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App Keeps Crashing? How to Fix Apps on iPhone and Android

3 min read •
Beginner App Crash iPhone Android Fix

An app opens and immediately closes. Or it freezes after a few seconds. Or it just shows a white screen. App crashes are one of the most common phone problems and almost always fixable without losing your data.

iPhone Fixes

Fix 1: Force Close and Reopen

  1. Swipe up from the bottom and hold (or double-click Home button on older iPhones)
  2. Find the crashing app → swipe up to close it
  3. Wait 5 seconds → open the app again

Fix 2: Restart Your iPhone

Hold power + volume down → slide to power off → wait 30 seconds → turn back on

Fix 3: Update the App

App Store → tap your profile picture → scroll down → Update All (or update the specific app)

An outdated app on a new iOS version is the most common crash cause.

Fix 4: Update iOS

Settings → General → Software Update → install if available

Fix 5: Delete and Reinstall

  1. Long-press the app icon → Remove App → Delete App
  2. Go to App Store → search for the app → reinstall

Your data for most apps (social media, email, streaming) is stored on their servers, not your phone — you will not lose anything by reinstalling. For games, check if they support cloud saves first.

Fix 6: Free Up Storage

If your phone is nearly full, apps cannot create temporary files and crash: Settings → General → iPhone Storage → delete unused apps or media

See our full guide: How to Free Up Storage

Fix 7: Reset All Settings

Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Reset → Reset All Settings

This resets WiFi, Bluetooth, notifications, and display settings but does NOT delete your apps or data.

Android Fixes

Fix 1: Force Stop

Settings → Apps → find the app → Force Stop → reopen the app

Fix 2: Clear App Cache

Settings → Apps → find the app → Storage → Clear Cache

This removes temporary data. Your login and settings are preserved.

Fix 3: Clear App Data (Last Resort)

Settings → Apps → find the app → Storage → Clear Data

Warning: This resets the app to its freshly-installed state. You will need to log in again and reconfigure settings.

Fix 4: Update the App

Google Play Store → tap your profile → Manage apps & device → Update All

Fix 5: Update Android

Settings → System → System update → install if available

Fix 6: Reinstall

  1. Long-press the app → Uninstall
  2. Open Play Store → reinstall

Fix 7: Check App Permissions

Some apps crash because they lack required permissions: Settings → Apps → find the app → Permissions → grant all required permissions

Fix 8: Safe Mode

  1. Hold power button → long-press "Power off" → tap "Safe Mode"
  2. If the app works in Safe Mode, another app is interfering
  3. Recently installed apps are the usual suspect — uninstall them

Fix 9: Free Up Storage

Settings → Storage → see what is using space → delete or move files

Specific App Fixes

Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat Crashing

These apps cache gigabytes of data. Fix:

  1. Clear cache (Android) or delete and reinstall (iPhone)
  2. Update to latest version
  3. Check if the app's servers are down (downdetector.com)

Gmail/Outlook Crashing

  1. Clear cache
  2. Remove and re-add your email account in the app
  3. Check storage — email apps need space for syncing

Banking Apps Crashing

  1. Update the app — banks frequently push required updates
  2. Disable VPN — banking apps often block VPN connections
  3. Make sure your phone's OS is supported — some banks drop support for old OS versions

Chrome Crashing (Android)

  1. Settings → Apps → Chrome → Storage → Clear Cache
  2. If still crashing: Settings → Apps → Android System WebView → Update
  3. Android System WebView crashes affect ALL apps that display web content

When Apps Crash on All Phones

If an app crashes for everyone, not just you:

  • The app's servers are down — check downdetector.com
  • A bad update was pushed — wait for a hotfix (usually within hours)
  • Nothing you can do — just wait

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