Facing a Problem in an App: Steps to Follow Before Uninstalling It
How many times have you downloaded an app only to uninstall it some hours later? How many times have you uninstalled an app, because you thought that it didn’t offer the features it promised to in the app description? Although some apps may indeed have a misleading description, most quality apps do offer what they promise to. If you’re facing a problem with an app that has good reviews, you may need to check again and make sure that you’ve followed the steps below, before moving on to uninstall it.
Is it the app or is it just you?
Most developers that develop apps with a variety of features, have taken care to include a short tutorial or provide hints to a first-time user. These are shown the first time a user opens the app and usually include step-by-step instructions on how to make full use of the app. Most of the times these instructions come with a “don’t show again” or “got it” checkbox to prevent the app from spamming you with the same information every time you open it. Although they usually need less than a minute to go through them, most users overlook these instructions and move on to tick the respective checkbox, thus disabling the app from showing the instructions again.
We, developers, absolutely love that you feel enthusiastic about our app and want to start using it right away! However, we want to make sure that you will have the best experience you could and this is why we have put time and effort to include clear-cut instructions on how to use the app. So, first rule of gold: please take a minute to go through the tutorials or hints. It may save you a lot of time and frustration later!
But what if you have already disabled these instructions? Developers have provided for this case too. Most quality apps have a “Help” menu where you can find more detailed instructions on how to use the app, answers to frequently asked questions and – in some cases – information on how to solve a possible problem in the app. You will usually find this menu under the general “Settings” (⚙️) menu. Here is an example of how to find a help menu in an app:
What do other people have to say?
If you followed the steps above and the problem in the app is still there, it’s time to check what other users have said about this app. Visit the app store and have a look at the reviews. Most of the times developers of quality apps check the reviews and reply to any queries. So, look for reviews that mention facing the same problem as you. If the developer has provided any relevant instructions, you just need to follow them! There is also the case that the problem is known to the developers and they are in the process of fixing it. In that case, they will most probably leave a reply saying that they are working on it. If you really like the app, you can wait for an update.
There is also a possibility that the developer has left the reviews unanswered or that there are no reviews concerning your issue. In that case, it’s time to talk to them! You will find the developers’ contact details in the app’s page on the app store. Some of the developer companies have also added their social media profiles, so you can either send them an e-mail or even chat with them. Do not hesitate to contact them and ask for help or even ask for new features you would like to see in the app. Developers will be grateful that you decided to turn to them for support instead of leaving a bad review or uninstalling the app and they will do their best to satisfy your needs.
An update may solve a problem in an app…
…so, keep your app up-to-date! As mentioned before, if a problem has already been brought to the developers’ attention, it is highly likely that they are preparing an update to solve it. However, there are a lot of cases when a new, problem-free version of the app has been published, but users are still facing the same problems, because they haven’t updated the app. So, make sure that you always have the latest version of the app installed. To check whether there is an update, go to your account on the app store and check whether there are any pending updates in the “My apps and games” menu.
Last but not least…
… leave a review! If the app fulfills your expectations, leave a review saying what it is that you like more about it. If you had a communication with the developer company and the result was satisfying, share your positive experience with a review. On the other hand, if you have followed all the steps above and you are still facing problems using the app, it’s time to leave a review mentioning the difficulties you had.