iPod Touch Safari Crashes

Apple iPod Touch 8 GB (approx. 1,750 songs) Email, Maps, and widgets for weather, notes and stocks. Also in 16 GB & 32 GB.

It seems that the iPod Touch version of the "Safari" web browser can get itself into a mode where it randomly crashes. Once it starts this unexplained crashing it begins to do it more frequently until you're forced to search for a solution on the web. (Which may be why you're reading this page right now. Hi! :-)

"Crash", in this case, means that Safari unexpectedly exits to the Touch springboard. It looks like an unseen finger pressed the home button.

It seems to be pretty well documented from the users' point of view but seems to have been missed at Apple over at least two revions of Touch code. (see, for example, these user forum reports including on the Apple support site: 3/8/08, 2/25/08, 1/7/08, 11/1/07, 3/15/07).

You'll want to note, by the way, that this bug only seems to appear on the iPod Touch (thru version 1.1.4) and does not appear on the iPhone. (I don't know if it is limited to the 8G and 16G ipodes.

Needless to say, it can be frustrating but there does seem to be a cure. Unexpected, to be sure, because it is the sort of thing that you have to do with Windows but a cure nevertheless. Here it is:

1. Reboot your iPod..

That's it.

If you're not familiar with rebooting your iPod Touch, this is how you do it:
1. Press and hold the "hold" button on the top edige of the iPod until the red "power off" slider appears.
2. Slide the red warning slider to the right.
3. Count to 10 or 15 just to let things settle in the circuitry then press the hold button to turn on your iPod again. You should see the silver apple logo as your ipod reboots.

That's it. Your Safari will stop crashing -- at least for a few days or maybe even weeks. When it starts doing the random crashing again, just reboot it again.