Restore Google Play after factory reset

[Anonymous]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 with Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. Recently my data was being used up after only a few days into the month. I couldn't find the app responsible so I did a factory reset which solved the problem However, after the reset I noticed that Google Play was missing from the phone so I cannot restore any apps. When I tried to download Google Play from Google I had a message saying that my operating system was too old (or words to that effect). I then downloaded a file called PlayStore_v8.5.37.W-all.apk to my phone SD card (from a 3rd party website via my laptop) but I can't get the phone to load it.

How can I restore Google Play back on my phone?

[MI5]

You need a minimum of ICS now for most of the android apps due to security issues with older firmware.
What exactly is happening when trying to install the apk you have downloaded?

[Cleoriff]

@AnonymousIf you look  at this old article and scroll down to Hovsep's answer, there is a fix in that. Whether it works now remains to be seen...https://www.makeuseof.com/answers/cant-run-google-play-store-galaxy-s2/

[Bambino]

Might be time to buy yourself a belated Christmas present, @Anonymous, and get yourself a new phone.:smileywink:

[MI5]

A free custom ROM will fix it.
There's loads available on XDA for the S2

[jonsie]

To be honest I'm surprised the phone is still working with the age of it. Nice one Samsung 😩

Is there not an older pk available?

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-store/variant-%7B"minapi_slug"%3A"minapi-9"%7D/

[Anonymous]

I just don't seem able to move the apk file from the SD card to the right file on the phone. I don't know enough about it.

[MI5]

You shouldn’t need to move it.
Once downloaded you just tap it to install it.

[MercedesS]

Hello @Anonymous,

Happy New Year! Did you get it fixed? Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help!

Thanks @jonsie, @Bambino, @Cleoriff and @MI5 for all 

[Anonymous]

I tried that but I get a "Parse Error" message saying "There is a problem parsing the package".

I think it is time to buy a new phone.

Thanks for your help.