Solution to gmail problem following Android update

[AndyinSuffolk]

I thought it would be helpful to let others know of a solution I found for a problem I had a couple of months ago with Google's gmail on my Samsung J5 (2016) following an update from Android 6 to 7.

Following the update, gmail stopped fetching the emails automatically. I could retrieve them manually but it wasn't working properly despite all the setting being OK. I searched the internet and tried various changes to settings without avail. I did find a suggestion to uninstall gmail but under the App menu it can be disabled but not uninstalled.Also I didn't want to have to set up my 4 email addressess again.

What did work was uninstalling updates and then reinstalling them.

The steps were:

1. Go to Google Play app
2. From menu choose My apps & games
3. Go to Installed apps and select gmail
4. Select Uninstall
5. Answer Yes to question about wanting to uninstall updates
6. Reinstall updates

I did not have to re-enter the email server details and gmail is now working as intended.

[Cleoriff · Accepted solution]

Very useful info @AndyinSuffolk Thanks for posting

[AndyinSuffolk]

Hopefully sharing the solution will save others time and irritation.

Before I solved it, I tried other email clients. Samsung's own client, Email, did retrieve messages automatically but it does not appear to support "identities" (I have 2 in addition to the 4 email addresses) nor would it allow a secure SSL connection to one of the IMAP mail servers I use. K9 does support identities and the connections to all servers were secure but it also failed to poll the servers automatically. 

My wife also has a Samsung J5 (2016) and that also stopped retrieving emails after the system update. The fix worked on her phone as well.

[jonsie]

Thanks for that @AndyinSuffolk and I'm sure it will help others 😀

[Marjo]

Thanks for this @AndyinSuffolk!