Samsung Galaxy Watch Apps Crashing or Won't Open — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

An app on your Samsung Galaxy Watch is crashing immediately when opened or simply refuses to launch. This is usually caused by the app needing an update, insufficient watch memory, or a corrupted app install. Updating or reinstalling the app fixes most cases.

Affected Models

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Common Causes

The app is outdated and incompatible with the current watchOS version
The watch is running low on storage memory
The app installation is corrupted
The watch software itself needs updating
The app was removed from the watch but still appears in the app list

How to Fix It

Update the app: on your phone open Galaxy Store or Play Store, go to the Galaxy Watch section, and check for app updates.

Apps that are not updated after a watchOS update often crash because they use old APIs that no longer work.
Uninstall and reinstall the app via Galaxy Wearable: Galaxy Wearable > Apps > find the app > Remove from watch > reinstall.

A corrupted install file causes persistent crashes. A clean reinstall resolves this in most cases.
Check watch storage: Galaxy Watch Settings > About watch > Storage. If less than 100 MB is free, delete unused apps.

Apps can crash when the watch runs out of available memory to run them. Remove any apps you do not use regularly.
Update the Galaxy Watch software: Galaxy Wearable > Watch Settings > Watch Software Update.

An outdated watchOS version can cause compatibility issues with newly updated apps.
Restart the Galaxy Watch by pressing and holding the Home button for 7 seconds.

A restart clears temporary memory and often resolves app crashes that occur after extended use without rebooting.

When to Call a Professional

App crashes are almost always software issues. If all apps are crashing and a factory reset does not resolve it, the watch software may need to be reflashed at a Samsung service centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do some Galaxy Watch apps not appear on the watch even after installing them?

Some apps have a phone component and a watch component that are separate installs. You may have installed the phone app but not the watch companion app. In Galaxy Store, look for 'Galaxy Watch' in the app listing — watch apps have a separate install option.

Can I install any Android app on Galaxy Watch?

No — Galaxy Watch runs Wear OS (on newer models) or Tizen (on older models), which only support apps specifically built for those platforms. Not all Android apps have a watch version. Browse the Galaxy Store for available watch-compatible apps.