Android users, who had been reporting issues with some apps since Monday night, can expect no further interruption as tech giant Google on Tuesday announced that it has fixed the issue. The cause of the app crashes was attributed to a system component known as Android WebView, which allows Android apps to display web content.

“We have resolved the issue with WebView that caused some apps on Android to crash for some users. Updating Android System WebView and Google Chrome via Google Play should now resolve the issue,” a Google spokesperson informed in a statement.

Users can update the Android System WebView to version 89.0.4389.105 and also Google Chrome to the latest version through Google Play Store to resolve the issue. One has to search Android System WebView on the Play Store app, choose the ‘Update’ option and repeat the steps for Google Chrome

According to Express, independent internet outage monitor, Down Detector, saw a spike in reports about Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Google being down on Tuesday. It recorded over 1,000 reports related to Gmail alone.

Android users flocked to online platforms such as Twitter and Reddit to report the app issues. “Seems to be a problem with Gmail app on Android at the moment - constantly crashing for me at the moment,” an Android user tweeted.

A netizen wrote, “Every app I use has just been cycling through crashes today. Glitch in the matrix” while another posted, “My Gmail app keeps closing seconds after opening it. Sounds like others are having this issue too... What’s up? Pixel 3 running Android 11 (sic).”

Several users worked around the issues by removing the WebView update and restarting their phones. Twitter user Paul Salmon wrote, “Uninstalling the updates worked for me. My Gmail app is now working again, along with other apps.”

According to Samsung support for #gmail crashing: Please remove the Webview Update and then restart the phone. Here are the steps: Go settings > apps > tap the three dots in the top right corner > show system apps > search for Android System WebView > select Uninstall updates.

— Paul Salmon (@pfsalmon) March 22, 2021

Samsung also stepped in with a solution after a user reported trouble with apps. In a post from its US support Twitter account, it advised users to remove the WebView Update and restart the phone. "Here are the steps: Go settings > apps > tap the three dots in the top right corner > show system apps > search for Android System WebView > select Uninstall updates,” it posted.

Here are the steps: Go settings > apps > tap the three dots in the top right corner > show system apps > search for Google chrome > select Uninstall updates. Please send us a DM for further assistance. ^Ross Cont 2/2 https://t.co/X1iKdLbVk5

— Samsung Support US (@SamsungSupport) March 23, 2021

Google first acknowledged the issue at 4:30 am IST on Tuesday. “We’re aware of a problem with Gmail affecting a significant subset of users. The affected users are unable to access Gmail. Affected users are reporting the Gmail app on Android crashes,” it posted on the official Google Workspace status page. It recommended users use the desktop Gmail Web interface.