Gmail and other apps are crashing on Android – Here’s how to fix it

By Kim Komando

March 24, 2021

Some Android users have been reporting their phones aren’t working properly. Random apps like Amazon crash upon launch. When they remove and reinstall them, they work — until the next time the app is launched.

People took to Twitter asking for help for their malfunctioning apps. Some were disturbed, wondering if something fishy was going on. Tap or click here to secure your apps with password protection.

Luckily, it wasn’t something nefarious — just typical issues that come along with software updates. Here’s an easy fix to get your apps back to normal in no time.

Here’s the backstory

Android System Webview is the program that lets Android apps show content from the web. Powered by Chrome, this component is pre-installed on Android devices. To ensure you have the latest security updates and bug fixes, you’re supposed to update it periodically.

Unfortunately, Android users sometimes have to deal with update issues. Actually, software updates of all kinds can come with serious issues.

Remember when Windows 10 first rolled out and crashed our computers? Yep — we remember the so-called Blue Screen of Death. Tap or click here to fix the newest critical issues from the recent Windows 10 update.

If your apps are acting finicky, we found two solutions. Both should be able to fix your Android device.

Option 1: Update two programs

Here’s what Google says you should do. First, you have to update Android System Webview to version 89.0.4389.105. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Play Store app on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Tap Menu on the top left corner. Hit My apps & games.
3. Under “Updates,” find the Android System Webview label.
4. Next to Chrome, tap Update.

Next, follow the same steps to update Google Chrome to the latest version. Both apps need the newest software to work properly. If you’re still having trouble launching certain apps, try this next trick.

Option 2: Remove the Webview update and restart your phone

This is Samsung’s solution. The tech team says you should remove the update and restart the phone. Here’s the step-by-step guide from the team’s Twitter page:

Hi! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Please remove the Webview Update and then restart the phone. Here are the steps: Go settings > apps > tap the three dots in the top right corner > show system apps > search for Android System WebView > select Uninstall updates. ^Nina

— Samsung Support US (@SamsungSupport) March 22, 2021

Either one of these solutions should fix your issue. If you’re still having problems, that may be because you have an older phone. Some users are saying not to update Google Chrome; instead, they advise you to disable it. Now, your Android apps should be back to normal.

While you’re rooting around your Android trying to fix this problem, you may notice that it’s not as quick or clean as it used to be. In that case, we’ve got your back. Tap or click here for the four best apps to make your Android work like new again.

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Tags: Android, fix, Google, Google Chrome, Google Play Store, Microsoft Windows 10, Samsung, security, solution