Google Mail has become a very important element in all our lives. Everyone with an Android device has a Gmail account. One account can help you connect several Google features with minimal interactions, making it very versatile. However, it can be a nightmare when Gmail does not work the way we want or at all.
Gmail being dysfunctional or not being efficient isn’t that uncommon. If you are having a hard time trying to fix this issue, dont worry; We made a list of solutions and other necessary steps that will help you get rid of the Gmail not working issue on your PC and Android. Sit back and read this article to learn why this happens and what to do.
Why is my Gmail App not working?
The following are the reasons why Gmail is not working on your mobile phone or PC –
- Some browsers are not compatible to run Gmail on their interfaces.
- The Gmail server is down.
- The Gmail storage is full and cannot hold more mail.
- The browser is full of cookies and cache files.
- The internet connection to the device is not stable.
- The installed browser extensions may be a hindrance.
Solutions for the Gmail not working issue
- Check the Gmail server status
- Exit and Relaunch the Gmail App
- Log Out and Log Back into your Google Account
- Inspect your internet connection
- Use a different browser
- Enable Gmail Sync
- Delete Cache and App Data for Gmail
- Look for Gmail App Updates
- Update the mobile phone’s firmware
- Disable Chrome Extensions
Fixing the Gmail not working issue
Check the Gmail server status
Sometimes there could be a service outage for Gmail. Unlike most other services, you do not receive notifications when the Google servers are facing issues. Luckily for us, we can use the downdetector or Google Workspace Status Dashboard to check the server status. If they are down, we will have to wait until the servers are functioning again.v
Exit and Relaunch the Gmail App
Sometimes the easiest workaround is the most efficient. Quitting an application and opening it again can help you fix relevant issues. This is what we want to do with Gmail.
Open the active apps page on your device. You will either have to push the dedicated icon on the bottom of your screen or swipe up. You will have to push and hold the Home button for older Android devices. From here, you will have to touch and swipe the Gmail App to end it.
Once the app is closed, open the Gmail app again. You should be able to do it with a shortcut or the main icon in the App menu.
Log Out and Re-Login to your Google Account
Another method to fix bugs in an application is to remove the acknowledging Gmail account and log back in.
- Open your Gmail app. You will be able to see the signed-in Google account in the top-right corner.
- Click on the Profile picture icon and you will see a list of all the accounts you have signed in, currently and previously.
- Choose the Manage your Google account option, This action will take you to the Account settings page.
- Swipe the tabs to the left until you see the Security tab.
- Go into the Security page and locate the Your devices section.
- Tap on the Manage all devices option.
- Find the device you want to log out of and choose the Sign out option.
- Restart the browser and click on the Google profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select Add another account and enter your credentials to log into your account.
Inspect your internet connection
The network you are connected to may be experiencing instability. While the factors that cause the reason are numerous, the solution is simple. First, we recommend running a speed test to check the network speed and latency. For low speeds and/or high latency, users must contact their Internet Service Provider (ISP).
If the results are normal, you will have to reset the network. The issue could be because of your network configuration.
- Pick the router up and turn it around.
- Look around on the back panel, until you see a small hole that says Reset.
- Use a toothpick gently to poke it and hold for about 5 seconds.
- Once the lights start flashing, you can remove the pick.
Note: Be careful with the toothpicks, as they can splinter and get lodged in the button slot.
Use a different browser
The browser settings may not be built for Gmail. As unlikely as this may sound, you may not be able to use Gmail on certain browsers. Our only option here is to switch to a different browser. Here is a list of browsers that can help run Gmail –
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Opera browser
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Edge
Enable Gmail Sync
Gmail sync might have something to do with this Gmail issue. You can fix it by enabling the feature again –
- Launch your Gmail app.
- Touch the hamburger menu and select the Settings option.
- Choose your account and locate the Data usage category.
- Check the Sync Gmail checkbox. The issue is caused by a different factor if it is already enabled.
Delete Cache and App Data for Gmail
Cache files and AppData can cause a lot of issues. If such issues come up, it is always helpful to delete them.
Web Browser on PC
- Bring the Google Chrome window up.
- Open the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings.
- From the left panel, choose Security and Privacy.
- Click on the Clear browsing data option.
- Select all the checkboxes in the pop-up window.
- Choose All time from the Time range section.
- Click on the Clear data option.
Android App
- Open Settings and look for the App Settings.
- Choose the Manage Apps option. A list of all the installed apps and services will appear.
- Tap the Gmail application.
- At the bottom of the page, choose the Clear Data option. You might have to deal with a confirmation pop-up.
- Find the option to clear the device’s cache and confirm it through the prompts.
Look for Gmail App Updates
The Gmail app might go awry when it is not up-to-date. Even if this is not the solution, it is a great idea to keep it updated. It is very easy to update the Gmail app.
- Open the Gmail page in the Google Play Store.
- Look for the Update option and tap it.
If you don’t see the Update button, the app is up-to-date. We can move to the next and final solution in this case.
Update the mobile phone’s firmware
The User Interface (UI) version could be the interference with your Gmail app. Sometimes, even the Android version can be responsible for this service disruption. Here’s how you can update your mobile firmware –
- Open your mobile settings.
- Go to the About phone settings. Here you will find all the relevant information about your device.
- Look for the Mobile version section. If there are updates, you will see an update icon.
- Tap the Update icon after ensuring that you have a strong network connection.
- Once the download ends, restart your mobile to install the updates and apply the new changes.
The process can take a very long time.
Disable Chrome Extensions
Chrome extensions, although handy, can come across as hindrances in some cases. We might have to disable them to see if this helps our Gmail issues. Before we try disabling the browser plugins, you can try accessing Gmail through an incognito tab on your browser.
If the incognito tabs still show the Gmail not loading problems, you can use the steps below –
- Launch the Chrome window and open the browser Settings.
- Choose the Extensions tab on the left panel.
- Locate the Browser extensions that you want to disable and click on them.
- This will expand the section where the Remove button will help you disable the extension.
You will have to try it with different extensions until removing one of them fixes the Gmail loading issue.
We hope the solutions above are helpful to you. If you still can’t get Gmail working, you will have to contact the Google support team for further help. They should be able to guide you through exceptional issues.