This is a rare problem but that usually arises after applying a faulty update and the best example is the arrival of MIUI 12.0.2 on compatible Xiaomi phones, causing the phones to stop working normally by preventing some apps connect to the Internet.
This is a rather curious bug because there does not seem to be a common point between the affected apps and it usually appears randomly. Today it may affect Google Discover but tomorrow you may run out of Internet access on WhatsApp. The thing is more worrying if one of the apps that remains without access to the Internet is the Play Store, the store and nerve center of all our applications on Android.
Luckily, there are a series of solutions that will surely end the failure you are suffering and will make your life much easier, although first you must take a couple of things into account.
First of all … Do you have a VPN installed?
It does not matter if you are working with a data network or connected to Wi-Fi. A VPN network, if you are using it, you will know that it alters the connection protocols to the Internet and this can negatively influence how the different apps that we have installed on the smartphone use the Internet.
For this reason, to check if the problem lies with that VPN or not, it is best to deactivate it and even, if you can, completely uninstall the app. Then test if the affected apps are working normally, and if so, try to work with another VPN.
Is the problem with the Play Store?
If the problem of apps without connection to the Internet occurs with the Android store, you can drag the rest of the apps since the Play Store depends, for example, its updates.
To solve this failure, the first thing you have to do is restart the device. It may sound simple, but sometimes it’s the only thing you need to do to reestablish an unstable connection. If problems continue after restarting the device, switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data and see if the fault is coming from either side. Open the Settings app and then go into “Wireless & networks” or “Connections.” Turn off Wi-Fi, turn on mobile data, and check for any changes. If everything remains the same, turn off mobile data, turn on Wi-Fi, and see if it works.
If neither option works, you must clear the app’s cache from the Settings menu, Applications, select Play Store and, within the storage menu, select Clear cache and Clear storage.
Fix internet access for your apps
In the event that the problem occurs with different apps, the solutions are to apply the same advice as when the Android store fails.
Check network access and airplane mode
The first thing you should do, as obvious as it may seem, is to check that you have not accidentally touched the mobile and have deactivated the Wi-Fi connection or data connection. In the same way, you should check that the airplane mode, which “layer” the mobile connections is not activated either.
Restart the mobile
Again the restart of the mobile is our friend again. The trick of every computer scientist worth his salt is to turn off the computer for a few seconds as soon as the first problem appears. This will eliminate possible failures inherited by the continuous operation of the equipment, in the case at hand, it can return Network connectivity to apps that could not access the Internet .
Is the app updated?
When before we talked about the importance of the Play Store, this is why. If an app has not been updated for a long time, malfunctions such as losing access to the Internet may appear. Precisely the updates of our apps are to avoid or correct these errors and, without a doubt, keeping yourself updated is essential today.
To check all pending updates to your apps, go to the Play Store, display the side menu and choose “My applications and games” Update all those apps that are working with an old version.
Clear the app memory
If the problem is always repeated with the same apps, it is most likely that they are the culprits, and not the mobile. Well, try to uninstall and reinstall them again but it is easier to access the Settings menu, open the Applications panel and choose the affected ones to erase their data and cache from the Storage options.
This should completely eliminate the configuration errors that cause this annoying problem.
Safe Mode
Many times, detecting what is causing this headache is usually complicated but fortunately our Android phones have a safe mode that disables the apps and allows us to check if the failure is replicated. You can press and hold the power button until the option to start in safe mode appears or, with the mobile turned off, turn on by pressing and holding the volume down button until the device starts up and you see “safe mode” on the screen.
If everything works fine here, the problem is probably in a recently installed app and you will have to locate it to delete it.
Restore the phone
The perfect solution to the failure of apps that do not have Internet access on Android but that we leave for the last place because using it entails the loss of all the data that we have hosted on the mobile, be it apps, passwords, photos, videos or audios. For this reason, before proceeding, you should make a backup copy of all your content to be able to recover it later.
Once this is done, you must go to the Settings app, go to the System menu, select Backup and restore and find the options to “reset phone” or “erase data”. Follow the instructions to return the mobile to its factory condition, eliminating problems and errors and leaving it as fresh out of the box.
