Does the app not open on Android? 10 solutions

Smartphones have made our life more comfortable, because they are equipped with apps that can do almost anything for us. But it doesn't really help if you tap the application you need at a certain moment and nothing happens. If an app won't open on your Android device, here are some possible solutions.

How to fix when an app doesn't open on Android?

There are many reasons why an app like Camera, Contacts app, Whatsapp, Facebook may not open; luckily there are many ways to get them back up and running. We have compiled a long list of solutions for when your Android applications crash, crash or freeze while opening on your Android phone.

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Restart your phone

Often when an app doesn't open properly due to temporary issues that are fixed simply by restarting the device.  

You can perform a soft restart by long pressing the power button and selecting Restart or by swiping down the app shade, selecting the power icon, and then choosing Restart. Older Android phones use the power button method; newer models use the app-shade method.

Is the app for a different version of Android?

If you get a warning that an app was created for an older version of Android, the app may not start or function properly. Developers will need to release a newer version of the app to be used on your Android phone.

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Check for Android updates

The opposite problem may also arise. The Android app won't open as it may be too new for your current version of Android. Check if there are any pending system updates on your phone. Install them before trying to run the app again.

To see if there are any system updates waiting in the wings, drag the app-shade down and open the settings menu. So search Software update or something similar. 

You can use the search function in the settings menu if you don't see the software update menu. You will see a notification that your phone is up to date or an update is pending.

Check for app updates

It's also possible that your app has been updated by the developer, but you haven't installed the update yet. Open the Google Play Store and go to the app page. If an update is pending, you will see an "update" button instead of the usual install or open button.

Alternatively, you can open the Google Play Store, then select the icon of Your Profile > The my apps and games > Updates tab. Any apps that require an update will be shown here.

Side loading of an older version of the app

Going back to an earlier version of an app that used to work on your phone can fix various problems. If new bugs have been introduced, you can avoid them by using the older version of the app. If your phone's operating system is too old, the older version of an app may be the latest version that will work on your phone.

If your phone manufacturer won't update a newer version of Android, you can usually load the older version of the app.

Sideloading is a workaround where you manually copy the app's APK package to your phone and install it yourself. You need to allow the installation of apps from unknown sources on your phone.

You can usually find the APK file for older versions of that app on sites like mirror APKs.

This is only possible if the app in question does not rely on web services to function. Older versions of an app rarely remain compatible with the latest web services provided by the app manufacturer. These services are generally intended to work only with the latest version of the software. 

However, for some apps, such as games or standalone utilities, that don't require a connection to web services, you can install an older version from an APK file.

Force quit the app

An app may not open because it never actually closed. Then, force quit the app and run it again.

The exact steps may vary slightly from one Android phone brand to another and the OS version. The general steps are:

1. apri Settings
2. apri App o Applications o Manage apps or something similar.
3. Search and select the app.
4. Select Force break , Force exit or something similar.

After the app is forced to close, try opening it again and see if it helps.

Clear the cache of the app that won't open

Many Android applications keep a local cache of information to help them work more efficiently or when Internet connection is lost. If that cache gets corrupted, it can cause problems with an app.

See our article on how to manually clear an app's cache. Again, the exact steps may vary depending on your Android phone model. Now restart the app. You may need to re-enter your login credentials depending on the type of app.

Move the apps that don't open from the SD card

Some Android phones allow you to install applications or move parts of applications to an SD card. Unfortunately, SD cards are less reliable than the phone's internal memory and get damaged easily. A damaged SD card can prevent the app from starting.

Try moving the app back to internal storage from the SD card, after which you will likely need to reinstall the app if any of the files have been damaged.

Uninstall and reinstall apps that don't open on Android

If none of the previous solutions work for you, a more drastic step is to delete and reinstall the application. You may lose your data for the app you are having trouble with. So, see if there is a way to preserve that data before deleting it. Here's how to do it:

1. Apri l’app Google Play.
2. Select your profile icon.
3. Select Le my apps and games.
4. Select the tab Installed.
5. Select the problematic app.
6. Select the button Uninstall and confirm.
7. Now select the button Install and wait for the app to finish downloading.
8. Run the app again.

Hopefully, you will now have a working app again.

Remove Webview updates

WebView is a crucial shared component of Android used by many applications. When something goes wrong with WebView, it can cause apps to misbehave.

If the latest Webview update is wreaking havoc on your phone, you can actually revert to an older version. Here's how to remove Webview updates:

1. Apri l’app Google Play.
2. Search Webview.
3. Open the app page from the results.
4. Select the Uninstall button and confirm your choice.

Check if your app works again. If it works after removing the WebView updates, wait until a later update becomes available or the app itself gets an update that fixes the problem. Then you can update WebView again using the same step above, except that you will use the button instead Update.

If the app still doesn't open on your Android phone, contact the developer

If all else fails, you may need to ask the app developer for help. There are various ways to do this.

Most people simply leave an app review in the Google Play Store and wait for a response. Find a “developer contact” section on the app page and let the developer know about your problem. Usually, developers are eager to make sure their software works. Just remember to be polite!