How to Install Gapps on Android Marshmallow Custom ROMs

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If you've recently flashed a custom ROM based on Android 6.x (Marshmallow) onto your device, chances are that you're now faced with the frustrating realization that Google's Play Store is nowhere to be found. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Gapps (Google Apps) specifically designed for Marshmallow-based custom ROMs like CyanogenMod, AOSP, and more.

Why Do I Need GApps?

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GApps are essential components required by Android devices running without an official Google Play Store installation. Without these apps pre-installed on your device's /system partition during the initial setup process or manually installed later via recovery mode after flashing a custom ROM, you'll be left with nothing but basic functionality from Google services such as:

* Search (Google)

* Maps

* Contacts

Additionally, GApps also include various other essential apps and components like:

* Gmail client

* Hangouts messaging app

* Play Music & Movies clients

How to Install Marshmallow Gapps on Android 6.0/6.1 Devices

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### Prerequisites

Before proceeding with this guide, ensure that you have met the following requirements:

1. You are running a compatible version of TWRB recovery (at least v2.x) or another custom recovery like CWM.

2. Your device has an unlocked bootloader.

#### Downloading GApps for Marshmallow ROMs

To begin with, download and save one of the three different versions of Marshmallow Gapps from 'this link'(https://www.open-source-exchange.org/project?p=1300&os=Android&pf_pros=&sort_by=-downloads) onto your device's SD card or internal storage:

* FullGApps: This is the largest and most comprehensive version, containing almost every Google app available for Marshmallow.

* SuperSU Gapps: These include SuperSU rooting tool in addition to all other apps found in FullGApps. It also comes with a separate zip file named `su-` which contains only the SuperSu binary.

### Flashing GApps via Recovery Mode

1. Boot your device into recovery mode (use the combination of Volume+Power or Power+Btwon buttons depending on your device).

2. Navigate to 'Install' > 'Select Zip from SDcard / internal storage'.

3. Now, browse through the list and select the Marshmallow GApps zip file that you downloaded earlier.

4. Confirm installation by pressing 'Yes - Install Xposed'.

### First Boot Setup

After successful flashing of Gapps on your device:

1. Reboot to recovery mode once again (use the combination of Volume+Power or Power+Btwon buttons depending on your device).

2. Go to 'Recovery' > 'Advanced' and select 'Wipe Data/Factory Reset'.

3. Confirm by selecting 'Yes - Erase All User data'. This will wipe all installed apps, settings, and saved data from internal storage.

4. Reboot into normal mode after the process is complete.

Congratulations! You should now see a setup wizard on your device's screen asking you to select either Google or other accounts for various services like Gmail, Play Store etcetera. Choose 'Google' whenever prompted during this initial setup process so that these essential apps can be installed automatically onto your Marshmallow-based Android ROM.

Troubleshooting: Not Enough Space in /system Partition

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If even the smallest version of GApps (Pico) fails to install due to insufficient space on your device's `/system` partition, consider one or more of the following solutions:

1. Use a third-party file manager like ES File Explorer or Astro File Manager to free up some storage space by deleting any unnecessary files and apps from internal memory.

2. Perform a factory reset (as described above) before attempting GApps installation again.

Additional Tips & Resources

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* If you encounter issues during the flashing process, make sure that your device is properly rooted with SuperSU or another rooting tool like Magisk.

* For more information on how to flash custom ROMs and other related topics, refer to our comprehensive guide: 'Installing Custom ROMs'(http://www.droidmod.org/2016/02/installing-custom-roms-on-your-android-device.html).

By following these simple steps outlined above, you should now be able to enjoy all the features that come with Google's suite of productivity apps on your Marshmallow-based Android device. Happy flashing!

Pico gapps 6.0.1 xda