Update: Google has said that it has fixed the WebView bug. You should update the Android System WebView app and Google Chrome through the Google Play Store to resolve the issue.
If you’re using an Android phone, you might be having a frustrating day as many users have reported that multiple apps are crashing, including Gmail and Amazon.
The reason is some unknown bug in the latest update of Android WebView, a component that lets developers show webpages in their apps. In a statement, Google has said it was aware of the issue and working on a patch:
We are aware of an issue with WebView causing some apps on Android to crash. We are currently working to fully validate the scope and a fix is in progress.
Meanwhile, folks on Reddit and Twitter — including Samsung’s official account — have suggested a couple of ways to make your apps work for now.
Here’s how you can fix this problem:
- Go to Settings > Apps on your Android phone.
- Search for “Android System WebView”.
- Tap the three-dot menu on the top-right corner and press on “Uninstall updates.”
This method has fixed the app crashing issue for many folks, but if you are not able to find the app in your settings, use this alternative method:
- Open the Google Play store on your Android phone.
- Search for “Android System WebView”.
- Tap Uninstall on the app’s page.
Hopefully, Google will issue a fix very soon and you won’t have to perform any hacks to get around the bug. You may want to keep an eye on the Google status dashboard for now.
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Published March 23, 2021 — 08:28 UTC