Gmail and other Android apps that fall on phones: here’s the simple solution from Google

Gmail and other Android apps that fall on phones: here’s the simple solution from Google

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Gmail

Many people have reported issues with the Gmail app on Android.

James Martin / CNET

Google says it has fixed an issue that caused some people to crash Gmail and other Android apps on Monday. The problem appears to be due to a bug in an earlier version of Android System WebView, a system component that allows Android applications to display web content.

To solve the problem, the technology giant said people should go to Google Play to update Android System WebView and Google Chrome.

Here are the steps outlined by Google:

1. Navigate to the Play Store app
2. Search for Android System WebView
3. Select the “Update” option
4. Repeat these steps for Google Chrome

Problems with Gmail and other Android applications started popping up on Monday afternoon and took about seven hours, according to Google’s Gmail status panel. Many people turned to them Twitter and Reddit to report problems with crashing Android applications, including Samsung and Pixel phone owners.

See also: 7 hidden Gmail features that can even help you get to PO Box 0

“We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and continued support,” Google said in the latest update of its Gmail status dashboard. “Rest assured that system reliability is a top priority at Google, and that we are constantly improving to improve our systems.”

While Google fixed the issue, some people found that removing the buggy version of WebView provided a temporary solution. Samsung’s support account on Twitter even suggested that people take that step.

If you used this solution while waiting for Google to resolve the issue, you will need to reinstall WebView to restore the full functionality of your phone and update Chrome. It is important to keep programs up to date get the latest security solutions.

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