Apps are the heart and soul of your Android device. Using them, you can browse the internet, communicate with people, shop online, and even entertain yourself. That is, of course, if these apps are running smoothly. So, what happens when apps on your Android device stop working or refuse to open? App glitches, corrupted cache data, and outdated Android OS are some of the prominent reasons why apps won't open on Android. We've compiled a list of effective troubleshooting tips to help fix apps not opening on Android in this post. So, let's check it out.
1. Force stop applications
If an app fails to start properly or has a problem afterward, it may fail to open again. You can try Force stop the application And open it again to fix it. Here's how.
Step 1: Long press annoying app and click info icon from the popup menu.
Step 2: in Application information page , Click on Force Stop Option.
After that, try opening the app again.
2. Clear the app cache and data.
Apps on Android tend to collect cache data to improve their performance. However, if the cache data is outdated or corrupted, the app may misbehave or refuse to open. To fix this, clear the app cache by following the steps below.
Step 1: Long press annoying app and click info icon from the resulting list.
Step 2: Go to Storage and cache And press Clear cache option.
If the problem persists, you can try clearing the app data. This will delete any app data that may be corrupted.
3. Reinstall web updates
Android WebView is a core system component that helps apps on your phone display web content. If there's a problem with WebView, apps that rely on it (such as Chrome, Gmail, etc.) may crash or fail to open. Fortunately, you can easily fix this by resetting WebView. Here's how.
Step 1: turn on Google Play Store on your phone and search for Android System WebView.
Step 2: Click on uninstall to remove WebView updates From your device.
Try opening the app again to see if the issue is resolved.
4. Update all applications.
If you don't update your apps regularly, they become outdated. This can lead to compatibility issues and sudden app crashes. To prevent this, update all your apps by following the steps below.
Step 1: turn on Google Play Store On your phone, tap profile picture and select App and device management.
Step 2: Click on “Update all” To install any pending app updates.
5. Update Android software
Android software update Your privacy is just as important. These updates bring all kinds of bug fixes and improvements to the Android operating system.
To check for updates, open the Settings menu and go to System. Tap System Update to download any pending software updates.
6. Try Safe Mode
Safe Mode It's a useful troubleshooting tool for Android that lets you run Android without third-party apps and services. This will help you check if the issue is caused by one of those apps or services running in the background.
To boot your Android device into safe mode, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Press and hold physical power button on your phone.
Step 2: Long press Restart button A prompt will appear asking you to log in. Safe Mode. Click on OK to follow.
Once you are in safe mode, check if you can open apps.
7. Remove recently installed apps
If apps work fine in safe mode, it may be an installed app that may be interfering with your Android device. Apps or games you recently installed are likely causing the issue. Start by uninstalling them one by one until the issue is resolved.
8. Perform a factory reset.
Finally, if the above solutions fail to resolve the issue of apps not opening, you'll need to factory reset your Android. This means you'll lose all apps, system settings, media files, and more. If you've already backed up your data, follow the steps below to factory reset your Android phone.
Step 1: Open Settings app , and go to the system and select Reset options.
Step 2: Locate Delete all data (factory reset) option.Then click on Erase all data option At the bottom.
They were open!
Apps are what make Android a joy to use. Such issues shouldn't prevent you from using your favorite apps on your Android device. Go through all the solutions above to fix the app not opening issue on Android. As always, let us know who worked on it for you in the comments below.