The latest Google app update, version 12.23.16.23, is unstable. Numerous users report the app crashes every few minutes on Pixel, Motorolla, and Samsung devices. This is a problem, considering the app controls everything from Google search, to Google lens, to the “Discover” feed, and communicates with Android Auto, Google Podcasts, and Google Assistant, none of which will work properly if your device is afflicted.
Usually, such egregious bugs are caught before an update hits the stable channel, but for some reason testers didn’t encounter this one during the beta period and it managed to slip through. Luckily, there are two available fixes: You can opt into the Google app beta and download an early version of patch 12.24, or you can roll back to a previous stable version of the Google app.
However, either fix comes with caveats. As we often warn, beta software can introduce unforeseen bugs and stability issues, while rolling back to a previous version of the Google app will require you to do a bit of device upkeep. For example, it will delete all episodes from Google Podcasts, and you will have to reconfigure Google Assistant on your device.
If neither option is palatable and you’re willing to suffer through a few more days of crashes, the 12.24 patch will be available through the stable channel soon. Fortunately, installing the stable version will not require you to reconfigure Google Assistant, Google Podcasts, or other apps.
But if you’re fed up and want to fix the Google app bug right now, give one of these options a try. We’ll leave it up to you to decide which method is best for you—but here’s how to do them both:
How to join the Google app beta
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- Go to the Google app’s beta program page.
- Scroll down and select “Join.” (This can be done on your phone or on desktop.)
- Open the Google Play app on your phone.
- Tap your Google Account profile, then go to Manage apps & devices > See recent updates > Updates available > Check for updates.
- Find the Google App and tap “Update.” Wait for the update to install.
Note that leaving the Google app beta and reverting to the stable version will have the same effect as uninstalling the updates, so you’ll have to reconfigure Google Assistant if you choose to exit the beta again once the fix is in.
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Uninstall the buggy Google app update
- In your Android device’s Settings app, go to Apps & notifications > See all apps
- Find and tap the Google app from the list.
- Tap the three-dot button in the upper-right, then select “Uninstall updates.”
- Wait for the process to complete. Once it’s done, you’ll need to set Google Assistant up again and re-download your Google Podcasts library.
[9to5Google]