Application crashes are a frustrating diversion from whatever you may have been doing when they occur. There are a number of steps that can be taken to fix application crashes, ranging from simply restarting your device to complex troubleshooting techniques.
1. Restart the application
The most basic step is to restart the application that is crashing. By forcing the application to close, any issues or data errors that are causing it to crash may be resolved. This is the simplest option and should be first thing you try before proceeding with additional steps.
2. Restart the device
If restarting the application does not fix the issue, then restarting your device is the next step. This clears the system memory and can help resolve any software incompatibilities between applications.
3. Update the application
If an application is outdated, it can start to produce errors that cause it to crash. Check for updates for the application, both in the app store for mobile devices, or on the web for desktop applications. If there is an update available, installing it can often times help to resolve the issue.
4. Clear cache and data
Clearing out the cache and data stored by the application can also help to avoid crashing. For mobile applications, this can be done in the application settings. On desktop applications, open the application preferences and look for an option to delete the user data.
5. Uninstall and reinstall
If nothing else works, completely uninstall the application and then reinstall it. This will reset the application to its original state, removing any incompatible files that could be causing the crashing.
6. Run diagnostic tests
Finally, running a diagnostic test can help to identify problems with the device. Apps such as Apple Diagnostics, Windows Memory Diagnostics, and other third-party applications can be used to determine if hardware or software issues are causing the application crash.
By following these steps, application crashes can often be fixed and the software can be brought back to full functionality. If the problem persists after taking each of these steps, then it may be necessary to contact technical support for the application or the device manufacturer for further assistance.