How to Fix It When Apps Keep Crashing on Android [2023]

Apps are an essential part of any smartphone. They expand the range of functions and uses of smartphones. One of the most common problems with apps is crashes. Without the user having made any changes, the app sometimes behaves differently or even stops working altogether.

There can be many reasons for this, such as network problems, compatibility of the app, bugs in the particular version, memory issues, and many more that cause the problems.

In this guide, we will introduce you to various methods to prevent apps from crashing on your smartphone and give you some tips on how to avoid this problem in the future.

How to Fix It When Apps Keep Crashing on Android

There can be many reasons for apps crashing on your device. Before moving on to troubleshooting, you should first try the basic troubleshooting methods, such as restarting the device, force quitting the app, and clearing the app’s cache. Most users have solved the problem using these basic methods. If the problem persists, try the other troubleshooting methods listed in this guide.

Reboot Your Smartphone

Rebooting or restarting your Android device is the easiest and most effective way to solve crashing app issues on your smartphones. When you reboot a device, the system shuts down all running processes and apps and then reloads the operating system. This process clears the device’s memory and cache, which can fix most of the problems with crashing apps on Android smartphones.

Different smartphones follow different steps to reboot a device. However, most of the steps are very similar on all Android smartphones.

How to restart an Android smartphone (general technique)

1. Press and hold the power button: locate the power button on your device, usually located on the side or top of the device. Press and hold the power button until the power menu appears.
2. Tap Restart or Reboot: in the power menu, you should see options such as power off, restart, or reboot. Tap on the reboot or restart option. For some devices, swiping is required.
3. Wait for the device to reboot: After you tap Restart or Reboot, your device will shut down and then turn back on. This can take a few seconds or a minute, depending on your device.
4. Unlock your device: after your device reboots, you’ll need to unlock it as you’d normally access the home screen and apps.
5. If your device is unresponsive or frozen due to the app crash and you cannot access the restart options in the power menu, you can try performing a forced restart. To do this, press and hold the power button and the volume down button simultaneously for about 10 seconds until the device vibrates and restarts.
6. Once you have completed the reboot, open the app again and check if it works properly. If the problem persists, follow the other troubleshooting methods.

Related Read: What to Do if Spotify Keeps Crashing or Closing Itself

Force Stop App

Android smartphones have a built-in “Force Stop” feature that allows you to pause and stop a particular app that is currently running in the background. When you force-stop an app, the app is closed, and its background processes are stopped. Forcing an app to stop can be useful when the app is unresponsive or crashes. It is also a useful tool to free up system resources when too many apps are running in the background, which can improve the performance of your device.

To force stop an app on Android, you can follow the steps below:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and tap “Apps” or “App Manager,” depending on your device and Android version.
3. Find the app you want to force stop and tap on it.
4. On the app info screen, you should see a button that says “Force Stop.” Tap on this button.
5. A warning message will appear asking if you want to force-stop the app. Tap “OK” to confirm.
6. The app should now force quit, and all background processes, services, and notifications will stop.
7. Alternatively, you can find the app, long-press on it, and click on the info to see the options to force quit it.
8. Note that force quitting an app does not delete any data or settings associated with the app, so you can continue to use the app as usual after force quitting.

Related Read: 10 Ways to Fix YouTube App Crashing on Your Android and iPhone

Check Your Internet Connection

Most apps these days require a constant internet connection to function. Make sure you have an active internet connection on your smartphone. There are several ways to test the internet connection on your smartphone. The most common and easiest method is by using an internet speed test website. You can go to https://www.speedtest.net/ to verify your internet connection status.

If your internet is working properly. Follow the other troubleshooting methods to fix the app crash issue on your smartphone. If you have an Internet connection, you can follow the steps below to fix the network issues on your smartphone.

Here are some steps you can take to solve network problems on your Android smartphone:

1. Check your network connection: make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi network or that your mobile data connection is enabled. If you have problems with a Wi-Fi connection, try moving closer to the router or resetting the router.
2. Turn airplane mode on and off: Turning Airplane Mode on and off can sometimes help fix network problems. You can find Airplane Mode in Quick Settings or the Settings app.
3. Restart your device: Restarting your device can sometimes help fix network issues. Simply press and hold the power button and select “Restart” from the power menu.
4. Check for software updates: Make sure your device has the latest software updates. Go to the Settings app, select “System,” and then “Software Update” to check for updates.
5. Clear the cache and data of network-related apps: Access the Settings app, select Apps, and then select the app that is connected to your network connection (for example, the browser or messaging app). Clearing the app’s cache and data can help resolve network-related issues.
6. Reset network settings: go to the Settings app, select System, then Reset Options, then Reset Wi-Fi, Cellular & Bluetooth. This will reset your network settings, including Wi-Fi, mobile data, and Bluetooth.
7. Contact your internet service provider: If the network problem persists, you may need to contact your ISP for further assistance.

Clear App Cache

The app cache is a temporary storage on your smartphone that contains data and files such as images, videos, and other data that an app needs to access frequently to make the app load faster. Almost every app uses this cache to load faster and run smoother. Over time, if the device has problems with the cache memory, it can cause the app to stop working or crash. You can simply clear the cache to fix this problem.

Clearing the app cache will not delete any personal data such as login credentials, saved settings, or app-related documents. It only removes temporary files and data that the app has stored in the cache.

To clear the cache on an Android device, you can follow the steps below:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and tap “Apps” or “App Manager,” depending on your device and Android version.
3. Find the app whose cache you want to clear and tap on it.
4. On the app’s info screen, you should see an option labeled “Storage.” Tap on that option.
5. On the storage screen, you will see an option to “Clear cache.” Tap on this option.
6. A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to clear the cache. Tap “OK” to confirm.
7. Repeat these steps for any other apps for which you want to clear the cache.
8. Alternatively, you can find the app, long press on it, click on the info and the storage settings, and clear the cache.

Alternatively, you can clear the cache for all apps on your device by following these steps:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android device.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Storage.”
3. Tap “Cached data.”
4. A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to clear the cache for all apps. Tap on “OK” to confirm.

Update the App

Sometimes the specific version of the app can be the reason for the crash on your smartphone. This may be a developer’s mistake, or the specific version of the app is not optimized for your device. You can easily fix this problem by updating the app in the Google Play Store.

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner.
3. Tap Manage apps & device. Apps for which an update is available are marked with “Update available.”
4. Tap Update.

Related Read: [FIXED] Unfortunately Google Play Services Has Stopped Error on Android

Free Up Storage Space

Sometimes insufficient storage can cause app crashes on your smartphone. On most Android smartphones, you’ll see a warning in the notification bar saying that there isn’t enough storage or that you’re running out of storage. Most apps use internal or external memory to read or write data. Make sure that your device has enough storage space. If you’re running out of storage space, follow the steps below to free up storage space on your Android smartphone.

1. Go to your phone’s settings and select “Storage” You’ll get information about the used storage space and a list of file categories.
2. Under “Storage,” tap “Apps.” You’ll get a list of all your apps and see how much storage each app is taking up.
3. Tap on the name of the app. You’ll now see the size of the app, how much of the available storage is user data, and how much is cache space. You can tap on the “Clear storage” and “Clear cache” buttons. Note: Clearing the storage will delete the app data.
4. You can also use apps like the Google Files app to free up storage space by deleting junk files, deleted screenshots, large photos, backed-up media, and unused apps.
5. Another option is to delete large files like videos to free up storage space. You can also copy the large files to external storage devices such as a PC or a hard drive.
6. If your smartphone has expandable memory, you can buy external SD cards to add more data.

Factory Reset Your Android Smartphone

If the above troubleshooting methods don’t work, you can reset your Android smartphone as a very last resort. When you factory reset a device, all data, settings, and apps on the device are deleted, and it’s reset to the original factory settings, just like the new device. All your personal data, including contacts, Google accounts, photos, videos, music, and documents, will be deleted from the device’s internal storage.

You need to set up your reset device just like you set up a new device. Different Android smartphones require a different factory reset procedure. So look for the specific instructions before you proceed with the reset.

Check App Permissions

Apps need system permission to access the data on your device. With each new Android version, Google has made it harder for app developers to access data, storage, and more to improve privacy. Access permissions are now required for every app on Android, and you can turn permissions on and off whenever you want. If the app crashes on your smartphone, there’s a chance that the app does not have permission to read or write data or that the app permissions have been reset.

To fix the problem, you can check the app permission and see whether the required permissions are allowed or not. To check the app permissions, long press the app > tap Info > permissions.

So, that’s the list of troubleshooting techniques you can use to fix app crash issues on your Android smartphone. There can be many reasons why your apps crash, such as device compatibility, app version errors, and network or memory issues on the device. You can start by applying basic troubleshooting techniques. Let us know in the comments below what troubleshooting methods helped you fix the app crashing problem on your smartphone. As mentioned in the beginning, here are some tips on how to prevent an app from crashing on your smartphone.

• Make sure you have enough storage space: make sure your device has enough storage space. Most apps need storage space to read and write data. You can share storage space on your device or use external devices to expand your device’s memory.
• Disable automatic updating: In most cases, app updating can cause problems. You can disable auto-updating in the Google Play Store to prevent apps from automatically updating to the latest version. To do this, open the Google Play Store > Go to the app > click on the menu with the three dots > and then untick the auto-update. Also, make sure you are not enrolled in the app’s beta program.
• Check compatibility before downloading: The Google Play Store lists the system specifications required for each app. Check them before you download the app.
• Apply latest updates: Most users neglect system and app updates. In most cases, app crashes can be fixed by applying the latest update to the device or app, if available. You can also revert to the previous version if you find that the update is causing the problem.

FAQs on How to Fix Apps Crashing on Android

What are the common reasons why Android apps crash?

There can be many reasons why Android apps crash. The most common causes are device compatibility, bugs in the specific version of the app, and network or memory issues. You can use basic troubleshooting techniques, such as restarting the device, clearing the app cache, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and more.

How do I deal with the possibility of my app crashing?

There can be many possible reasons why the app crashes. The most common problem is a network error, a memory error, an app version that is not compatible with your device's software, and more. To fix these types of issues, follow the troubleshooting steps listed in this guide and make sure that the network connection is stable, that you have enough storage on your smartphone, that the app version is compatible with the software version currently running on your smartphone, and more.

Why does my phone crash after changing the default home app?

If you change the default home app on your phone, it may crash for a variety of reasons. Here are a few possibilities:

1. Compatibility issues: different Home apps may have different compatibility requirements with your phone's operating system, and switching to a new app can cause issues that lead to crashes.
2. App Conflicts: sometimes, switching to a new home app can cause conflicts with other apps on your phone. If two apps try to access the same resource at the same time, it can lead to a crash.
3. Corrupted Data: When you switch to a new Home app, some changes to your phone's settings and configurations may be required. If these changes are not done correctly, it may lead to a crash.
4. Bugs: The new Home app may have bugs or glitches that can cause your phone to crash.

To fix this issue, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the new Home app or switching back to the old Home app. You can also try clearing the cache and data of the new Home app or resetting your phone to factory settings.

All my apps on my phone crash. What can I do?

Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try to fix the issue:

1. Restart your phone: the first step is to restart your phone. This can help fix any temporary glitches or issues that might be causing your apps to crash.
2. Update your phone and apps: Make sure your phone's operating system and all your apps are up to date. Developers often release updates that can fix bugs and improve performance.
3. Clear app cache and data: Clearing your apps' cache, and data can sometimes fix issues that cause them to crash. To do this, go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Memory > Clear Cache / Clear Data.
4. Uninstall and reinstall apps: If the above steps don't work, try uninstalling the crashing app and then reinstalling it from the App Store.
5. Check network settings: Make sure your phone has an active internet connection. Most apps require an internet connection to work.
6. Perform a factory reset: If none of the above steps work, you may need to perform a factory reset. This will erase all the data on your phone. Therefore, back up your important files before proceeding.

How to stop an update from crashing your app?

Here are some steps you can take to prevent the update from crashing your app:

1. Roll Back the Update: If the update is causing significant problems, you should reset the update to the previous version until you can identify and fix the problem.
2. Identify the Issue: You can follow reviews on Reddit or other community forums if the app update is causing the problem.

Disable auto update on Google play store:

• Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
• Tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner of the screen to open the menu.
• Tap on "Settings."
• Under "General," tap on "Auto-update apps."
• You'll be presented with three options. Select "Don't update apps automatically" to disable automatic updates for all apps on your device.

How do I know if an app is compatible with my phone?

To find out if an app is compatible with your phone, you can follow the steps below:

1. Check the app's system requirements: each app in the Google Play Store has a section that lists the system requirements for the app. This will tell you if the app is compatible with your device's operating system, processor, RAM, and other hardware specifications.
2. Check the app developer's website: Alternatively, if you are not sure whether an app is compatible with your phone, you can check the app developer's website for compatibility information. Many developers provide information about which devices the app is compatible with.
3. Read user reviews and forums: Reading user reviews on the App Store can give you an idea of how the app works on different devices. Look for reviews from users who have a similar device to yours to see if they have had any compatibility issues. You can also visit popular forums like Reddit or Quora.