WhatsApp Keeps Stopping? Causes and Fixes in Order

If you've ever had a customer message waiting while WhatsApp threw up a 'WhatsApp keeps stopping' box and closed itself, you'll know how stressful that is. For a lot of small business owners, WhatsApp is the shop counter. When it crashes, you're hanging a sign on the door.

WhatsApp's help centre files this problem under app and device crashes, and its advice is short and sensible. I've set it out below in WhatsApp's own order, then added the storage clean-up steps from a second official article, because a full phone is one of the causes it names. I'll also say clearly where the official help stops, so I'm not padding it with guesses.

What WhatsApp says makes the app keep stopping

WhatsApp doesn't point at a single culprit. Its help article lists several possible causes of crashes:

• Memory and storage issues.
• An outdated app or operating system.
• Compatibility issues.
• Device issues.
• Bugs.
• Corrupted data or cache.
• Network issues.

That list is useful because it tells you the fixes are about housekeeping, not mystery. Most of the steps below tackle those causes one by one, starting with the quickest checks.

Quick checks when WhatsApp keeps stopping

WhatsApp's first four suggestions take a couple of minutes between them, so work through them before anything bigger:

1. Restart your phone. Switch it fully off and on again, rather than just closing the app.
2. Check your internet or data connection. Try loading a web page, and if you're on Wi-Fi, see whether mobile data behaves differently, or the other way round.
3. Check for phone updates in your device settings and install any that are waiting.
4. Check for WhatsApp updates in your phone's app store and update the app.

An out-of-date app on an out-of-date phone is a classic mismatch, which is why updates come up twice. WhatsApp's related help also names articles on manually updating the app and on which operating systems it supports, so if you're on an old phone that no longer gets updates, that's worth a look.

Clearing the WhatsApp cache on Android

WhatsApp recommends this on Android to free up storage and clear out corrupted cache data. Its steps are:

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then WhatsApp.
3. Tap Storage.
4. Tap Clear cache.

The reassuring line from WhatsApp is that clearing the cache won't delete your messages or chats. Don't confuse it with clearing data or storage, which is a bigger step. Menu names vary by phone brand and Android version, so if yours differs, look for the WhatsApp entry under your app list and its storage page.

Freeing up space when WhatsApp keeps stopping

Memory and storage problems come first on WhatsApp's list of causes, and a second help article explains how WhatsApp itself can be the thing filling your phone. It also says that if available storage gets critically low, WhatsApp might not run as it should and may ask you to free up space.

To see how much space WhatsApp is using on Android:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Tap Storage and data, then Manage storage.
3. Look at the top of the screen, where WhatsApp shows the amount of space it's taking up on your device.

From there you can sort items by Newest, Oldest or Largest, and use the Larger than 5 MB filter to find big files. Tap and hold items to select them, then use the bin icon to delete. WhatsApp adds one warning I'd take seriously: deleting items this way is permanent, you can't download them again from the chat, and only your copy goes. Other people in the chat still have theirs.

Clearing WhatsApp media from one chat to stop crashes

If one busy group is hogging space, clear just its media. WhatsApp's steps on Android are:

1. Open the chat.
2. Tap the menu, then More, then Clear chat.
3. Choose Clear media files.
4. Tick the types you want gone, such as photos, videos or documents.
5. Tap Clear media.

Clearing a chat doesn't delete the chat itself or remove you from a group. If what you really need is to stop the pile growing, my guide to stopping WhatsApp saving photos is worth five minutes.

Closing other phone apps to ease memory pressure

WhatsApp also suggests closing other apps to free up memory, and uninstalling unnecessary apps, programs or files to make space. It's the digital equivalent of clearing the desk. A phone with a dozen apps open and hardly any storage left is more likely to drop WhatsApp than one with room to breathe.

WhatsApp notes that storage you free inside the app and storage on the rest of the phone are different things. For the rest, its advice is to contact your phone's manufacturer for help freeing space.

Uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp as a last resort

If nothing else works, WhatsApp's final suggestion is to uninstall and reinstall the app. It recommends using the chat backup feature to back up your messages before you remove WhatsApp from your device. That warning matters, because a reinstall without a backup can mean losing your chat history.

If your backup won't complete, I've written about what to do when a WhatsApp backup is stuck, and WhatsApp's storage article reminds you that things you delete stay in your backup until the next time you back up.

When WhatsApp keeps stopping on a rooted phone or custom ROM

One of the related help topics WhatsApp lists under its crash article is about rooted phones and custom ROMs. I haven't got the detail of that article to share, so I won't guess what it says. If your phone has been modified in that way, search WhatsApp's help centre for that title, because it's named there as relevant to crashes.

When WhatsApp keeps stopping on a phone used for business

A few habits make a crash less painful when WhatsApp is how customers reach you:

• Keep a recent backup, so a reinstall isn't a gamble.
• Update the app and the phone when updates appear, rather than leaving them for months.
• Keep storage tidy. Clearing big media files now and then beats a crash on a busy day.
• Consider a separate, tidy phone or setup for business chats if your personal phone is cluttered. If lag rather than crashing is your problem, my post on why WhatsApp Business keeps lagging covers that.

What to do if WhatsApp keeps stopping after all these steps

WhatsApp's crash article doesn't give further steps beyond the list above, and I'm not going to invent any. If you've tried everything in order and it still keeps stopping, use the Contact us option in WhatsApp's help centre, or the support option inside the app, and describe exactly when it happens and what phone and app version you've got. The more detail you give, the better.

This guide is part of my WhatsApp Help: 43 Guides to Transfers, Backups, Business and Privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Why does WhatsApp keep stopping?

WhatsApp's help centre lists memory and storage issues, an outdated app or operating system, compatibility issues, device issues, bugs, corrupted data or cache, and network issues as possible causes of crashes.

Will clearing the WhatsApp cache delete my chats?

No. WhatsApp says clearing the cache on Android won't delete your messages or chats. The steps are Settings, Apps, WhatsApp, Storage, then Clear cache.

What should I try first when WhatsApp keeps crashing?

Restart your device, check your internet connection, check for phone updates, then check for WhatsApp updates. Those are the first four things WhatsApp suggests.

Is it safe to reinstall WhatsApp?

It's a last resort. WhatsApp recommends backing up your chats with the chat backup feature before you uninstall, so you don't lose your messages.

Can a full phone make WhatsApp stop working?

Yes. WhatsApp says that if available storage gets critically low, it might not run as it should and may ask you to free up space.