The error message “Unfortunately, Internet has stopped” in your new Samsung Galaxy S8+ is actually just notifying you about the built-in web browser that crashed or stopped working for some reason. Most of the time this error is just the result of the problem and not really the cause. Needless to say, if you can pinpoint what the problem with your phone is and fix it, this error will disappear without you dealing with it directly. You can get rid of the error message by simply tapping OK or REPORT in the message box but that doesn’t mean the problem is fixed.
You need to troubleshoot your Galaxy S8 Plus to have a shot at fixing this problem and preventing it from happening again in the future. That’s what we’re going to do in this post. We will walk you through in doing some troubleshooting procedures, consider possibilities and rule out each of them until we can pinpoint what the problem is. Another reason why we have to troubleshoot is for us to know if the problem can be fixed without any help from a technician because if not, then you should bring the phone back to the store and have it replaced as soon as possible. So, if you own this device and are currently experiencing a similar problem, continue reading below to know what to do.
Now, before we go to troubleshooting, if you are currently experiencing a different problem, try to visit our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues owners encountered with their device. Find issues that are similar to yours and feel free to use our solutions or troubleshooting guides. If they don’t work, however, and if you need further assistance, contact us by completing our Android issues questionnaire. All we need is information so we can help you. Don’t worry, it’s free.
Troubleshooting Galaxy S8 Plus with “Unfortunately, Internet has stopped” error
As I mentioned earlier, this error message basically tells you that the default web browser called “Internet” stopped and we have to know what caused it. But don’t you worry, most of the time, this kind of problem is a minor one which means that we may be able to fix it by doing a couple of procedures. But before we jump to our steps, here’s one of the messages we received from our reader that best describes this issue…
Problem: I am hoping you guys can help me out with my problem because I’m worried about my new phone, Galaxy S8+, as it keeps telling me that the Internet has stopped and when I tap OK, the error disappears but then it appears again when I attempt to browse the web. Not quite sure what to do since it’s my first smartphone, I’ve been using smaller phones that are capable only of making calls and texts. Can you help me out, please?
Workaround: This is optional. If you needed to browse the web immediately and don’t have the time to troubleshoot the problem, then I suggest you use a different web browser. You may use Chrome or Firefox. Chrome is already installed on your phone, if you want to use Firefox then you have to download it from the Play Store. The Internet app is just another web browser that comes packed with your device, you may not be able to uninstall it but you can definitely use a different one if it keeps bugging you with that error.
Troubleshooting: Now, let’s jump to our troubleshooting to deal with this error, know its roots and learn how to fix it. Here’s what you need to do…
Step 1: Clear the cache and data of the Internet app
Let’s immediately go after the app that’s crashing because in this case, it might be the only problem and this step might be the only procedure you have to do to fix it. This will reset the app back to default settings and may delete your bookmarks so if you want to lose them, sync your phone with your account first and make sure bookmarks are included. After which, follow these steps to reset the app:
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Tap Internet in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display built-in apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
- Tap Clear data and then tap OK.
After clearing the cache and data, open the app again to know if the error still shows up and if so, then move on to the next step.
Step 2: Reboot phone in safe mode and open app
We have to know if the Internet app can still be opened without popping up the error while in safe mode. In this mode, all third-party elements will be temporarily disabled so if the error is triggered by one of the apps you installed, it shouldn’t show up. This is how you start your S8+ 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.
- Uninstall apps that are causing a problem.
Assuming the error doesn’t show up in this mode, then there’s an app that’s causing the problem. You need to find that app, clear its cache and data and if that doesn’t work, you have to uninstall it.
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Tap suspected app in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display built-in apps.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
- Tap Clear data and then tap OK.
And this is how you uninstall it…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Apps.
- Tap the desired application in the default list or tap 3 dots icon > Show system apps to display pre-installed apps.
- Tap the desired application.
- Tap Uninstall.
- Tap Uninstall again to confirm.
Step 3: Start your phone in Recovery mode and wipe cache partition
You only have to do this if the error still shows up even in safe mode because it means the problem is with the firmware. But before doing the reset, which is inevitable if the problem persists, you have to try to delete all system caches so they’ll be replaced with new ones. You can do so by wiping the cache partition, here’s how…
- 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 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.
It will take a little bit more time before the phone becomes active after wiping the cache partition but once it becomes active, open the Internet app to see if the error still shows up and if so, then you have no other choice but to reset your phone.
Step 4: Perform the Master reset on your Galaxy S8 Plus
After doing all this and the problem still persists, then you have to reset your phone to bring it back to its factory default settings. But before that, make sure you make a backup of your files and data especially ones that are stored in your phone’s internal storage.
You may also have to disable the Factory Reset Protection especially if you don’t know your Google ID and password or are not sure about them. Here’s how…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Cloud and accounts.
- Tap Accounts.
- Tap Google.
- Tap on your Google ID email address if multiple accounts are setup. If you have multiple accounts setup, you will need to repeat these steps for each account.
- Tap 3 dot icon.
- Tap Remove account.
- Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT.
And this is how you reset your phone via Recovery mode:
- 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.
You may also reset it through the Settings menu…
- From the Home screen, swipe up on an empty spot to open the Apps tray.
- Tap Settings > Cloud and accounts.
- Tap Backup and restore.
- If desired, tap Back up my data to move the slider to ON or OFF.
- If desired, tap Restore to move the slider to ON or OFF.
- Tap the back button to the Settings menu and tap General Management > Reset > Factory data reset.
- Tap Reset device.
- If you have screen lock turned on, enter your credentials.
- Tap Continue.
- Tap Delete all.
If the problem continues after all these procedures, then bring it back to the store and have it replaced.
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