How do I refresh my Android music app?

Music apps are one of the most popular types of apps on Android devices. They allow users to stream, download, and play music from various online services and local files. Over time, these apps can start to function poorly due to caching issues, bugs, or new features being added that are incompatible with older versions.

Android music apps have a “refresh” function that clears the app’s cached data and restores it to its default settings. Refreshing an app can help resolve performance issues, glitches, and other problems. It essentially gives the app a fresh start while retaining any playlists, favorites, and settings you want to keep.

Some of the main benefits of refreshing an Android music app include:

Fixing crashes, freezes, or playback issues
Clearing outdated cached data that may be slowing things down
Resolving interface problems or display bugs

Getting the app up-to-date if updates did not install properly

Before refreshing your music app, it’s a good idea to check for new app updates and restart your device. If issues persist, refreshing the app cache and/or data is the next troubleshooting step to try.

Determine if Your App Needs Refreshing

If your Android music app is freezing, crashing, or lagging on a regular basis, it’s a sign that the app needs to be refreshed. Music playback that frequently stutters, skips or stops altogether is also an indicator of an issue. According to this source, some Android users have reported consistent skipping and stuttering after a short period of normal playback. These types of playback issues typically point to a need to refresh the app.

Other signs that your Android music app needs refreshing include the app not opening at all or force closing repeatedly. If you find yourself constantly needing to force close and restart the app just to get it to work properly, it likely needs to be refreshed. App crashes, even if intermittent, also indicate stability issues that can often be fixed by refreshing the app. Essentially, any anomalous or erratic behavior from the music app suggests a refresh is in order.

Close the App

The easiest way to refresh a music app on Android is to fully close the app and restart it. This clears any temporary files or data that could be causing issues.

To fully close an app on Android, press the home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go back to your home screen. This will stop the app from running in the background. You can also swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause on the open apps view, then swipe up on the app’s card to close it.

Once fully closed, you can re-open the music app which essentially refreshes it and starts it anew, clearing any stuck processes. This quick refresh is often all that’s needed if a music app starts misbehaving or glitching out.

For more details, see: https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-close-android-apps/ and https://www.lifewire.com/close-apps-on-android-4164116

Clear the App Cache

One way to refresh your Android music app is to clear the app’s cache. The cache stores temporary data files that help the app run smoothly. Over time, these cached files can build up and start to slow things down.

To clear the cache on an Android app:

Open your phone’s Settings app.
Tap “Storage”.

Select “Cached data”.
You will see a list of apps with cached data. Find your music app and tap on it.
Tap “Clear cache”. This will delete any temporary cached files stored by the app.

Clearing the cache forces the app to reload fresh data and files next time you open it. This can help free up storage space and improve performance if the app was running slowly. According to this article, clearing the cache is “the secret recipe” to speed up a sluggish system.

Clear App Data

Clearing the app data will delete all of the app’s data and settings, essentially resetting it to a clean slate (source). This includes:

User preferences and customizations

Saved files or documents within the app
Login credentials and other user data
Game progress or scores

So clearing app data should only be done with caution, as you will have to reconfigure the app and log in again. However, for troubleshooting purposes, deleting the app data can often resolve bugs or crashes related to corrupt data. It essentially gives you a fresh start with the app.

To clear app data on Android, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Select the app > Storage & Cache > Clear Storage. Be aware this will delete all data, so consider backing up any important files first.

Uninstall and Reinstall the App

One troubleshooting step to try is uninstalling your music app completely and then reinstalling a fresh version from the app store. This will delete the app and all of its data from your device and give you a clean slate when you install it again.

To uninstall the app on Android:

Open the Settings app on your device.
Tap Apps or Application Manager.

Tap the music app you want to uninstall.
Tap Uninstall.

Once the app is uninstalled, open the Google Play Store app and search for the music app again. Tap Install to download and install a fresh version.

Reinstalling the app removes any corrupted files or issues with the app installation that may be causing problems. It gives you a clean slate with the default settings and data. If you were having issues before, they may be resolved after a fresh install. Make sure you sign in with the same account you had set up to restore your playlists and music library.

Restart Your Device

One simple fix to refresh your Android music app is to restart your phone. Powering down and restarting your device essentially provides a “clean slate” for all your apps and services. This can clear out any temporary bugs, glitches or processes that may be causing issues.

To restart your Android device, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until you see the “Power off” prompt. Tap this option to turn your phone completely off. Let it sit for at least 30 seconds before pressing the power button again to restart it. Give your phone some time after the reboot to fully load up.

Now try opening your music app again to see if the issues have been resolved. Often a basic restart is all that’s needed to get apps and system processes working properly again.

If you find your music app frequently needs a reboot to work, there may be a deeper issue. Check for app updates, uninstall/reinstall the app, or try troubleshooting steps like clearing the app cache and data. Frequent random restarts can also indicate system-wide problems; see this Google Support article for advanced troubleshooting tips.

Check for App Updates

One of the easiest ways to refresh your Android music app is to check if there are any available updates and install them. Most apps today have frequent updates that add new features, fix bugs, and improve performance. Here are the steps to check for and install updates on your Android music app:

Go to the Play Store app on your Android device and open the menu. Tap on “My apps & games” to see a list of all the apps installed on your phone.

Scroll through the list to find your music app. If there is an update available, you will see an “Update” button next to the app. Tap the button to start the update process.

The app will download the latest update and install it. This usually only takes a few seconds. Once complete, you can reopen the app to find all the changes and improvements that came with the update.

Keeping your apps updated is one of the best ways to maintain performance and get access to the latest features. So be sure to check the Play Store regularly for any available updates for your music and other apps.

Source: https://www.businessmobiles.com/blog/featured/5-reasons-why-you-need-to-keep-your-apps-updated/

Reset App Preferences

If your music app is experiencing issues or behaving strangely, resetting its preferences can return it to default settings.

To reset app preferences on Android 7.0 and higher:

1. Open your device Settings.

2. Tap Apps/Application Manager.

3. Tap on your music app.

4. Tap Storage & Cache.

5. Tap Clear Preferences.

This will reset your music app’s preferences to the defaults without deleting your app data or saved music. It can resolve strange behaviors, resolve issues caused by corrupt preferences, fix missing features or options, and more. If your music app seems like it’s not working right, resetting its preferences is a quick and easy thing to try that can potentially solve the issues.

Try a Different Music App

If refreshing your current Android music app doesn’t solve your issues, you may want to try an alternative app. Some of the top options to consider include:

Spotify – Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services, with over 70 million songs and user-friendly features like curated playlists and offline listening. The free version has ads, but the premium version removes ads and unlocks additional features.

Musicolet – Musicolet is a highly customizable offline music player app with no ads or in-app purchases. Key features include multiple themes, tag editing, equalizers, widgets, sleep timer, and more.

YouTube Music – For those who already watch a lot of YouTube videos, YouTube Music integrates your music and video listening into one service. It offers both streaming and downloads so you can listen without an internet connection.

Plexamp – Plexamp connects to your Plex media library to provide quick access to your own music collection. Useful features include beautiful visualizations, smart playlists, gapless playback, bookmarking, and offline sync.

Trying out alternative music apps can breathe new life into your mobile music experience. Look through top app recommendations from trusted tech sites to find the best fit based on your preferences and listening habits.