Samsung Galaxy S10 “Unfortunately, Messages has Stopped” Error Solution

At our site, you’ll only find unbiased reviews. However, we do earn profit from our affiliate links.

Even though the Samsung Galaxy S10 is a remarkable device, it’s still not perfect. Anyone who has experienced a sudden and annoying error code can attest to that. One such error includes the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” issue, which prevents you from sending texts.

Like with any smartphone error, there are several different possible causes. That’s why below we have a comprehensive list of solutions that you can try. The odds are that you’ll be able to solve this error with one of these troubleshooting tips, so it’s time to get cracking so you can have your phone back in its optimal condition.

1. Restart your Galaxy S10 Phone

The first tip on our list is probably the easiest one you can do and it will only take a couple of minutes. While there are more in-depth solutions you can try, we recommend doing the easier ones first. You may save yourself some time by ignoring the longer troubleshooting tips if all you need to do is reboot your smartphone.

Restarting a phone has been known to work for errors caused by minor glitches and for all we know your instance of the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” error is caused by such a bug. Give it a shot and hope for the best.

2. Maintenance Boot Mode Reset

There is another way to restart your phone that involves a few more steps. This option is similar to the previous tip but is a more in-depth reboot process that may target more bugs than your usual restart.

First, make sure your phone is off. Then hold down both the Power and the Volume Down buttons for roughly 10 seconds during the boot up. After you have done this, you will be in the Maintenance Boot Mode menu.

All you have to do is select the Normal Boot option. This whole process is longer than a regular restart and can take up to two minutes. Once your phone is back on, check to see if the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” is still there. If it is, move onto our next piece of advice.

3. Force Stop the Messages App

It may very well be the case that the cause of the error is due to the app in question. That’s why tinkering with the settings of the Messages App itself could be very helpful.

First, you will need to head into your Settings menu by finding the Settings app (the icon resembles a gear). Then tap on Apps, then the More Settings Icon which looks like three dots. Then tap on Show System Apps. Find the app or apps you are having a problem sending messages through. Select the Force Stop option.

4. Clear the App Cache

Clearing the app cache could very well be the solution you need. Apps are frequently collecting new data and updating their settings and sometimes that can cause unintended problems. Clearing the cache could get rid of any info that is giving you the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” error.

First, go to Settings, then tap on Apps and then More Settings like with the previous step. Then select Show System Apps and go to the messaging app you are having issues with.

Now, tap on Storage, then the Clear Cache button. After this you should restart your S9 phone and check to see if the problem is still there.

5. Wiping the Cache Partition

Similar to Solution #4, wiping the cache partition can solve any unforeseen issues with apps that may have accumulated over several months without you noticing. Here’s how to do it.

Turn off your S9 phone. Now you will want to hold down the Volume up and Bixby keys. Next, hold down the Power button. Keep on holding all three of these buttons but release them all once the Android symbol appears.

Then you will be in the System Recovery Menu of your phone. Scroll down until you find the Wipe Cache Partition option. Select it and then reboot your phone when prompted to do so.

6. Set App Back to Factory Defaults

If you know what a factory reset is for a piece of hardware then you should know that a similar procedure exists for software as well. You should be aware that you will lose all of your SMS data such as messages, but luckily there are apps that will allow you to back it all up.

Go into Settings, then Apps, then the More Settings menu. Tap on Show System Apps and select the messaging app or apps you want to restart. Tap on Storage and then on Clear Data. Then restart your phone to see if this has worked.

7. Use Safe Mode to Identify the Problematic App

The “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” error might actually be caused by an app that you have recently downloaded. Safe mode is a boot up mode that allows you to use your phone in a state with certain apps disabled. If the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” problem is gone in Safe Mode then it would appear that your issue is caused by an app. Here’s how to access Safe Mode.

Hold down the Power button until the Power Off menu appears. Then hold down the Power button again until you receive a message asking you if you want to enter Safe Mode. Select Yes and your phone will begin a reboot process. After this you will be in Safe Mode. Check to see if the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” error is gone. If it is then you should begin uninstalling your most recently downloaded apps as one of them is likely the culprit.

8. Reset Your Network Settings

If your problem isn’t being caused by an app then it could be caused by some faulty network settings. Here’s how to fix it.

Go into Settings and then select General Management. Then tap on Reset, then Reset Network Settings. Finally select Reset Settings a second time to finalize your choice.

9. Hard Factory Reset

The last thing you can do to fix the “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” error is the last thing you should do. A factory reset of your Galaxy S9 will reformat the hard disk storage and delete nearly everything on it. This will restore it to its original and most basic condition when it was still a brand new phone.

We highly recommend backing up all of your personal data onto a micro SD card or a computer before doing this step.

To begin, go into the Settings app. Then select General Management, then tap on Reset. On the new page you will see several options. You want to select Factory Data Reset. You will be prompted with a page of information concerning the factory reset. Scroll down and then tap on Reset to move on.

Finally, you will be given the option to tap the Delete All function. Tap it to finalize this step and your phone will begin the hard factory reset.

Conclusion

The “Unfortunately, Messages has stopped working” is undeniably a very annoying little bug but hopefully with the many solutions posted above you’ve found the one that works for you. Thank you for reading and we hope your Samsung Galaxy S9 phone is now good as new.