How to fix Whatsapp that won't load, keeps crashing on iPhone SE after installing latest iOS version [Troubleshooting Guide]

Whatsapp is among the popular instant messaging apps for iOS and other devices. It supports local, international, individual, and group messaging. And just recently, a new update is pushed for Whatsapp to support free local and international calls. All these make it one of the widely used IM platforms worldwide. But like other messaging apps, Whatsapp is likewise not free from flaws.

Transpiring among the common issues that plagued some users of Whatsapp is on loading errors and random crashes. These app symptoms were also seen on some iPhone SE models following the latest iOS version installation. If you’ve just updated your iPhone SE to iOS 11.4.1 and later found out that Whatsapp won’t load or keeps crashing, then this post will walk you through some simple ways of fixing the problem. Read on for more information.

For those who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, contact us anytime through our iPhone issues questionnaire.

How to troubleshoot iPhone SE with Whatsapp that keeps crashing

Before troubleshooting, check and ensure that your iPhone has stable Internet connection. For Whatsapp to work, your device must have Internet access. If you’re experiencing network connectivity issues like intermittent or no Internet connection, then that’s what you need to deal with first. Else, try the following solutions.

First solution: Force close Whatsapp and background apps.

Some apps would go rogue after an update installation especially if the remain running in the background during the update process. Background apps may have crashed and eventually affected other apps like Whatsapp.

  1. Press the Home button twice quickly. Doing so will launch a new screen containing a list of recently used apps that aren’t closed.
  2. Swipe up on Whatsapp preview to force close or end the app. Do the same to clear other apps running in the background.

Once you’re done clearing all background apps and Whatsapp, reboot or soft reset your iPhone to dump any cache and temporary data that might have been corrupted and caused post-update errors on apps.

  1. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until the Slide to Power Off command appears.
  2. Then drag the power off slider to the right to shut down your iPhone completely.
  3. After 30 seconds, press the Power button again until the Apple logo appears.

If your iPhone display becomes unresponsive as Whatsapp crashes, then you can do a force restart instead. It’s an alternative method to restart a frozen iPhone without affecting saved data on your device.

  • To do so, press and hold the Power button and Home button simultaneously for at least 10 seconds and then release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

This will end all background apps and clears cached files and temporary data that might have been spoiled from the update and caused Whatsapp to misbehave.

Second solution: Update Whatsapp and other apps (if applicable).

App updates are intended to keep apps in their best performance. Embedded into these updates are not only new features but also bug fixes to clear any bugs that might have afflicted the app functions. Usually you’ll see an update indication on the App Store icon whenever a new app update is available. But there are also times when App Store won’t show it, hence you’ll need to manually check. To check for and manually install pending app update including Whatsapp on your iPhone SE, follow these steps:

  1. Tap the App Store icon from the Home screen.
  2. From the App Store main screen, tap the Updates icon at the bottom right. A list of apps with pending updates then shows up on the screen.
  3. Find Whatsapp from the list then tap the Update button next to it. Pending update for Instagram app will then be installed.
  4. If you see multiple app updates, then you can update all apps simultaneously instead. To do so, tap the Update All button on the upper right of the screen.

To ensure that all new changes are properly implemented, reboot or soft reset your iPhone. Then try to launch Whatsapp and see if the problem is gone.

Third solution: Uninstall Whatsapp and then reinstall it on your iPhone SE.

You may have to consider uninstalling the app if the problem persists after carrying the previous methods. The app might have been completely corrupted from the update and no longer works. In that case, you can take chances in reinstalling the application. This also means you’ll have to delete the app. Here’s what you should do then:

  1. Tap and hold on any app icon from the Home screen.
  2. When the icons start to wiggle, tap the X on the corner of the Whatsapp icon to uninstall the app.
  3. If prompted, confirm action by tapping Delete.
  4. After deleting the app, restart your iPhone then head over to the App Store to search for, download, and install Whatsapp app on your device.

Restart your device once the Whatsapp is successfully deleted. Then launch the App Store to search for, download and install Whatsapp. Make sure you download the Whatsapp version that’s compatible with the current iOS version of your iPhone. Here’s how:

  1. Open the App Store.
  2. While on the App Store main screen, tap the Search icon (magnifying glass).
  3. Navigate to the Search tab and then type Whatsapp for iPhone or Whatsapp in the search bar.
  4. Find and select the Whatsapp from the search results.
  5. To download the app, tap Get and Install. You may need to enter your Apple ID password to authorize and confirm app download and installation.

Wait until Whatsapp is finished installing and when it’s done, restart your iPhone to refresh the system and clears minor software glitches.

Fourth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone SE.

If Whatsapp is still not loading properly or keeps on crashing even after reinstalling the app, then you may resort to software resets. The problem is more likely within the iPhone system given that the app has been successfully installed. In that case, you can try performing a network settings reset first, to clear any network errors that may have caused network-based apps to go rogue. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset network settings from the given options.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
  6. Then tap to confirm settings reset.

After the reset, your iPhone will restart automatically. Just wait until it has fully rebooted and then you can re-configure network settings and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. Once reconnected, launch Whatsapp and see how it works.

Fifth solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone SE.

If resetting network settings doesn’t help, then resetting system settings can be considered the next option. This will reset and restore default system settings on your iPhone without deleting any saved data on the internal memory. In other words, it doesn’t delete any information. Just follow these steps:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset all settings option.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
  6. Then tap to confirm settings reset.

Allow your device to reset and restore the default system settings and then restarts automatically. After the restart, you can enable and configure individual options accordingly. Don’t forget to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network to use online apps including Whatsapp.

Seek more help

Contact Whatsapp Support to escalate the problem if it persists after trying all applicable solutions on your end. Should there be any advanced troubleshooting methods required to get the app loading and working stable on the new iOS platform, you can ask them to walk you through the entire process.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone SE smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone SE. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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