Chrome not working after latest Android update

There are two types of people in this world: those who love and fully enjoy Chrome and those who don’t. Now, it’s normal for the largest search engine to have the most used web browser out there. And, if you’re an Android user, you’re most likely ”stuck” with this browser since it comes as a pre-installed feature.

Now, we enjoy Chrome. There are some privacy and resource-hogging claims against Chrome, but, all in all, this is an exquisite browser. One that functions as intended. Namely, after recent Android updates, users reported several issues regarding Chrome. For some of them, the app is frequently crashing, while others have had different but still serious issues with Google’s native browser.

For that purpose, we conducted research and enlisted possible workarounds that should help you overcome these issues. If you have had any problems regarding Chrome behavior, make sure to check the list below.

Clear the app’s cache and data

It doesn’t matter if we’re referring to a 3rd-party app or, in this case, the pre-installed one. Both are collecting data and cache to speed up and facilitate usage. However, after some time, the piles of data and cache can corrupt the app and, consequently, that may lead to issues. Chrome for Android is known for its great performance, well-designed and utilized interface, and integration with other Google’s essential apps. Nonetheless, it’s also known for resource hogging and frequent issues that occur for various reasons.

To address those, let’s move to clear the app’s cache and data, respectively:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Open Apps or Application Manager.
3. Tap Chrome.
4. Open Storage.
5. Tap Manage Space.
6. Clear Data and Cache.

Have in mind that this will wipe browsing history, including bookmarks, accounts, saved settings, and locally stored data.

Update Chrome

Another viable solution is updating. Due to frequent OS changes or changes of some other related apps, Chrome might suffer. So, for everything to function as intended, you’ll need the latest version of Chrome installed. Some users have had issues with updating the app within a Play Store, but that’s rather a rare occurrence. So, what you need to do is as simple as it sounds: just navigate to Play Store and update Chrome.

If you’re uncertain how to do it, follow these steps:

1. Tap Play Store.
2. Search for Chrome.
3. If there is an update available, make sure to install it.
4. Restart your device and give it another try.

If, even the latest Chrome version is crashing or you’re experiencing similar issues, make sure to check the steps below.

Boot in Safe mode

As you probably know, since Chrome is a built-in, default browser, certain 3rd-party apps might use it to access links. For example, if you open a link on the Facebook app, there’s a great chance that this link will get opened with Chrome. Now, that’s just a normal multi-app usage on any Android device. However, some apps with ads or similar content might affect Chrome’s behavior. It’s not a secret that specific ads are not exactly malware-free, so it’s your best bet to disable them. Once we take the lack of optimization into play, there’s a chance that two apps are not functioning well on the latest Android iteration.

But, how to know which app is the culprit for this unpleasant issue? The best way to do so is to boot your device into Safe Mode. This is a primary troubleshooting procedure and it’s very helpful in this or similar scenarios.

Since the procedure differs for various devices, we advise you to google it and find the exact steps for your handset.

Wipe Cache Data

Besides the storage partition that, simply put, collects all data on your device, the cache partition stores only the cache. The main role of the system cache is to speed up the related system processes so they won’t need to load again every time you restart the device. However, due to various reasons, the cache partition can get corrupted. Especially right after the OS update.

To address the potential corruption that emerged after an update, follow the steps below:

1. Make sure your device’s battery is at least 20 or so percent.
2. Turn Off the device.
3. Press and hold the Volume Down key + Power button.
4. Keep on holding the Volume Down key until the Boot Menu appears.
5. By using the Volume keys (up and down), navigate through the menu until you reach Recovery mode.
6. Use the Power button to select Recovery Mode.
7. The phone should restart now and you should see the Android mascot with an exclamation mark.
8. Press and hold the Power button and, while holding it, press the Volume Up key once.
9. Release the Power button and you should see the Recovery Mode menu.
10. Again, use the Volume keys to navigate through the menu until you reach the Wipe cache partition.
11. Press the Power button once to confirm it.
12. If asked, confirm the action.
13. Your device will restart and you should be good to go.

Have in mind that the procedure might not be the same for all devices. So, make sure to accordingly look up the exact instructions that apply to your handset.

Perform a factory reset

Finally, if you’re unable to deal with the Chrome issues by using the previous steps, the final place is reserved for the factory reset. Usually, if the problem goes as deep as this, a factory reset should be helpful. Even though it’s not the preferred solution, solely because you’ll lose all data and it’s time-consuming, it should clean up the possible corruption that emerged after the OS update. Don’t forget to back up your data to Google Drive and Photos, or to your PC.

Follow the steps below to restore your system to factory settings:

1. Tap Settings
2. Select Backup & reset
3. Tap Factory data reset.
4. Tap Reset phone to confirm the selection.

Moreover, as you’re probably aware, you can use a specific PC suite provided by a manufacturer. Those have special tools that should speed up both the resetting and restoring processes. They’re free to obtain and you can find them on official sites. However, we strongly advise you to use exclusively trusted applications, because some of the 3rd-party solutions are not secure.

Use an alternative browser

Finally, if you’re disappointed with the latest update and changes inflicted upon your default browser, there are so many alternatives to use for the time being. Until Google sorts things out, you can use a large variety of browsers available in the Play Store. Starting with old and trusty Firefox or Opera, and going to less-known but still great alternatives.

Maybe they grow on you, or in case they don’t, you can use them temporarily until further updates resolve the issue at hand. Also, don’t forget to completely disable Chrome and change the default browser settings. That way, it will be there but it won’t bother you anymore.

That should do it. We hope that this was helpful and that you’ll manage to get things to work by following some of the above-mentioned steps. Also, don’t forget to share with us your questions, suggestions, or alternative solutions. We’re always glad to see your feedback in the comments section below. Thanks for reading and have a good day.