Don’t update Twitter for Android — it crashes (but you can fix it)

Are you struggling to fire up the Twitter app on Android? You’re not the only one. Tons of people are reporting the app crashes at launch after getting the latest update (8.28.00). Don’t fret, though: there’s a way to fix it.

Twitter has already confirmed this blunder on — you guessed it — Twitter, but an official fix is still on the way. In the meantime, there are a few workarounds you can try to get the app to run as expected.

Obviously, the easiest way to avoid this issue altogether is by not updating the app. Indeed, that’s what Twitter suggests.

We’re investigating a problem with the latest version of our Android app that causes it to crash immediately once it’s opened. If you use Twitter for Android, we suggest not updating it until we let you know it's fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience!

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 21, 2020

If you’re one of the unlucky users that got the automatic update, though, there’s still a way to get the app to work.

As some users have pointed out on Reddit, clearing the storage and the cache of the Twitter app seems to fix the issue. All you need to do is head to Settings, click Apps and notifications, select Twitter, and then locate the storage and cache menu. The option to empty cache and storage should be accessible there.

Personally, this is the method I used, but there’s another alternative. Redditors are noting that manually downloading the update from Google Play also fixes the crashing, but I haven’t had a chance to try that yet.

If none of those tricks work, your only option is to stick it out until Twitter rolls out an official fix. Or use the desktop version. Or switch to an iPhone. The real question is: How much do you crave petty quarrels over insignificant issues in your social media feed?

Update 09:43AM UTC: Twitter says the issue has been resolved.

The Android app has now been fixed. The latest version (8.28.2) should no longer crash on launch –– you’re good to go ahead and update when it becomes available for you. Thanks for your patience.

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 22, 2020