If you're running MS Launcher, don't restart your phone just yet

[davehorne]

Had I not restarted my phone, I wouldn't have had this issue.

The following is what I just wrote at the MS Launcher community ...

I had to restart my phone, a Samsung S23 Ultra, completely up-to-date, three times just to get into my phone.  I was forced to choose the Samsung OneUI as my launcher as I couldn't use my phone otherwise.

I was given on screen information that the app is crashing and needs to be updated ... or something like that.

If I choose the MS Launcher I just stare at a relatively empty screen and can't do anything.

I will assume there will be a fix for this issue shortly.  

[davehorne]

An update ... I uninstalled MS Launcher, reinstalled it, and restored a MS Launcher backup I had created a few days ago.   I even restarted my phone after doing that and the problem is gone.

If you're using MS Launcher, perform a backup, and simply restore that backup after you uninstall and reinstall MS Launcher.  

This was a hairy 30 minutes I won't get back.

[Tourbillon De La Vie]

who knows what caused it. i thought i might have been a corrupted setting and/or widget but restoring from backup excludes that

[JAMES4578]

@davehorne  May have been a bit frustrating but at least sorted.  I do not use MS Launcher myself mind you.

[davehorne]

I'm fairly certain that the backup of MS Launcher (from within MS Launcher) is only my personal settings and not a complete backup of the program. 

[MA70mgte]

This is what i needed to do for my S22 Ultra.  Un-install, re-install.

[davehorne]

There are others with the same issue.  

Cannot open phone using MS Launcher - Microsoft Community Hub