Wear OS 6 bug traps Galaxy Watch users in an app launch loop, but there's a fix
Android Police 2026-06-19 18:22:53
Context: A bug in Wear OS 6 is causing some Galaxy Watch users to get stuck in an app launch loop, preventing them from accessing apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, and WhatsApp. The issue has been affecting users for some time, but a recent surge in reports suggests it may be impacting a growing number of people. A fix has been found, which involves either force-stopping the affected apps or installing the May 2026 security update.
Key Facts
- A bug in Wear OS 6 is causing some Galaxy Watch users to be trapped in an app launch loop, where tapping an app icon results in a brief display of the app's splash screen before being redirected back to the app drawer.
- The issue affects apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, WhatsApp, and others, with users reporting that the problem started occurring recently, even if it had not been an issue previously.
- According to user viniciusrodsilva on the r/GalaxyWatch subreddit, a video showcasing the bug in action sparked discussion among users, with many sharing their own experiences and confirming that the issue is not isolated.
- The bug is caused by an OS-level memory failure, where the system mistakenly believes that an app is already open, leading to a panic and aborting the launch of the app, and a tech-savvy user named Eddietrix77 was able to analyze and identify the root cause of the issue.
- A temporary fix for the issue is to force-stop the affected apps, while a more permanent solution is to install the May 2026 security update, which has been found to resolve the problem.