Samsung S25 Ultra Outlook Not Working After the April 2026 Update? Here’s What Actually Fixes It
You didn’t change anything. Outlook was working normally. Then, a day or two after your Samsung security update, it started hanging on a black screen, spinning forever, or dumping you back at the sign-in page.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone, and it’s probably not your email account or your password.Microsoft support moderators and many affected Samsung users traced this problem to a single phone component: Android System WebView.
This guide explains what went wrong, gives you the fix recommended in Microsoft support threads, and covers what to try if it did not work.
What Happened to Outlook After Samsung’s April 2026 Update?
Samsung’s April 2026 security update began reaching Galaxy phones in early April 2026. Within days, people reported that Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Word, Excel and Microsoft Authenticator had stopped working properly.
In Microsoft’s Q&A support forum, a moderator-recommended answer described the issue as a WebView regression introduced by Samsung’s April 2026 security update. German tech outlets such as heise, teltarif and borncity reported the same cause.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra was among the most frequently mentioned models in user reports. Users also reported it on the S24, S23, Z Fold 7 and S26 Ultra, so you don’t need an S25 Ultra to be affected.
What is Android System WebView, and why does it affect Outlook?
WebView is a built-in Android component that lets apps display web content inside themselves. Outlook and other Microsoft apps rely on it for parts of the sign-in screen and for loading some in-app content. When WebView misbehaves, those screens fail, so you see symptoms like these:
- Outlook stuck on a black screen or an endless loading circle
- Emails that stop updating even though the app opens
- Repeated sign-in or authentication prompts
- Links inside emails that won’t open
- Microsoft Authenticator opening to its logo and nothing else
- Teams, OneDrive and other Microsoft apps failing at the same time
Quick test: if Outlook works fine on your PC or in a browser but only fails on your Samsung, and other Microsoft apps on the phone are also acting up, WebView is the likely cause.
The Main Fix: Reset Android System WebView
This is the fix recommended in Microsoft support threads. Many users reported that it helped, although results varied and some people needed additional steps. Do not skip the reboots: several users said the fix only worked after restarting.
Step 1: Remove WebView updates
- Open Settings and search for “Android System WebView”.
- Tap App details in store, then Remove updates (or Uninstall updates).
- Restart your phone.
Can’t find WebView in the app list? Go to Settings > Google > All services > System services and select Android System WebView there. Samsung hides it from the normal app list on some phones.
Step 2: Update WebView again
- Go back to Android System WebView using the same path.
- Tap App details in store, then Update.
- Restart the phone again.
Step 3: Open Outlook and sign in
Launch Outlook and sign in again when prompted. One forum user said it worked immediately, while another said it worked after restarting the phone.
If the fix wears off
Some users said Outlook worked after the reset, then went back to the spinning circle after they closed and reopened it. Those users repeated the WebView reset or rebooted the phone each time. If that’s you, don’t assume you did it wrong. Move on to the next sections, because updating your Microsoft apps appears to have helped (see below).
Update the Apps Involved, Not Just WebView
Open the Google Play Store (or Galaxy Store) and update these:
- Outlook
- Microsoft Authenticator: one S25 Ultra owner reported that a Play Store update to Authenticator brought Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel back after a week of failures
- Google Chrome: updating Chrome alongside WebView is a common troubleshooting step for WebView-related problems, although it may not be necessary in every case.
- Microsoft Teams, if you use it
Fix Outlook Sign-In and Authentication Errors
If WebView is reset and Outlook still won’t sign you in, work through these in order, from least to most disruptive.
1. Turn off battery saver and restrictions
Microsoft’s support steps included turning off system power-saving mode. Also check Settings > Apps > Outlook > Battery and set it to Unrestricted so Android doesn’t put it to sleep in the background.
2. Switch Private DNS off
A reply in the Microsoft Tech Community suggested turning off Private DNS if the WebView reset isn’t enough. On a Samsung, go to Settings > Connections > More connection settings > Private DNS, switch it from Automatic to Off, then reboot. This came from a user suggestion rather than an official Microsoft step, so treat it as a “try if nothing else worked” option and turn it back on afterwards if you prefer.
3. Remove and re-add your account
Open Outlook, remove the account, and add it again through the normal setup flow. This is one of Microsoft’s own recommended steps for the issue.
4. Uninstall and reinstall Outlook
Microsoft’s support advice for this scenario is to uninstall Outlook (and Teams), then reinstall from the Play Store or Galaxy Store. Do this after the WebView reset, because on its own it didn’t fix the problem for several users.
5. Use Secure Folder as a stop-gap
One Samsung Community user found that installing the Microsoft apps inside Secure Folder restored normal sign-in, and another tester said Teams, Outlook and Authenticator worked there. It’s a workaround, not a cure, but it’s useful if you need email today. Note that Secure Folder keeps a separate copy of the app, so notifications and account setup are separate.
6. Work or school account? Check with your admin
If your Outlook account is managed by an employer, device policies (such as Intune or Company Portal) can add their own sign-in rules. Microsoft’s guidance for work and school accounts is to contact your Microsoft 365 admin or support if reinstalling doesn’t help.
Fix Outlook Sync and “Emails Not Updating” Problems
This was one of the most common complaints: Outlook opens, but no new mail has arrived for days. In one Microsoft forum case, the user only got mail syncing after removing and reinstalling WebView updates, then lost sync again when Outlook was reopened.
After the WebView reset, check the basics so a small setting isn’t hiding a bigger fix:
- Check Microsoft’s service status if only one account is affected.
- Re-add the account (described above) to force a fresh sync.
- Allow background data for Outlook under Settings > Apps > Outlook > Mobile data.
- Clear Outlook’s cache under Settings > Apps > Outlook > Storage > Clear cache. Avoid “Clear data” unless you’re ready to sign in again.
If you’ve done all that and your mail still lags, it may be a general sync problem rather than the WebView bug. Our walkthrough on why the Outlook inbox stops updating covers the other common causes.
Notifications Stopped Working?
Notification problems can follow sync problems: if Outlook cannot refresh mail, it may not be able to generate new-mail alerts. Fix sync first. Then check Settings > Notifications > App notifications > Outlook, and confirm Outlook isn’t in Samsung’s “sleeping apps” list under Settings > Battery > Background usage limits.
Links or Attachments Won’t Open
Users reported that Outlook failed to open links when WebView was the problem. I didn’t find a dedicated report about attachments, so treat this as a likely side effect rather than a confirmed one. The fix is the same WebView reset. In the meantime, you can open the same email in a browser or on your PC and save the file there.
Should You Uninstall Samsung’s April 2026 Update?
No. Security updates are hard to roll back on a Samsung, and this one patched dozens of vulnerabilities according to reports at the time. The bug is in a single component (WebView), and resetting that is much safer than undoing the whole update.
Is the Issue Fixed Permanently Yet?
Early reports in April expected Samsung or Microsoft to release a broader fix, but availability and timing were unclear. I couldn’t find an official statement from either company confirming a final resolution, so I can’t promise one. What I can say is that app updates and newer system updates helped several users, including the Authenticator update mentioned above. So:
- Check Settings > Software update for a newer Samsung patch.
- Keep WebView, Chrome and Outlook updated in the Play Store.
- If nothing works, report it through the Samsung Members app. Reports there were specifically encouraged.
Last updated: October 2026. Fixes for this issue may change as Samsung and Microsoft release new updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Outlook stop working on my Samsung S25 Ultra?
The most credible explanation, given by Microsoft’s support moderators and reported by several tech sites, is a WebView regression that came with Samsung’s April 2026 security update. It affects Microsoft apps because they rely on WebView for sign-in and some in-app content.
Is it only the S25 Ultra?
No. The S25 Ultra was among the most frequently mentioned models in user reports, but people also reported the issue on the S23, S24, Z Fold 7 and S26 Ultra.
How do I remove Android System WebView updates?
Go to Settings, search for Android System WebView, tap App details in store, then choose Remove updates. Restart, update it again, restart once more, and sign back in to Outlook.
Outlook works after the fix, then breaks again. Why?
Some users saw the problem come back after reopening the app. Repeating the reset or rebooting helped them temporarily. Update Outlook, Authenticator and Chrome, check for a newer Samsung patch, and try the Private DNS and Secure Folder workarounds.
Does this affect Teams and Authenticator too?
Yes. Reports included Teams, OneDrive, Word, Excel and Microsoft Authenticator. If several Microsoft apps failed at the same time, that points to WebView rather than an Outlook-specific problem.
What if nothing here works?
Try Outlook on another device or in a browser to confirm your account is fine. Then contact Microsoft Support (or your admin for a work account) and give them your Outlook version, WebView version, One UI version and security patch level. Microsoft’s forum moderators specifically asked for those details.
Sources Used for This Guide
- Microsoft Q&A threads for Outlook for Android (April 2026), including moderator-recommended answers
- Microsoft Tech Community discussion “Issues with Outlook and Teams on Android”
- Samsung Community threads on Microsoft apps and WebView (April 2026)
- Reports from heise-affiliated outlet teltarif, borncity and channelpartner.de