Is the Skybell App Crashing and Driving You Crazy?
Your Skybell app is the gateway to your video doorbell, allowing you to see visitors, review recordings, and manage your home security. When the app becomes unstable, constantly crashing, freezing, or refusing to open, it can be incredibly frustrating and lock you out from the very features you rely on.
App crashes are a common problem for many mobile applications and are usually caused by a handful of solvable issues like corrupted data, software bugs, or network problems. This guide will provide you with a simple, step-by-step process to troubleshoot and fix the Skybell app crashing on your iOS or Android device.
Common Symptoms of Skybell App Instability
An app "crash" can mean several things. Pinpointing the exact behaviour can help you find the right solution faster.
- Crash on Launch: The app closes itself the moment you tap on its icon.
- Freezing: The app opens but is completely unresponsive to your taps and swipes, eventually leading to an "App not responding" message.
- Crash During a Specific Action: The app works until you try to do something specific, like watch a live view, view your event history, or change a setting, which causes it to close every time.
- Random and Intermittent Crashes: The app seems to work fine for a while, but then closes unexpectedly for no obvious reason.
- Login Failure: The app crashes when you try to log in, or immediately after you successfully enter your password.
- Slow Performance: The app is extremely slow and laggy before it eventually crashes.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
Follow these solutions in order, as they progress from the simplest and most common fixes to more comprehensive ones.
1. Force Close and Relaunch
Sometimes, an app can get into a bad state in your phone's memory. A force close completely shuts it down and allows it to start fresh.
- On iOS (iPhone X and later): Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle. Swipe left or right to find the Skybell app, then swipe up on its preview to close it.
- On Android: Open Settings > Apps > Skybell. Tap on Force Stop.
- After closing it, wait a few seconds and try to open the app again.
2. Restart Your Phone
This is a classic troubleshooting step for a reason. Restarting your phone clears its active memory (RAM), closes all background processes, and can resolve many temporary software glitches that might be causing the Skybell app to misbehave.
3. Clear the App Cache (Android Only)
If you are using an Android device, a corrupted cache is a very likely culprit.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Skybell.
- Tap on Storage & cache.
- Tap the Clear cache button. This will not delete your settings or recordings.
- Relaunch the app to see if the issue is resolved. If not, you can return to this screen and try Clear storage, but be aware that this will log you out and you will need to sign in again.
4. Check for Updates
Running an outdated version of the app or your phone's operating system can lead to compatibility issues.
- Update the Skybell App: Go to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, search for "Skybell", and see if an "Update" button is available.
- Update Your Phone's OS: Go to your phone's main Settings menu and check for any available system or software updates.
5. Perform a Clean Reinstallation
If nothing else has worked, the most thorough solution is to completely remove the app and install it again. This ensures that no corrupted files are left on your device.
- Uninstall the App: Press and hold the Skybell app icon on your home screen and select the option to uninstall or delete it.
- Restart Your Phone: This is an important step to ensure all remnants are cleared from memory.
- Reinstall the App: Go back to your app store, search for Skybell, and install a fresh copy.
- Log in with your username and password.
By following these steps, you can fix almost any issue causing the Skybell app to crash and get back to reliably monitoring your front door.