PSA: Don't update Twitter for Android right now; app crashing constantly

Twitter logo on a Pixel 4 XL (Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)

What you need to know

Twitter rolled out an update that's causing the app to immediately crash.
You're advised to hold off from installing the update while Twitter investigates the issue.
If you've already installed the app, you'll have to clear the cache or storage to get it to work again.

It's uncommon to find wide-ranging bugs affecting a lot of users, but that's exactly what's going on with the Twitter for Android app right now. The company rolled out an update to its first-party app today — bringing it to version 8.28 — but the update is now causing the app to immediately crash upon launch.

Twitter is now advising users to hold off from installing the update until it fixes the issue:

We're investigating a problem with the latest version of our Android app that causes it to crash immediately once it's opened. If you use Twitter for Android, we suggest not updating it until we let you know it's fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience!We're investigating a problem with the latest version of our Android app that causes it to crash immediately once it's opened. If you use Twitter for Android, we suggest not updating it until we let you know it's fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience!— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 21, 2020 January 21, 2020

If you've already installed the update and are not able to use Twitter, you can go to the app's info page and clear data and storage to get it working again. Here's the flow: Settings -> Apps -> Twitter -> Storage & cache -> Clear storage -> Clear cache. Doing so will reset settings like dark theme, and you may also have to log back into the service.

If you haven't installed the update just yet, make sure you disable apps from automatically updating on the Play Store. Here's what you need to do: Play Store overflow menu (three horizontal lines at the top) -> Settings -> Auto-update apps -> Don't auto-update apps.

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor overseeing mobile coverage. In his current role, he leads the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.