How to update your Google Play Store app without sideloading like a savage

Oh, Google. You and your little tricks. Dunno how old this is (Update: Ah, since March or so. Cool.), but apparently there's a neat little trick to forcing your Google Play Store app to check for an update. No installing apk files from who knows where. No waiting like a peasant.

Just a couple taps of a button.

  1. Open the settings menu in the Google Play Store app.
  2. Scroll all the way down.
  3. Tap on the Build Version section.

How about that.

We presume there's a little more back-end magic to it, but whatever. We now have a "check for updates" button, and we're going to mash the hell out of it.

Props to +Phil Edge for pointing it out and for having an awesome name. And props to +Russell Holly for the act of headline savagery. And props to Google for remembering to have fun with its operating system.