Samsung Galaxy S8 error: Unfortunately, Settings has stopped

The error message “Unfortunately, Settings has stopped” could be a sign of a very serious problem but it could also be a sign or a minor firmware issue. This error seems to be bugging many of the owners of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and some of our readers actually contacted us because they could no longer use their phone due to lags and freezes just before the error shows up.

In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy S8 that’s bugged by the “Settings has stopped” error. We will try to determine why this error occurred in the first place to be able to know how to solve it. So, if you’re one of the owners of this device, or any smartphone for that matter, continue reading as this article may be able to help you one way or another.

For smartphone owners who found our site while trying to find a solution, try to see if your phone is one of the devices we support. If it is, then visit the troubleshooting page for that device, browse through it to find issues that are similar with yours and feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. However, if you still need our help after that, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

How to fix “Unfortunately, Settings has stopped” error on Galaxy S8?

Based on experience, this problem is pretty easy to fix and you can actually fix it on your own without any help from a technician. However, if you’re one of the owners who are into installing custom ROM or firmware and this problem happened, just try to check if you did the flashing correctly. Something might have gone wrong or you may try to re-flash the stock firmware to fix the problem. However, if you haven’t flashed a custom firmware and you have this problem, here’s what you should do:

First solution: Run your phone in Safe Mode

By running your phone in safe mode, you’re temporarily disabling all third-party apps and services. It is very important to try this because there are times when downloaded apps cause pre-installed apps and services to crash. The point is, if the error doesn’t show up while in this mode, it means it’s caused by a third-party. The next thing you need to do is find out which app causes the problem and get rid of it.

So, here’s how you run your phone in safe mode:

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name 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.
Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

If the cause of the problem is a third party, then you may proceed with the uninstallation of the app to fix it. However, if the problem continues even in this mode, then you have to try the next solution.

Second solution: Wipe cache partition

When some of the files saved in the cache partition are corrupt or obsolete, some services and hardware components may have issues and this error could be just one of the results. By wiping the cache partition, you’re deleting the system cache and replace it with a new one. The system cache is consists of hundreds of small files that are used by the firmware to make your phone run smoothly. Doing this won’t delete your files and data so it’s safe but very effective:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the 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 the Power key to select.
Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Third solution: Reset All Settings (if possible)

If it’s possible to access the settings menu without being greeted by the error, then you should try this. I’m saying this because there are times when the “Settings has stopped” error occurs randomly and not every single time you open the Settings app. However, if it’s not possible, then move on to the next solution.

From a Home screen, touch and swipe up or down to display all apps.
From a Home screen, navigate: Settings > Backup and reset.
Tap Reset settings.
Tap Reset settings, to confirm.
If applicable, enter the PIN, password or pattern.
Tap Reset settings.

Fourth solution: Master Reset

If it’s not possible to reset all settings and if the problem continues to bug you even after doing the first two procedures, then a master reset is necessary. This will delete all your personal files and data but also possibly corrupt data files that cause the problem. So, make sure to backup files you don’t want to lose and then do the Master Reset.

Back up data on the internal memory. If you have signed into a Google account on the device, you have activated Anti-theft and will need your Google credentials to finish the Master reset.
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 troubleshooting guide can be assist you fix the problem with your device. Should you have other concerns you want to share with us, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.

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