- Learn how to troubleshooting your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus with “Unfortunately, Google Play Services has stopped” error.
- Learn more about the solutions and fixes to this problem so you would know what to do in case it will happen again in the future.
The Google Play Services is actually a collective term that covers core services and applications like the Play Store, Play Music, etc. When you get the error message “Unfortunately, Google Play Services has stopped,” it could mean one of those apps or services may have crashed. Most of the time, when this problem starts, it means that your device is plagued with a firmware issue triggered by some internal inconsistencies or by some third-party applications.
This problem can be fixed provided that the firmware in your phone hasn’t been modified in any way. This isn’t the first time I encountered this problem so I know a thing or two that could help you fix it. The thing about this error is that it may be accompanied by some freezes and lags just before the error shows up, so it’s really annoying. The error itself may appear several times a day that’s why you need to address this problem immediately. In this post, I will walk you through in troubleshooting your Galaxy S9 Plus with this kind of problem so continue reading.
Before going further, if you found this post because you were trying to find a solution to your problem, then try to visit our Galaxy S9 Plus troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed most of the commonly reported issues with the phone. We’ve already provided solutions to some of the problems reported by our readers so try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you and if you need further assistance, fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit.
How to fix Galaxy S9 Plus with “Google Play Services has stopped” error
The following procedures are things you can do to fix this problem and make your Galaxy S9 Plus work perfectly again. Try to see if one of them works for you…
First solution: Reboot your phone
Before doing anything complicated, it’s best that you reboot your phone especially if this is the first time that the problem started because it could be that it’s just a minor issue. A minor glitch in the system can be fixed by a simple reboot and that’s the point of this procedure. So, hit that power key and restart your device. If this doesn’t fix the problem, try doing the Forced Restart procedure…
- Press and hold the volume down and power keys at the same time for 10 seconds or more.
This procedure will refresh your phone’s memory by reloading all apps, services and core functions. If the error still shows up after doing this, then move on to the next procedure.
Second solution: Restart your phone in Safe mode
By running your phone in safe mode, you’re temporarily disabling all third-party apps and if the error doesn’t show up in this environment, it means one or some of the apps you installed is causing the problem. Find that app and uninstall it to fix the problem. Here’s how to boot your S9 Plus in 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.
And this is how you uninstall an app from your phone:
- 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.
- To display preinstalled apps, tap Menu > Show system apps.
- Tap UNINSTALL > OK.
On the other hand, if the problem continues to bug you even in safe mode, then you have to troubleshoot the firmware. Move on to the next solution…
Third solution: Wipe cache partition
An issue like this may also occur if there are corrupt system caches that’s why you need to delete them so that they will be replaced with new ones. This is an important procedure to rule this possibility out and don’t worry because it’s safe for your phone and data:
- 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 three keys.
- An ‘Installing system update’ message will show for 30 – 60 seconds before the Android system recovery menu options appear.
- Press the Volume down key several times to highlight wipe cache partition.
- Press Power key to select.
- Press the Volume down key to highlight yes, them 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.
If this doesn’t fix the problem, then the next procedure may get rid of the error.
Fourth solution: Reset all settings
If Google Play Services still crash after wiping the cache partition off, then you must bring the phone back to its default settings but unlike a full reset, the following procedure won’t delete any of your files and data.
- From the Home screen, gap the Apps icon.
- Find and tap Settings.
- Tap Backup and reset.
- Tap Reset settings.
- Tap Reset Settings again to confirm your action.
Reset Settings returns the device to factory defaults with the exception of Security, Language and Accounts. It does not affect personal data and downloaded applications.
Last resort: Backup your files and reset your phone
If all else fails, this is what you need to do and, again, assuming that the firmware is not modified in any way, this should fix the problem. However, make sure you make a backup of your important files and data as they will be deleted during the process. After which, follow these steps to reset your phone:
- 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 help you, somewhat. If you have other concerns, feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.
Connect with us
We are always open to your problems, questions and suggestions, so feel free to contact us by filling up this form. This is a free service we offer and we won’t charge you a penny for it. But please note that we receive hundreds of emails every day and it’s impossible for us to respond to every single one of them. But rest assured we read every message we receive. For those whom we’ve helped, please spread the word by sharing our posts to your friends or by simply liking our Facebook and Google+ page or follow us on Twitter.
Posts you may also like to check out:
- How to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus that won’t turn on (easy steps)
- What to do if your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus starts to run slow (easy steps)
- How to fix your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus with Black Screen of Death (easy steps)
- How to Factory Reset or do the Master Reset on Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and when to use them
- How to fix Spotify that keeps crashing on Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (easy steps)
- How to fix Facebook app that keeps crashing on Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus? [Troubleshooting Guide]
- Galaxy S9 Plus email setup error: “The username or password is incorrect or POP3/IMAP access isn’t turned on for this account.”