How to Fix WhatsApp Not Responding Error on Android ?

There are more than 2 billion WhatsApp users worldwide, which means it has a pretty extensive user base. It is undoubtedly an app that people download after getting their hands on a new phone, and this is because of its intuitive UI, easy-to-use messaging and voice/video calling services, and more. Although the app is pretty straightforward and seldom breaks in terms of functionalities, many issues might strike users at any time. 

One such issue is “Whatsapp isn’t responding” or “WhatsApp is crashing,” which can happen because of issues on the app’s end or something wrong with your phone. Here are some of the possible troubleshooting methods that you can use to fix the WhatsApp not responding error on Android.

Also Read- How To Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages

List of Multiple Methods to Fix WhatsApp is Not Responding Error in Android

These are the basic and advanced ways to fix WhatsApp’s Not Responding Error Error on Android. You can first try basic ones. If the problem does not get resolved, then try the advanced one. They will surely solve your problem. Let’s check out.

#1: Force Stop

If you are a seasoned WhatsApp user like any other person or even if you are new, you must know that WhatsApp doesn’t often get any glitches. However, since you are searching for WhatsApp that isn’t responding to errors on Android smartphones, here’s a common fix: You can force-stop the app.

This eliminates all WhatsApp’s foreground and background processes and deallocates the resources it had latched on. When you turn it on, a new instance of the app will likely commence, and the WhatsApp isn’t responding error will be fixed.

1. Long-press on the WhatsApp icon and select “App Info”.
2. Press “Force Stop”.

#2: Clear WhatsApp Cache

WhatsApp, like any other app, creates and stores cache files that are overwritten repeatedly. These files ensure that the app starts right away when you open it and that all the data the user needs is available quickly.

However, cache files can easily get corrupted if they are overwritten or exposed to malicious code or malware, and so on. Clearing cache files takes a few seconds but will surely fix many software-related issues. Here’s how to do it.

1. Firstly, long-press the WhatsApp icon on the home screen or app drawer and proceed to “App Info”.
2. Proceed to “Storage & Cache”.
3. Tap on “Clear Cache” to delete it. You can check the “Cache” section under “Space Used” to see if it is zero or not.
4. If the app is becoming unresponsive often, tap on “Clear Storage” as well.

#3: Restart Your Smartphone

The mother of all fixes is restarting the phone. You can restart WhatsApp or any other app that is not responding. Apps can intercept bugs or temporary software glitches at times, and simply rebooting the phone saves the day.

1. Long press the power button on your Android smartphone and select “Power Off”.
2. Wait for a few seconds and long press the power button to turn it ON.
3. Alternatively, you can long-press on the power button and select “Reboot/Restart”.

#4: Update WhatsApp

Outdated apps are always a no-go on any smartphone and your phone is no different. It is imperative to keep all the apps updated to their latest patch to thwart any malware or virus attacks or bugs that might come on the go.

Updating the app fixes a few (if not all) bugs while adding new features and UI changes (one or both, if available).

1. To update WhatsApp on an Android smartphone, go to Google Play Store.
2. Search for WhatsApp and hit the “Update” button under the name.
3. Alternatively, you can proceed to the “Manage apps & device” section on the Play Store and search for WhatsApp.
4. Check if there’s an update available for WhatsApp under “Updates Available”. if yes, tap on it to update.
5. If not, you must either wait for an upcoming update or proceed to the next method. 

#5: Uninstall & Reinstall WhatsApp

This is another way to fix the impending “WhatsApp isn’t responding error” on Android smartphones. It also works on iOS devices.

Here, you are uninstalling the app, which means all the data associated with it, including photos and videos, will be potentially deleted. So, do take a backup and repeat the procedure mentioned below.

1. Firstly, long press on the “WhatsApp” icon and proceed to “App Info”.
2. Tap on the “Uninstall” button and let it uninstall.
3. Go to Google Play Store and search for “WhatsApp”.
4. Tap on “Download/Install” and let the system download and install it.
5. Set up your WhatsApp account and check if everything’s right or not.

#6: Check If WhatsApp is Down

Although it rarely happens, there’s a chance that WhatsApp as a whole or a particular service, such as VoIP, messaging, sending GIFS, etc., isn’t working. WhatsApp may be down temporarily for some reason.

You can check out the Outage Report or go to DownDetector to verify it. As it goes without saying, if it’s a server outage, you can only wait.

From Editor’s Desk

With this, I conclude my troubleshooting guide on how to fix WhatsApp’s not responding to errors on Android. Most of the methods explained above are also applicable to iOS devices to fix WhatsApp’s not responding or crashing issues.