Galaxy Watch Apps Fail to Open on Wear OS 6 as May 2026 Update May Fix Bug
Updated
Updated · Android Authority · Jun 18
Galaxy Watch Apps Fail to Open on Wear OS 6 as May 2026 Update May Fix Bug
3 articles · Updated · Android Authority · Jun 18
Summary
Galaxy Watch owners say apps including Gmail, Google Calendar and WhatsApp flash a splash screen for a few seconds, then dump users back to the app drawer.
Wear OS 6 is believed to be causing the failures through a kernel-level glitch that leaves “ghost” threads or zombie processes stuck in memory, blocking the app from relaunching.
Reddit reports cited by Android Authority say multiple users have seen the issue, including a Galaxy Watch 8 Classic owner who first described the failed launches.
A Galaxy Watch 7 user said the May 2026 security update appears to have stopped the bug from recurring, suggesting Samsung or Google may already have a partial fix in circulation.