How to Sync Google Play Apps Between Devices (and Automate the Process)

Keeping the same set of Android apps across multiple phones or tablets can feel like a chore. You install an app on your work device, only to remember later that you need it on your personal phone. Manually hunting down each app, verifying the version, and signing in again wastes time that could be spent on higher‑value work.

Fortunately, Google provides built‑in tools to make app synchronization easier, and you can extend those tools with no‑code workflow automation platforms like Automate Anything. This guide walks you through the native methods for sharing apps between Android devices and shows how to set up an automated flow that keeps your app slate aligned without lifting a finger.

1. Why Sync Apps in the First Place?

• Consistency – Same productivity tools on every device means you can pick up where you left off, no matter which phone you’re using.
• Time savings – Avoid the repetitive task of searching the Play Store for each app after a device change or reset.
• Reduced friction – Automatic sign‑in and configuration sync (when supported) keeps your workflow smooth.

2. Native Google Play Features

2.1 Google Play “My Apps” Library

Google Play keeps a record of every app you’ve ever installed under My apps & games → Library. From any device that’s signed into the same Google account, you can reinstall an app with a single tap.

Steps

1. Open Google Play Store on the target device.
2. Tap the three‑line menu (≡) → My apps & games.
3. Switch to the Library tab.
4. Find the app you want and tap Install.

2.2 App Sharing via Google Play Family Library

If you manage several personal devices (or a small team’s phones) you can add apps to a Family Library and share them instantly.

How to set up

1. Open Google Play Store, go to Settings → Family → Manage family members.
2. Invite the other Google accounts you use on different devices.
3. In Settings → Family → Family library, turn on Share apps for the desired apps.

Now any shared app appears automatically in the Play Store of each family member’s device.

2.3 Backup & Restore with Google One

When you back up an Android device to Google One, the backup includes a list of installed apps. Restoring a new device from that backup reinstalls those apps automatically.

Procedure

1. On the source device, go to Settings → Google → Backup and enable Back up to Google Drive.
2. Perform a backup (or let it run automatically).
3. On the new device, during setup, choose Restore from Google backup and select the latest snapshot.

The restored device will download the same apps (subject to availability and compatibility).

3. Limits of the Built‑In Approach

While the native tools are reliable, they still require manual interaction:

• You must open the Play Store on every device.
• Family Library sharing only works for purchased or free apps that are eligible for sharing.
• Restoring from a backup is a one‑off operation; it doesn’t keep devices in sync after that.

If you want a continuous sync that triggers whenever an app is added, updated, or removed, a lightweight automation can fill the gap.

4. Automate the Sync with No‑Code Workflows

4.1 Core Idea

Create a workflow that:

1. Detects changes in your primary device’s app list.
2. Pushes the updated list to a Google Sheet (or any cloud storage).
3. Runs on secondary devices to compare the list and install missing apps automatically.

Because Android doesn’t expose a direct “app installed” webhook, we’ll use a combination of Tasker (a popular Android automation app) and Automate Anything to bridge the gap.

4.2 Required Tools

All of these components are no‑code or low‑code, meaning you don’t need to write a line of Java or Kotlin.

4.3 Step‑By‑Step Setup

Step 1 – Capture App Changes on the Primary Device

1. Create a new profile in Tasker: Event → App → Installed/Removed.
2. Add an Action → Variable Set to store the package name (%pkg).
3. Add an HTTP Request action:
   • Method: POST
   • URL: https://webhook.automateanythingsoftware.com/sync-apps (replace with your actual endpoint)
   • Body (JSON):

     {
       "event": "%event",   // "installed" or "removed"
       "package": "%pkg",
       "device_id": "primary-phone-01"
     }
     

Tasker will now push every change to Automate Anything.

Step 2 – Store the Master List in Google Sheets

1. In Automate Anything, create a workflow that receives the webhook.
2. Use the Google Sheets connector to append a row for each event (or update an existing row if the package already exists).
3. Keep columns for Package, LatestVersion, LastSeenOnPrimary, and Status (installed/removed).

The sheet now reflects the authoritative app list for your ecosystem.

Step 3 – Notify Secondary Devices

1. Add a second webhook call at the end of the workflow that sends a concise payload to the target devices, e.g., https://webhook.automateanythingsoftware.com/trigger-sync?device=tablet-01.
2. On each secondary device, set up a Tasker profile that listens for an HTTP Request event (Tasker can act as a server on the local network or use a push notification service like Pushbullet).
3. When the trigger arrives, the profile runs a Google Sheets → Read action to fetch the full list.

Step 4 – Compare and Install Missing Apps

1. In the secondary device’s Tasker task, create a Loop that iterates over each row from the sheet.
2. For each package, use the App → Query action to see if it’s already installed.
3. If not installed, use the Launch App action with the Play Store URL: market://details?id=package.name.
4. Optionally, add a Wait step to allow the Play Store to finish installing before moving to the next app.

Because the Play Store handles the actual download, the automation only initiates the process; you still see the familiar “Installing…” toast, maintaining user awareness and control.

Step 5 – Clean Up Removed Apps (Optional)

If you want removed apps to disappear from secondary devices as well:

1. In the sheet, filter rows where Status = removed.
2. In the secondary Tasker loop, when such a row is encountered, use the App → Uninstall action for the matching package.

Caution: Automatic uninstalls can disrupt data tied to the app. Consider adding a confirmation step or a time‑delay buffer before removal.

4.4 Fine‑Tuning Tips

• Throttle the sync: If you install many apps at once, batch the webhook calls to avoid overwhelming the automation platform.
• Version awareness: Include the VersionCode in the sheet. If a newer version appears, you can force an update on secondary devices by re‑launching the Play Store link.
• Security: Protect your webhook URLs with a token parameter or basic auth to prevent external triggers.

With this setup, any app you add or remove on your primary phone propagates automatically to your tablet, secondary phone, or even a work‑assigned device—no manual Play Store hunting required.

5. Alternative Low‑Effort Approaches

If the full Tasker‑Automate Anything pipeline feels too heavy for your needs, consider these lighter options:

1. Google Play “Install on all devices” – When you install an app on one device, the Play Store often shows a “Install on other devices” button for any other logged‑in device. Click it, and the app queues for installation automatically.
2. Third‑party “App Sync” apps – Some apps on the Play Store can export a list of installed packages and import it on another device. They usually require manual export/import but still cut down the repetition.
3. Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solutions – For teams, an MDM can enforce a baseline set of apps across employee devices. This is more heavyweight and typically involves IT administration.

These methods work well when you only need occasional syncs. For a continuous, hands‑off experience, the no‑code automation described earlier is the most scalable.

6. Troubleshooting Common Hurdles

7. Bringing It All Together

Synchronizing Google Play apps across devices doesn’t have to be a repetitive admin task. By leveraging Google’s native sharing features for occasional needs and pairing them with a no‑code workflow built on Automate Anything, you gain:

• Continuous alignment—new installs instantly propagate.
• Visibility—the central Google Sheet acts as a single source of truth.
• Flexibility—add optional steps like version checks, notifications, or protected‑app guards.

Implementing this automation takes under an hour of configuration and then runs silently in the background, letting you focus on building products, serving users, or scaling operations.

Ready to try it yourself?

Start building an app‑sync automation with Automate Anything today: https://automateanythingsoftware.com

Your devices will thank you, and you’ll reclaim valuable time for the work that truly matters.