To fix Gmail crashing, close and reopen the app, restart your device, and install available Gmail updates. If Gmail crashes in desktop Chrome, close unnecessary tabs and reopen Chrome before checking extensions and stored site data.
Follow the steps for your device and reopen Gmail after each fix. If Gmail stays open but messages will not load or update, use the connection and sync checks before resetting the app.
The short version
- Start small: Close Gmail, restart your device, and install available updates.
- Android cache: Clear Gmail’s cache before resetting local app data.
- Browser crashes: Check for browser updates, test a private window, and turn off extensions.
- Last steps: Reset Android app storage or reinstall Gmail on iPhone or iPad after simpler fixes fail.
| Fix | When to try it |
|---|---|
| Close and reopen Gmail or Chrome | The app or browser freezes or closes |
| Check service status | A Gmail incident may match your symptoms |
| Restart your phone or tablet | Reopening Gmail does not help |
| Update Gmail | An app update is available |
| Install system updates | Your device offers an update |
| Clear Android cache | Gmail keeps crashing on Android |
| Free device storage | Your Pixel is low on space |
| Optimize Galaxy resources | Your Galaxy has Device care |
| Update Chrome | Gmail fails in desktop Chrome |
| Test a private window | Gmail fails in Chrome or Safari |
| Turn off browser extensions | Gmail fails in your normal browser window |
| Delete Gmail site data | Chrome still has trouble with Gmail |
| Use Firefox Troubleshoot Mode | Firefox crashes while using Gmail |
| Check your connection | Gmail stays open but will not load |
| Restore Android Gmail sync | Mail is stale or an account sync error appears |
| Reset Android app storage | Simpler fixes fail and you accept losing local data |
| Reinstall Gmail on iPhone or iPad | Simpler fixes fail and you accept losing local data |
| Use another browser, app, or device | You need access while troubleshooting |
| Report the crash | You can reproduce the problem |
Close Gmail and reopen it
On a Pixel, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Gmail > Force stop, then tap OK. Reopen Gmail and check whether it stays open. On other Android devices, find Gmail’s app settings and use the equivalent force stop control; labels vary by manufacturer.
On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause, find Gmail, then swipe its preview upward. On a supported iPhone with a Home button, double-click Home and swipe Gmail’s preview upward. Open Gmail again.
For Gmail in desktop Chrome, close unnecessary tabs and other applications, pause downloads, and reload Gmail. If it still crashes, quit Chrome and reopen it. These steps are particularly relevant when a tab crashes or the browser runs short of memory.
Check for a Gmail service incident
Open the Google Workspace Status Dashboard and inspect Gmail, even if you use a personal Gmail account. Open any relevant incident and compare its symptoms with yours. Follow its workaround or resolution only when the symptoms match.
Check an incident’s final update before following an older workaround. For the resolved September 2026 Android account recognition incident, Google replaced its temporary advice to remove Gmail updates with instructions to update Gmail through Google Play.
Restart your phone or tablet
On Pixel 6 and later, including Fold, hold Power and Volume Up for a few seconds, then tap Restart. On Pixel 5a and earlier, hold Power for about 30 seconds or until the phone restarts.
On Samsung Galaxy, swipe down from the top right to open Quick settings, tap the Power icon, then tap Restart twice. If that gesture does not open the panel, use the gesture for your One UI configuration.
On iPhone, open Settings > General > Shut Down and drag the slider. Turn the phone back on by holding the Side button, then reopen Gmail.
On an iPad without a Home button, hold a Volume button and the Top button; on an iPad with a Home button, hold the Top button. Drag the shutdown slider and wait 30 seconds, then hold the Top button to restart.
Install Gmail and system updates
On Android, open Google Play Store, select your Profile icon, then choose Manage apps & devices. Under Updates available, update Gmail and reopen it. Google Play determines which release is compatible with your device.
On iPhone or iPad, open App Store, tap your Profile icon, then open App Updates and install an available Gmail update. If Gmail has no update available, check for an operating system update. The current Gmail release requires iOS 18 or later or iPadOS 18 or later.
For an eligible iPhone or iPad, back up the device and connect it to power and Wi-Fi. Open Settings > General > Software Update, then select Download and Install when an update is offered.
On Pixel, open Settings > System, select the software update option your Pixel shows, and follow the on-screen instructions. On Galaxy, open Settings, choose About phone or About tablet, then select Software information > Google Play system update. Install available updates, then check Gmail again.
Clear Android cache and check device storage
On Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Apps > Gmail > Storage, then tap Clear cache. Reopen Gmail before moving on to a data reset. On other Android devices, look for the storage screen under Gmail’s app settings; it may be called Storage & cache.
On Pixel, open Settings > Storage and check your free space. Google warns that a Pixel can develop problems when less than 10% of its storage is free. If space is low, transfer files elsewhere to free device storage.
On Galaxy devices with Device care, open Settings > Device care and tap Optimize now when available. Reopen Gmail afterward to check whether it stays open.
Check your desktop browser
Gmail supports the newest and previous versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Try another supported browser or another device to check whether the failure is limited to your usual browser. In desktop Chrome, open More > Help > About Google Chrome, allow the update check to finish, and select Relaunch when available. On Linux, your installation may update through its package manager.
In desktop Chrome, open More > New Incognito window, then open Gmail and sign in. Compare its behavior with a normal window. If Gmail works in Incognito, stored data or extensions may be involved, but that result does not identify the exact cause.
Next, open More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Turn extensions off and check Gmail, then turn them back on individually to identify which one causes the failure. Leave an interfering extension off while you use Gmail. If your organization locks an extension’s controls, continue troubleshooting in another supported browser or on another device.
Deleting Gmail-related site data may require you to sign in again. In Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies > See all site data and permissions. Search for the affected Google or Gmail site, select its Delete control, then select Delete again.
For Safari on Mac, choose File > New Private Window and check Gmail. If it works there, open Safari > Settings > Extensions and deselect each installed extension’s checkbox. Check Gmail again after disabling them.
In Firefox on Windows, hold Shift while starting Firefox; on Mac, hold Option while starting it. Select Open in the Troubleshoot Mode dialog and check Gmail. If the crash disappears, an extension, theme, or graphics acceleration may be responsible.
On Linux, start Firefox with the command below. Select Open in the Troubleshoot Mode dialog, then check Gmail.
firefox -safe-modeCheck connections when Gmail opens but will not load
When Gmail stays open but fails to load, turn Wi-Fi or mobile data off and back on, then try another network. On public Wi-Fi, open a browser and complete the network sign-in. If needed, restart your router using its manufacturer’s instructions.
For stale mail or an account sync error on Android, swipe down in Gmail’s inbox to refresh it. Then open Gmail’s Menu > Settings, select your account, and under Data usage, check Sync Gmail. These steps address loading and synchronization problems rather than an app that repeatedly closes.
Reset or reinstall Gmail after simpler fixes fail
Clearing Gmail’s Android storage can erase local drafts, signatures, and settings. After other troubleshooting fails, open Settings > Apps > See All Apps > Gmail > Storage & cache > Clear storage, then restart the device. If your Galaxy uses different labels, follow the next path.
On Samsung Galaxy, clearing Gmail’s data removes local app data and settings. Open Settings > Apps > Gmail > Storage > Clear data, then tap Delete. Reopen Gmail and check whether the crashes have stopped.
Deleting Gmail on iPhone or iPad may lose local app data. Hold Gmail, tap Remove App > Delete App, then tap Delete. Reinstall Gmail from its official App Store listing.
If Screen Time parental controls block deletion, check those controls and select Allow under Deleting Apps where you are authorized to do so. For a device managed by an organization, contact its administrator. Before reinstalling, check that your device meets Gmail’s requirement for iOS or iPadOS 18 or later.
Access your mail and report a persistent crash
If the mobile app still crashes, open Gmail in a supported browser and sign in. If browser Gmail is failing, try the Gmail mobile app, another supported browser, or another device. Sign in only through Google’s own app or website, and never share a code, password, or remote access with someone who contacts you.
When Gmail on Android stays open long enough, open Menu > Help and feedback > Send feedback > Get started. Describe the crash and the steps that reproduce it. To provide device logs when prompted, tap Allow one-time access. If the app closes before you can send feedback, use the Gmail Help Community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you update Android System WebView when Gmail crashes?
An available Android System WebView update is an option on compatible devices using Google’s WebView component. Google prescribed WebView and Chrome updates for a specific Gmail crash incident in March 2021. That incident does not establish WebView as the cause of your current crash.
Can a full Google Account stop Gmail from working?
A full Google Account blocks sending and receiving mail, which is different from the Gmail app crashing. Review your personal account’s storage usage in Google One to check whether that explains missing incoming mail or failed sending. For a Google Workspace account, you may need your administrator’s help with storage quotas.
Can you use Gmail in another email app?
For personal Gmail, you can use a compatible client such as Outlook, Apple Mail, or Thunderbird. Open the client and select Sign in with Google to add Gmail. This bypasses the failing Gmail interface; Workspace accounts may have administrator restrictions.
Will Android safe mode let you test Gmail?
Safe mode on Pixel and Galaxy disables downloaded apps, so you cannot test a downloaded Gmail installation there. You can use safe mode to investigate whether another downloaded app is causing a broader device problem.
Should you factory reset your phone because Gmail keeps crashing?
Reserve a factory reset for persistent device-wide failure on Samsung Galaxy after other troubleshooting fails. It erases all device data, so back up first if you reach that stage. An unresolved app bug can recur after the reset.