Identifying the Type of Crash
Not all crashes are the same. Understanding exactly what happens when the app fails helps narrow down the cause and apply the right fix. Here are the distinct crash patterns and what they typically indicate:
- Immediate crash (app icon tap > brief flash > back to home screen): The app fails during its very first initialisation step. This usually indicates a fundamental compatibility issue, severely corrupted app data, or a conflict with device security state (such as a recently rooted device).
- Crash after splash screen (logo appears for 1-3 seconds, then crash): The app starts loading but fails when trying to access its local database or secure storage. Often caused by corrupted cache or data files, especially after an OS update.
- Freeze on loading screen (progress indicator spins indefinitely): The app is waiting for a response that never comes. This can be a network timeout (if the app checks for updates or credential status on launch), a deadlock in the secure hardware access, or insufficient system memory.
- White or black screen that never resolves: The app's user interface failed to render. This often indicates a graphics rendering issue related to OS version compatibility or very low available memory.
- Crash when performing a specific action: If the app opens fine but crashes when you tap a particular credential or navigate to a specific screen, that is likely a data corruption issue with that specific item rather than a general app problem.
Solution 1: Force Close and Reopen
The simplest fix for many crashes is to completely close the app and start fresh. Simply pressing the home button does not close the app -- it just sends it to the background where its problematic state persists.
Force Close on iPhone
- iPhone with Face ID (iPhone X and later): Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen to open the App Switcher. Find the EUDI Wallet card and swipe it all the way up and off the screen.
- iPhone with Home button (iPhone 8 and earlier): Double-press the Home button to open the App Switcher. Find the EUDI Wallet card and swipe it up and off the screen.
- Wait at least 5 seconds before tapping the EUDI Wallet icon to reopen it.
Force Close on Android
- Using the Recent Apps button: Tap the square (or swipe up and hold, depending on your navigation mode) to open the Recent Apps view. Find the EUDI Wallet and swipe it away (left, right, or up depending on your device).
- Using Settings: Go to Settings > Apps > EUDI Wallet > Force Stop. Confirm when prompted. This is more thorough than swiping from Recent Apps.
- Wait at least 5 seconds before reopening.
Solution 2: Restart Your Phone
A full device restart clears the system RAM, resets all background processes, reinitialises the secure hardware element, and resolves temporary resource conflicts that may prevent the wallet from starting.
Important: A proper restart means powering the phone completely off and then turning it back on. Simply pressing the sleep/wake button puts the phone to sleep but does not clear RAM or reset processes.
Restart iPhone
- iPhone with Face ID: Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power off slider appears. Slide to power off. Wait 30 seconds. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone with Home button: Press and hold the Side button until the power off slider appears. Slide to power off. Wait 30 seconds. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Restart Android
- Press and hold the Power button for 3-5 seconds.
- Tap Restart (not just "Power off" -- Restart performs a cleaner reinitialisation).
- Wait for the phone to fully boot up before opening the EUDI Wallet.
Solution 3: Update the App
Running an outdated version of the EUDI Wallet is one of the leading causes of crashes, especially after an OS update. Wallet developers regularly release updates to fix bugs, improve stability, and maintain compatibility with the latest OS versions.
Check for Updates on iOS
- Open the App Store.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Scroll down to see pending updates. If the EUDI Wallet (or your national wallet name) appears in the list, tap Update.
- If it does not appear in the update list, pull down on this screen to refresh.
Check for Updates on Android
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Tap Manage apps & device.
- Under "Updates available", look for the EUDI Wallet. Tap Update if available.
Enable automatic updates to prevent future compatibility crashes: on iOS, go to Settings > App Store > App Updates > On. On Android, go to Google Play Store > Settings > Network Preferences > Auto-update apps.
Solution 4: Clear the App Cache
Over time, the app accumulates cached data -- temporary files, old credential status checks, cached UI elements, and session data. If any of this data becomes corrupted (which can happen after an OS update, a storage error, or a previous crash), it can cause the app to crash on every subsequent launch.
Clear Cache on Android
- Go to Settings > Apps (or "Application Manager").
- Find and tap EUDI Wallet (or your national wallet name).
- Tap Storage & cache.
- Tap Clear Cache.
- Do NOT tap "Clear Data" or "Clear Storage" unless you are prepared to re-add all your credentials. Clearing data removes everything including your identity credentials and app settings.
- Try opening the app again.
Clear Cache on iOS
iOS does not provide a direct "clear cache" option for individual apps. You have two alternatives:
- Offload the app: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > EUDI Wallet > Offload App. This removes the app binary and cache but preserves your data. Then tap Reinstall App to redownload. This is the safest cache-clearing method on iOS.
- Delete and reinstall: This removes everything including credentials. Only use this as a last resort (see Solution 6 below).
Solution 5: Free Up Memory and Storage
The EUDI Wallet performs cryptographic operations that require significant working memory (RAM). If your phone is running low on available memory because too many apps are open or running in the background, the operating system may kill the wallet process during startup.
Free Up RAM
- Close all other apps, especially resource-intensive ones (games, video players, camera apps, other banking or wallet apps).
- Restart your phone (this clears all memory and gives the EUDI Wallet first access to resources).
- On Android, check Settings > Developer Options > Running Services to see which services are consuming the most memory (you may need to enable Developer Options first by tapping the Build Number in About Phone seven times).
Free Up Storage
Even if your phone is not displaying a "low storage" warning, having less than 500MB of free space can cause apps to malfunction. The operating system needs free space for swap memory, temporary files, and database operations.
- Check available space: iOS: Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Android: Settings > Storage.
- Delete unused apps, old photos and videos, downloaded files, and cached media from messaging apps.
- On Android, clear the system cache: Settings > Storage > Cached Data > Clear.
- Aim for at least 1GB of free space for smooth operation.
Solution 6: Uninstall and Reinstall (Last Resort)
If none of the above steps work, a complete uninstall and reinstall gives you a completely fresh start. This is the most effective fix for deeply corrupted app data, but it comes with a trade-off.
Before you uninstall, understand what you will lose:
- All identity credentials stored in the wallet will be removed from your device.
- App settings and preferences will be reset to defaults.
- You will need to go through the initial setup process again, including reading your identity card via NFC and any verification steps required by your national wallet provider.
What you will NOT lose:
- Your actual identity data at the government source -- your credentials can always be re-issued.
- Any backups you made before uninstalling (if your wallet supports backup functionality).
Reinstallation Steps
- Check for backup options first: Open the EUDI Wallet (if possible) and look in Settings for a backup or export feature. Some national implementations allow you to create a backup that can be restored after reinstalling.
- Uninstall: On iOS, long-press the app icon > Remove App > Delete App. On Android, long-press the app icon > App info > Uninstall, or go to Settings > Apps > EUDI Wallet > Uninstall.
- Restart your phone after uninstalling. This ensures all remnant processes and cached data are cleared.
- Reinstall from the official store: Open the App Store or Google Play and search for the EUDI Wallet (or your national wallet name). Download and install.
- Set up the wallet again: Open the app and follow the initial setup wizard. Have your identity card and PIN ready for the verification process.
OS Version Compatibility Issues
The EUDI Wallet requires a minimum of iOS 16 or Android 11. However, compatibility issues can also arise on very new OS versions immediately after their release.
After an OS upgrade crashes the wallet:
- Check the app store for a wallet update -- developers typically release compatibility patches within days of a major OS release.
- Check the wallet developer's website or social media for announcements about known compatibility issues.
- If the wallet worked before the OS update, the issue is almost certainly a compatibility bug that will be fixed in an upcoming wallet update. Clear the cache and wait for the update.
- Do not downgrade your OS to fix the crash -- OS downgrades can cause data loss and security issues, and may not even be possible without a complete device reset.
Known Issues With Specific Devices
While the EUDI Wallet is designed to work on all devices meeting the minimum requirements, some specific device models or manufacturer skins have reported issues:
- Samsung devices with One UI: The aggressive battery optimisation in One UI can kill the wallet process during startup. Ensure the EUDI Wallet is added to the "Never sleeping apps" list: Settings > Battery > Background Usage Limits > Never Sleeping Apps > Add EUDI Wallet.
- Xiaomi devices with MIUI: Similar to Samsung, MIUI aggressively manages background processes. Go to Settings > Apps > EUDI Wallet > Battery Saver > No restrictions and also add it to "Autostart" list.
- Huawei devices without Google Play Services: Devices running HarmonyOS or EMUI without GMS cannot run the standard EUDI Wallet due to missing device attestation APIs. Check if your national wallet provider offers a Huawei AppGallery version.
- Older devices at minimum OS version: Phones running exactly the minimum required OS (iOS 16.0 or Android 11) with no further updates may have known security or compatibility issues that are resolved in later point releases. Update to the latest available version of your OS.
How to Report a Bug
If the app consistently crashes despite following all troubleshooting steps, the issue may be a bug that the developers need to fix. Good bug reports help them identify and resolve the issue faster. Here is what to include:
- Device information: Phone manufacturer, model name, and model number (found in Settings > About Phone).
- OS version: The exact version number (e.g., iOS 18.2.1 or Android 15, build AP4A.250205.002).
- App version: Found on the app's page in the App Store or Google Play under "Version".
- Exact behaviour: Describe step by step what happens. For example: "I tap the app icon, the splash screen with the logo appears for about 2 seconds, then the app closes and I am returned to the home screen."
- Frequency: Does it happen every time, or intermittently?
- Steps already tried: List the troubleshooting steps you have attempted.
- Crash logs (if accessible): On iOS, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data and look for entries starting with the wallet app name. On Android, crash reports are often accessible through Settings > About Phone > Diagnostics or through the Google Play crash reporting dialogue.
Preventing Future Crashes
- Keep the app updated. Enable automatic updates in your app store to always run the latest, most stable version.
- Keep your OS updated. The latest OS versions include bug fixes and security patches that improve app stability.
- Maintain at least 1GB of free storage. Low storage is a silent cause of many app stability issues.
- Restart your phone weekly. This clears accumulated memory leaks and stale processes that can cause instability.
- Avoid using the wallet immediately after a major OS update. Wait a day or two for the wallet developer to release a compatibility update if needed.
- On Android, exclude the wallet from battery optimisation. This prevents the system from killing the wallet process during its startup sequence.
When to Contact Support
Contact your national wallet provider if:
- The app crashes on every launch attempt after trying all solutions above, including a full reinstall.
- You encounter a crash that causes data loss (credentials disappear without you removing them).
- The crash only started after a specific wallet update and rolling back is not possible.
- Your device meets all requirements but is explicitly listed as "incompatible" in the app store.
For your national wallet provider's support contact details, check the app store listing, your government's digital identity website, or the country pages on this site.