Whatsapp is one of the most popular apps being used by smartphone owners today. It’s being updated regularly to address possible compatibility issues with new firmware. However, it seems like some of our readers that own the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus have issues with it. Some said that the app closes immediately after launching it while others reported about an error that says “Unfortunately, Whatsapp has stopped.” Both are actually signs of an app that crashes so regardless whether you get the first symptom or the second, it’s the same problem.
In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your phone. I will share with you the solution that we always use to fix issues like this. The purpose of this article is to get rid of the error and make the app work perfectly again. So, if you’re one of the owners of the Galaxy S9 Plus and are having similar issues, continue reading as this article may help you one way or another.
Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.
How to fix Whatsapp that keeps crashing on Galaxy S9 Plus
You can actually get rid of the problem by removing the app but then again, you won’t be able to use the app. If you don’t want to use the app and you’re bugged by this issue, then uninstall it immediately to make your phone work perfectly again. However, if Whatsapp is one of the apps you use everyday, then you must try to troubleshoot your phone to rectify the problem. With that being said, here’s what I suggest you do about it:
First solution: Restart your phone
If this is the first time you encounter this problem and you haven’t rebooted your phone yet, then please do. Even a minor glitch in the system or those that are caused by apps may cause other applications to stop working and this could be just one of those cases.
So, hit that power key and reboot it and after which, open Instagram to find out if it still crashes or not. If it still closes on its own or shows the error message, try doing the forced reboot instead:
- Press and hold both the volume down and power keys simultaneously for 10 seconds or until the device restarts.
This procedure simulates battery disconnect and refreshes your phone’s memory by reloading all apps, services and core functions. If the problem continues even after doing this, then move on to the next procedure.
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Second solution: Reset Whatsapp
By reset, I mean clear the app’s cache and data to bring it back to its default settings or configuration. If the problem is with the app, then this procedure is more than enough to fix it. Don’t worry, you won’t lose any of your important files if you did this:
- From a Home screen, touch and swipe up or down to display all apps.
- From a Home screen, navigate: Settings > Apps.
- Tap App Manager.
- Locate then tap Whatsapp.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap CLEAR CACHE.
- Tap Cached data.
- Tap CLEAR.
After this, try to open the app to see if it still crashes and if it still does, you have to do the next solution as it might be a compatibility issue.
Third solution: Uninstall Whatsapp and reinstall it
We have to address the possibility that this could be just a compatibility issue between the app and the firmware. The latter may have been updated while the app might not. While we often suggest to update the app you’re having problems with, this time, I suggest you simply uninstall it to remove all its associations with other apps and services and then reinstall it to make sure you have the latest version of the app in your phone:
- From a Home screen, touch and swipe up or down to display all apps.
- From a Home screen, navigate: Settings > Apps.
- Tap App Manager.
- Locate then tap Whatsapp.
- Tap UNINSTALL.
- Review the notification then tap OK to confirm.
- Reboot your phone to refresh it’s memory and other connections.
Now, to make sure you have the latest version of the app in your phone, download a fresh copy from the Play Store and install it.
- From a Home screen, touch and swipe up or down to display all apps.
- Tap Play Store.
- Type ‘whatsapp’ in the search box.
- Select Whatsapp then tap Install.
- To continue, review the required app permissions then tap Accept.
The first three solutions should be enough to fix a minor problem like this. However, if by any chance the issue continues to bug you and you badly need to use the app, then a reset would be worth it.
Fourth solution: Reset your phone
It’s up to you if you want to do this or just remove the app from your phone. But if you want to continue using the app, then I suggest you do this. A reset will fix any app-related issues and I’m certain this will also fix your problem with Whatsapp. However, make sure you make a backup of your important files and data as they will be deleted during the process. Then, make sure you know the google account you’re using in your phone and its password.
- 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 data / factory reset’.
- Press Power button to select.
- Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
- Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
- When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
I hope that this guide can help you one way or another. If you have other concerns you want to share with us, feel free to contact us anytime or leave a comment below.
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