Samsung Galaxy Messages app crashing? Google Meet may be the culprit

Samsung Galaxy users woke up to an unexpected surprise recently – their beloved Messages app started crashing. In less than a day, complaints flooded online forums like Reddit and Samsung's official channels, with users reporting that the app would forcefully shut down whenever they tried to start a new conversation.

This glitch was particularly frustrating because it left users unable to access their conversations, memories, and important message threads. Basic troubleshooting steps like clearing the cache or restarting the phone proved ineffective, leaving many users scrambling for a solution.

Android Authority reported on the issue, highlighting the widespread frustration among Samsung Galaxy users. The complaints pointed to a common theme – the Messages app would remain installed on the phone, and the list of conversations would still be visible, but any attempt to initiate a new chat would trigger the crash.

Fortunately, a Samsung moderator on the company's help platform offered a potential solution. They acknowledged the issue and suggested that users force stop Google Meet, then either disable or uninstall updates on the video chatting app. The moderator explained that the steps involved navigating to Settings > Apps > Google Meet > Force stop, and then tapping the three-dot menu button to select "Uninstall updates." Alternatively, users could simply disable Google Meet altogether.

This workaround seemed to work for many users, as comments on Reddit confirmed that uninstalling updates or disabling Google Meet revived the Messages app. For those who preferred not to tinker with Google Meet, the Samsung moderator proposed switching to Google Messages, which is also preinstalled on some Samsung devices and offers RCS chats.