Google Home App constantly crashing

[Bjarne]

Hi Folks,

since many weeks my home app constantly keeps crashing. Sometimes when I just open the app, sometimes when I want to enter the settings, when I want to enter one of my devices or the media player... Many updates to the app since problems started, but neither fixed it. Currently I'm running on 2.57.38.3.

I've cleared cache, all data and uninstalled/reinstalled the app several times. I've also wiped my phone and set everything up again from the start. Problems occured on Android 12 and now on 13! 

My devices:

Pixel 5, 4x Nest audio, 1x Home mini, 1x Chromecast audio, 1x Chromecast with Google TV. Everything runs on the same 5ghz network.

My girlfriend still uses a Pixel 3, NO PROBLEMS at all!

I'm almost not able to use the app but voice commands seem to work just fine.

Does anybody have an idea what could be the reason for my dilemma?😮‍💨

Thank you so much in advance for sharing your thoughts with me!!

[qapnguyen]

Google Home app is so unstable on Android. Maybe because I'm on a Samsung 5G handset with Android 12 which is latest. But Android is Google. Tried another android phone and still problems like freezing and event previews show grey ! blank.

However on my mother's iPhone 6S from 2015 it works great. 

[Bjarne]

Hi qapnguyen,

#However on my mother's iPhone 6S from 2015 it works great.#

This!!! I am using an Iphone XS for work and the iOS app is much more stable. Frustrating. Love my Pixel, but tbh the home app has been an horrible experience on Android for years now. Sad😔But hey, at least problems are long-lasting and constant. Something you cannot really say about Googles app developments and product strategies 😅Don't want to be rude but with so much potential it sometimes feels weird that they don't get their things together. Time to go back to Sonos I guess🙈 I like the Nest Audios a lot but if they never work as intended...

[Günther]

I have the exact same problem.... So far nothing could be done to fix this 😤

[janthadeus]

Hi Günther,

I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s check this out — a few questions: when did the issue start? What’s the make and model of your phone? Were there any changes to your Wi-Fi network? Also, is it also happening when you’re on cellular data?

Looking forward to your response.

Thanks,

JT

[aatienza]

Hey there,

I just wanted to follow up to see if you still need our help. Please let us know as we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

I appreciate the help, JT.

Thanks,

Archie

[Bjarne]

Hi Archie,

still the same. In the meantime I am using the new preview version of the home app, nothing changed. The app keeps constantly crashing and connection to all the devices is really, really unreliable. Pure horror 😞

[Shanefernando87]

Hi this happens to me as well on a Samsung S22 ultra. Works fine on my wife's S21 ultra. Any solutions?

[janthadeus]

Hi there,

I’m sorry if you’re still having trouble with this. Let’s sort this out — does your phone have a pending software update? What’s the version of your Google Home app? Also, do you have another device to test your Google Home app’s functionality?

Going over the steps here might help:

Step 1: Verify the device’s Date and Time settings are correct and automatically set.

1. Settings > General > Date and Time.
2. Tap Set Automatically > toggle it off and then back on.
3. Make sure that the timezone, date, and time are correct.

Step 2: Confirm that the Google Home app has permissions to use your phone's location.

For mobile devices, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Google Home.

Let us know if that helps.

Thanks for chiming in Archie.

Regards,

JT

[Bjarne]

Hi Archie,

current is the latest version of the app: 2.60.60.5. All permissions are given, including location service. The device’s Date and Time settings are correct and automatically set, however, I followed your instructions and toggled it off and back on. The iOS app and the home app on my gfs' Pixel 3 are working much better (still a mess in terms of connectivity, but at least it's not constantly crashing) Please see my very first post to see what I have done else. The problem exists for more than 1 year and none of the updates changed anything.

[janthadeus]

Hey there,

Awesome, sounds great! We appreciate sharing the steps that fixed the issues with your Google Home app. As we got our resolution here, I'm going to mark this thread as resolved. I'll be locking this thread if we won't hear back from you again in 24 hours. Should that happen, feel free to create a new one if you have more questions or have other concerns in the future. 

Best

JT

[Bjarne]

Der JT,

that must be a mistake, the problem isn't solved yet and still exist. I've marked one reply as recommended answer by mistake, sorry. I wonder if you guys still have ideas for more trouble shooting? Come on, I am using a Google phone😅

[janthadeus]

Hello Bjarne,

Understood — sorry for the confusion here. Thanks for your efforts here. You can also give these steps a try:

1. Force close your Google Home app:
   • On an iPhone X or later, iPad with iOS 12 or later, or iPad OS, from the Home Screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen.
     Note: To show the most recently used apps on an iPhone 8 or earlier, double-click the Home button.
   • To find the Google Home app, swipe to the right or left.
   • To close it, swipe upwards on the app’s preview.
2. Restart your device. Turn it off for 60 seconds, then turn it back on.

Let us know if that helps,

Best,

JT

[Muddi]

Hey Bjarne,

Checking in to see if the troubleshooting steps shared helped? 

Cheers,

Muddi

[Bjarne]

Hi Muddi,

unfortunately not, please see my reaction to the post to Ja Thadeus from a few seconds ago🥴

[Bjarne]

Hi Janthadeus,

come on, serious? Do you guys even read in detail what is going on here? Did you see my very first opening post and noticed what I already tried with my Pixel 5? And now you are asking me to force close the app and restart the device? To top it all off, your instructions are for an iPhone?!

Sorry for being harsh, but that's no help. If you don't have a solution to my problem that's really okay, software problems can be complex, but please at least give your customers the feeling that you do care in reading their posts. 😕 Default answers won't work this time around, for sure! 

Again apologies for being rude...

[Mlabrador]

Hi folks, 

Chiming in — I know how it feels when something isn't working. Would like to know if you tried to join the preview program? If not, you can try to join and see if there will be a difference. Here's how: 

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. Touch and hold your device's tile.
3. At the top right, tap Settings Device information Preview Program.
4. If you can't find the "Preview Program," we're unable to accept new members at this time. Please continue to check back as opportunities become available.
5. Choose whether to receive email notifications by moving the slider to the right or left. Note: It is recommended to allow email notifications so you’ll know when new updates are pushed to your device.
6. If you opt-in to email notifications, you'll be asked to sign into your Google Account if you haven’t already.
7. Review the contents of that page, and tap Join Program.
8. Review the contents of the page, then tap Ok, got it.

Keep me posted. 

Best, 

Nikki 

[Bjarne]

Dear Mlabrador,

many thanks for the suggestions. I am in the preview program since many weeks. It's fine, a lot new and good implemented stuff. But unfortunately it doesn't solve the problem of unexpected crashes etc. 😕

[13day]

I have exactly the same problem. The google home app crashes all the time when I tap on the nest camera icon.
All other icons (tiles) are tapped without crashes.

[Bjarne]

It's so sad and ridiculous. Instead of releasing a redesign soon they should completely start from scratch again. It's all about the basics...

[JordanJ]

Same problem exactly. Been doing it forever. It works on my Samsung tab S6 lite but crashes constantly on my fold 4 and my S21 before that. Clearing the cash can sometimes get me one open without crashing. 

[Bjarne]

The Home app really is the best example for bad coding😐

[13day]

The problem was solved by itself, after updating the firmware on my Samsung Galaxy with 21 ultra.
So these crashes were not caused by the hom application, but by the samsung itself.

[Bjarne]

Great to hear, lucky you👍🏻

[gibman]

I am plagued by this problem as well.

Oneplus 6 / Android

Greetings from Denmark 

[DrHooi]

The experience with the Google Home App is so horrible. It was once really good and stable. And nowadays you never know what is going to be an issue next.

[Bjarne]

So true...

[SimonM]

Like those above, I've also been suffering from constant crashes from only the Google Home app, both Public Preview. Latest versions of both apps, clearing cache, restarting and even uninstalling and reinstalling has no effect. The app is just a buggy mess. 

[jonnyb]

I have the same issues. Constant crashing on every single android device I own. Crashes on both my phones and on my tablet. Crashes especially when trying to control Google's own products. It's been like this for years. It's quite possibly one of the worst apps I've EVER used.

I also have Xiaomi products and their home app works perfectly, so there's no excuse for a company as big as Google to have such a buggy mess of an app that doesn't even work most of the time with their own products!

I have to say that this is a trend with Google  products. Numerous serious bugs that NEVER get fixed. I have other Google hardware products that have software issues that have been outstanding for years and have never been fixed.

It's not good enough really and feels like sheer laziness and apathy towards customers.

[JOHN35]

My Nest and Home app worked fine on my Android Galaxy a10e for about 6 months. Then just this week it crashes constantly. Oddly enough when I can get the video from my camera to appear for a bit before it crashes, the icon for the microphone has changed from a blue to a grey color and now with a slash through it. I made sure permissions for the microphone are allowed for the app. Nothing is working right and I'm paying a monthly fee for what no longer works.

[Chrisnthekats]

I have the most current iPhone and it has been doing this as well for me for the last 2 years! I gave up with trying to solve. I have uninstalled and the like, did a fresh phone activation (vs reset from a backup ) and even tried on a friend phone (loaded it and logged in as me). It just plainly doesn’t work. If I click on cameras it crashes. Every. Single. Time. 

meanwhile, google is sunsetting several older camera models. I can’t use the home app to monitor. So basically, I need a new platform and new cameras. 

wyze works pretty good. Perhaps I’ll abandon google home app and go w a different product. Cause I can’t use it as it is. 

[Bjarne]

I guess that will be the only solution. It's sad what's Google doing right now. They are not able to fix so many long time issues or they simply do not care.  They are no longer working on Assistant with priority and kill fully functional products. And they seem to not have any long time business plan🫣 And not to forget, quite some panic because of MS chat gpt...