Android app stuck on loading (SOLVED)

Even on low-end Android devices, the big majority of apps should work without any issues.  However, some users are reporting that Android apps are stuck on loading and they are unable to utilize them. Having an older or less-capable device might be a problem, too, but most of the apps are optimized to work on the majority of devices.

We made sure to provide you with a list of applicable solutions. You can find them below.

Table of contents:

1. Reboot the device
2. Clear cache and data from the app
3. Check the internet connection
4. Reinstall the app
5. Wipe cache partition
6. Rollback to an older version of the app

How do I fix the app that won’t open on Android?

If an Android app is stuck on loading or won’t open, make sure to reboot your device. If that doesn’t help, clearing a locally-stored cache should address the issue. Alternatively, you can reinstall the app or roll it back to an older version of the app via an APK.

1. Reboot the device

The first thing to do is to reboot your device. This is usually enough to completely resolve the problem. This should tackle a small hiccup in the SystemUI service.

On the other hand, if you are still experiencing issues and a certain app is still stuck in loading, make sure to move to the next step.

2. Clear cache and data from the app

The next step requires you to navigate to system settings and clear data and cache from the app.

Follow these steps to clear cache and data from an Android app:

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Apps & notifications.
3. Select All apps.
4. Locate and open the app that troubles you.
5. Open Storage.
6. Clear cache and data.
7. Open Permissions and grant all permissions.
8. Reboot your device and look for improvements.

3. Check the internet connection

Many apps are connection-dependent and, while some will store certain things in your cache, others are all online-based. So, in order for them to load and function properly, you’ll need a reliable network connection.

For that purpose, we suggest trying these steps in order to inspect the connectivity on your device:

• Disconnect and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network.
• Test other connection-dependent apps to see if they are loading.
• Disable Bluetooth temporarily.
• Reset Network Settings.

If you want to dig deeper into troubleshooting the network problems, check our dedicated articles about Wi-Fi and Data issues on Android.

4. Reinstall the app

If the previous steps fell short, consider reinstalling the app. That way, you’ll get the latest version of the app while also addressing possible corruption. Have in mind that you won’t be able to completely remove system apps. What you can do is restore them to their stock values by uninstalling all updates.

Here’s how to reinstall an app by using Play Store:

1. Open Play Store.
2. Look for the app that’s troubling you.
3. Uninstall the app.
4. Reboot your device.
5. Get back to the Store and install the app.

5. Wipe the cache partition

System cache corruption is not uncommon. That’s why we recommend wiping the cache partition from time to time. In this case, it might help you address the problem. No worries, this won’t delete anything from your device.

Here’s how to wipe the cache partition on an Android device:

1. Power off your device.
2. Press and hold the power button and the volume up key simultaneously to enter the Recovery menu.
3. By using the volume keys for navigation, select Wipe cache partition.
4. Press the Power button to confirm the selection.
5. Restart your device.

6. Rollback to an older version of the app

Finally, if you are still unable to resolve the issue and the Android app is stuck on loading for an eternity, you can roll back to an older version. We frequently recommend this since it’s one of the best ways to overcome developer shortcomings. If an older version was working as intended and the updated one is not working, you can always go back to the old version.

However, that can’t be done by using only Android resources (Play Store). What you need to do is download an APK and install it, factually overwriting the update.

If you are unfamiliar with the process, here’s what you need to do:

1. Navigate to APK Mirror.
2. Look for the app that’s bothering you. Have in mind that this is perfectly secure and that these apps are not meddled with.
3. Download an older version of the app. Make sure to stick to recent versions to avoid compatibility issues but avoid the latest version.
4. Allow installation from third-party sources and install the APK.
5. Restart your device and check whether the app is still stuck loading on your Android.

With that said, we can conclude this article. You can also reset your device to factory settings, but keep that as a last resort. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more articles like this.

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in December 2020. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.