Google Apps are the Google stock apps we take for granted on our Android devices. These apps do not cross over with our custom ROMs automatically when we install a new ROM that is a custom ROM. We can, however, upload the Google Apps zip file and install them along with our new ROM and then they work just the same. Here’s how to flash Google Gapps on Android 6.0 Marshmallow custom ROMs:

REQUIREMENTS

• You must have a custom recovery installed before you can complete this guide. Any recovery will do. It doesn’t matter if it’s Philz touch recovery, CWM recovery or TWRP recovery.
• The following Gapps package works with custom ROMs based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. If your custom ROM is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, this is not the Gapps package for you. Likewise, if you are reading this in the future and are running Android 7.0, this is not the Google Gapps you want to install.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

• Make sure you backup your devices before flashing a new ROM with the Google Apps. On most occasions, people install the new Gapps with the ROM at the same time. When you are flashing a new ROM, most how-to guides will direct you to wiping the data since that’s what they recommend before flashing a new ROM. When you wipe the data you are factory resetting at the same time and thus wiping all data from your device. Without a backup you cannot restore that data. Those with a custom recovery installed can take the NANDroid backup option from inside the recovery.

HOW TO INSTALL GOOGLE GAPPS ON ANDROID 6.0 MARSHMALLOW CUSTOM ROMS

1. Download the Android 6.0 Marshmallow Google Gapps file from here.
2. You want to download the file directly to the computer and move it to the desktop. Those of you running Windows PC will find that ended up in the Downloads folder by default. Therefore, open the Downloads folder and click and drag it over to the desktop.
3. Connect your device to the computer using the USB cable you would use for charging the battery.
4. Copy the Google Gapps file over to the root of the internal storage SD card. The root of the SD card means don’t have it hidden in a sub folder.
5. Unplug your device from the computer.
6. Reboot the device into the custom recovery mode that you must have installed on your device.
7. Tap the ‘Install’ option from the recovery menu.
8. Browse the SD card and upload your Google Gapps zip file (still zipped).
9. Confirm you wish to install that file and wait for it to finish loading.
10. Once done, go back to the main recovery screen and tap over the ‘Reboot System’ option.
11. Now your device will reboot in the normal mode in which you would usually use the device.
12. Job done; you have just learnt how to install Google Gapps on Android 6.0 Marshmallow Custom ROMs.