First Direct app on Android fails every few months, needs reinstalling

EthicsGradient

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

Nasqueron

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

What version of Android and what phone?

I have used it on a Pixel 6 Pro on at least 13-15, probably 12 and had no issues

EthicsGradient

Nasqueron said:

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

What version of Android and what phone?

I have used it on a Pixel 6 Pro on at least 13-15, probably 12 and had no issues

Samsung Galaxy A03s, Android 13.

EarthBoy

I'm on Android 14, Moto G34, and I've never had that problem.  I never had it on any of my other phones, or other Android versions, either. 

flaneurs_lobster

EthicsGradient said:

Nasqueron said:

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

What version of Android and what phone?

I have used it on a Pixel 6 Pro on at least 13-15, probably 12 and had no issues

Samsung Galaxy A03s, Android 13.

Is it possible that this could be Android Go? If it is then banking (and other) apps may not play well.

Nasqueron

flaneurs_lobster said:

EthicsGradient said:

Nasqueron said:

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

What version of Android and what phone?

I have used it on a Pixel 6 Pro on at least 13-15, probably 12 and had no issues

Samsung Galaxy A03s, Android 13.

Is it possible that this could be Android Go? If it is then banking (and other) apps may not play well.

If it's the A03S like OP said, it came with 11 and was upgradable to 13 (only the A03 Core was Go), it's getting on for 3 1/2 years old but shouldn't be a major issue as FD support 9 upwards. Most likely it's just a duff phone, particularly if it's the 3GB / 32GB model

EthicsGradient

Well, it could be a "duff phone", but only First Direct suffers from this problem.

Nasqueron

EthicsGradient said:

Well, it could be a "duff phone", but only First Direct suffers from this problem.

But equally anecdotally, I installed it once a few years ago and never had an issue so who knows

HillStreetBlues

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

Have you tried "force stop"?

EthicsGradient

HillStreetBlues said:

EthicsGradient said:

Hi,
Every few months, my First Direct app (on Android) just decides to stop working - it gives a "try again later" message, but that never happens - once it's got into this state, it's stuck there. The first time this happened, after over a day of not working, I phoned them up and the helpline said breezily "oh, just uninstall and reinstall it", as if this is a normal thing (though not so normal that they've fixed the app to at least suggest reinstalling because it's broken).

This did work, and so, when it happens again (5 times a year?), that's what I do - but it's a pain in the backside, and I always worry it'll somehow say "no, you can't connect to your account".

Does everyone (on Android? Apple?) have to do this? I worry the quality of their app writing is not top notch.

Have you tried "force stop"?

I think I did the first time - and powering down and back up the phone, for that matter.

Yorkie1

I have a Xiaomi and haven't had any problems with the FD app (touch wood!)