How to fix Galaxy J7 “Contacts has stopped” error that keeps popping up

Welcome to another #GalaxyJ7 troubleshooting episode for the day. This short guide will address one of the common issues on Samsung devices — how to fix “Contacts has stopped” error. Contacts is one of the core apps that comes with every Samsung device today. While our own experience with this app over the years is generally problem-free, many users find it unreliable. Below is one of such cases wherein this error occurs. We hope our suggestions will help in addressing the issue on your own J7.

Problem #1: How to fix Galaxy J7 “Contacts has stopped” error that keeps popping up

My Samsung Galaxy J7 prime suddenly started displaying contacts has stopped working. Restart the app. So I click restart. It then says the same thing with the close app option. So far I’ve tried the following solutions:

Clear cache

Downloading visual voicemail for t-mobile

Restarting several times

Clear cache from the boot menu after turning the device off and turning it on holding the vol up n home button method

Rebooting

My only other option left is restoring the device which I am trying to avoid. Is there anything else I can do? Thank you for any help. — Kayirean234

Solution: Hi Kayirean234. “Contacts has stopped” is a common, generic error that usually shows up when the Contacts app encounters a problem. It may be triggered by another app like Phone or a messaging app that uses Contacts app to do a certain task. At other times, it may be due to an operating system glitch. The good thing is, an error like this can almost always be fixed by a user. So, to get started, here are the things that you can try:

Create a backup

Before doing any troubleshooting activities, make sure to back everything up, especially the contacts you can’t afford to lose. The best way to do that is using Smart Switch. If you have a computer, you can install Smart Switch to it, then back your phone up using it.
You can check this page on how to install Smart Switch on a computer.

Clear Contacts app data

Contacts app is a preinstalled app so the most that you can do to troubleshoot it is to delete its data. It’s the equivalent of deleting and reinstalling the app. To delete your app’s data, follow these steps:

Open Settings app.
Tap Apps.
Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
Select Show system apps.
Find and tap your app.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear Cache button.
Restart your J7 and check for the problem.

Reset app preferences

If the problem stays after wiping your Contact app’s data, you can then try to return all app preferences to the way they were before. At times, an app may stop working properly because another app or service it depends on had been disabled or removed from the system. To ensure that you all the necessary apps that support other apps are up and running, consider resetting app preferences on your phone. Here’s how it’s done:

Open Settings app.
Tap Apps.
Tap on More settings at the upper right (three-dot icon).
Select Reset app preferences.
Restart your S8 and check for the problem.

Clear network settings

Sometimes, incorrect network configuration may lead to some apps not to work properly. To ensure that your J7 has the right network configuration, make sure to clear its network settings. Here’s how:

From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
Tap General Management > Reset > Reset network settings.
Tap Reset settings.
If you have set up a PIN, enter it.
Tap Reset settings. Once complete a confirmation window will appear.

Safe mode

To check for the possibility of a bad third party app causing the problem, your next troubleshooting would be to run your device to safe mode. While in this mode, only pre-installed apps will be allowed to run, which means that if one of your downloaded apps is behind the trouble, Contacts app on safe mode should work properly.

To check voice calling on safe mode:

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen appearing on the screen.
When SAMSUNG appears on the screen, release the Power key.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
When Safe mode appears in the bottom left corner of the screen, release the Volume down key.
Let your phone run and try to replicate the problem. If voice calling works properly, you have a bad app issue at hand.

To identify which of your apps is causing the trouble, you should boot the phone back to safe mode and follow these steps:

Boot to safe mode.
Check for the problem.
Once you’ve confirmed that a third party app is to blame, you can start uninstalling apps individually. We suggest that you begin with the most recent ones you added.
After you uninstall an app, restart the phone to normal mode and check for the problem.
If your J7 is still problematic, repeat steps 1-4.
Keep doing the same cycle until you’ve identified the culprit.

Factory reset

If all the solutions above won’t help at all, you must factory reset the device. To factory reset your J7:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe cache partition’.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘yes’ is highlighted and press the Power button.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Problem #2: How to free up more space on your Galaxy J7 without rooting it

I have a Galaxy J7 and because of the old problem of bloatware, it is running on 95% used storage and 60% RAM, preventing apps from being updated. I am tempted to root the device and remove the unwanted apps. I have been told this is dangerous and can introduce other unwanted issues. What are your thoughts on this? If you think it is an acceptable solution, is there a reliable procedure or scheme you would advise? — Robert

Solution: Hi Robert. Rooting has both its advantages and disadvantages. If your main concern in contacting us is to find out how to best address the lack of storage space on your J7, our answer is definitely not to root the device. Compared to the potential risks for your device, we doubt if there’s any significant gain you’ll get in terms of storage space. Yes, you’ll be able to remove the unwanted apps but we doubt that they can amount to a few GBs. Why don’t you get an SD card instead? The Galaxy J7 can use up to 256 GB SD card, which is usually more than enough for an average user’s needs.

Rooting compromises the inherent security of Android. There’s a reason why Google “hides” some sensitive files and folders from average users. Unless you intend to use your phone to do advanced tasks which requires root permission, it’s better if you stick with an unrooted Android version. In your case, the best remedy for lack of storage space is to use a secondary storage (SD card).

Problem #3: Galaxy J7 Instagram and YouTube apps keep crashing

Hi My Samsung J7 Social media apps keep crashing, specifically Instagram and YouTube. Instagram freezes and I get out of the app to open it again. When I do the screen turns white and “Instagram unfortunately stopped” or something like that. When youtube crashes it freezes like Instagram but when I open it again it won’t start up. I have to reinstall it again. Please help! This has been happening for months. It’s bothering me a lot. — Elloc250

Solution: Hi Elloc250. There are a number of factors that can cause apps to crash randomly or everytime in Android. To fix your issue, we recommend that you follow our advice in this article:

How to fix YouTube app that keeps crashing on Samsung Galaxy J7?

All the suggestions in this article can both be applied to YouTube and Instagram apps.