app but keeps its documents and data, so you can reinstall it later and carry on where you left off.
Before you delete
- For WhatsApp and other chat apps, make sure your chats are backed up if you want to keep them.
- If the app is a paid subscription, cancelling the app does not cancel the subscription. Cancel it in the Play Store (profile picture, Payments & subscriptions) or on iPhone (Settings, your name, Subscriptions).
Frequently asked questions
Are all apps on the Play Store and App Store safe?
Most are, but not all. Both stores remove harmful apps when they find them, and some slip through for a while. That is why the five-point check, especially the developer name, is worth doing every time.
Do I have to pay to download apps?
Most popular apps are free to download. Some charge a one-time price, and many free apps offer in-app purchases or subscriptions. The store page shows "In-app purchases" or "Contains ads" when that applies. Never pay for an app through a link sent by a stranger.
An app asked for a permission and I tapped Allow by mistake. What now?
Go to the app's permissions in Settings, as shown above, and change it to "Don't allow". Nothing permanent has happened. If the app looks suspicious, uninstall it.
My phone says storage is full and I cannot install a new app. What should I do?
Delete apps you do not use, clear old videos and forwards, then try again. Our guide on how to free up storage on Android and iPhone walks you through it. We will also cover storage in the next part.
What is next
Try this today: open the Play Store or App Store, check that automatic updates are on, review which apps can use your location, and delete one app you have not opened in months. In the next part of Tech for Beginners, we will look at phone storage, battery and charging, and how to keep your phone healthy for years.
