If you’re a Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes player and recently noticed your app crashing every time you launch the game with audio turned off, you’re definitely not the only one. This issue has been frustrating both iOS and Android users for months—especially those who prefer to play the game silently during work breaks or in public places.
You launch the game, skip the opening logos, and before you even enter the Cantina, the app closes itself. No warning, no freeze—just a full crash to home screen. And oddly enough, this only seems to happen when your device’s audio is muted or the game’s sound is disabled in the settings.
In this post, we’ll explore why this bug is happening, who it affects, and—most importantly—how to fix it using real-world solutions that players have confirmed to work. Whether you’re an F2P player grinding for Jedi Master Kenobi or a long-time collector of relic-level squads, this guide will help you keep the game stable no matter your audio settings.
Why Does the App Crash When Audio Is Off?
At first glance, this issue might seem trivial—how can turning off sound crash a game?
But when you dig deeper into the way mobile games like Galaxy of Heroes are built, it starts to make sense. Game audio is more than just music and effects. It’s often tied to animation triggers, memory allocation, and even network requests.
Here’s what’s likely happening:
The game’s engine is trying to load audio-dependent assets (like background music or battle sound cues)
When audio is disabled (either in your device settings or within the app), those assets fail to initialize
Instead of skipping gracefully, the game throws an exception and force-closes
This is a common bug pattern in Unity-based and proprietary mobile game engines, especially when the audio module is hardcoded as part of the game’s load order.
Devices Most Affected by the Audio Crash Bug
The crash doesn’t affect every user equally. Based on hundreds of player reports across forums and support channels, here’s where the bug appears most often:
Android 12 and 13 users (especially Samsung Galaxy and Pixel phones)
iOS devices running iOS 16 or later, particularly when “Silent Mode” is enabled
Users who disabled in-game music or sound effects manually through the Settings > Audio menu
Players using Bluetooth earbuds or external audio output (but with no sound playing)
Also, if you’re using Do Not Disturb or Focus Mode with sound restrictions, the game may mistakenly assume it cannot access the device’s audio channel, triggering a crash.
Step-by-Step Fixes for Android Users
Let’s start with Android. If your game crashes when audio is disabled, here are several solutions to try:
Fix 1: Re-enable Game Audio in In-Game Settings
If you can open the app, go to Settings > Audio
Make sure Music and Sound FX are both enabled
Restart the app
Even if your phone is on mute, having in-game audio “on” can prevent the crash.
Fix 2: Change App Sound Settings via Android Settings
Go to Settings > Apps > Galaxy of Heroes
Tap Permissions, then check Microphone and Media access
Go back and tap Battery > set to Unrestricted
Under Notifications, make sure sound isn’t blocked
Reboot your phone
This clears any background restrictions that may block the app’s sound engine from initializing properly.
Fix 3: Force Audio to Load via Developer Options
If you’re an advanced user:
Enable Developer Options (tap Build Number 7 times under About Phone)
Open Developer Options
Scroll to Media or Audio debugging sections
Disable Disable Audio Routing or Audio offload settings
Some users reported this forced the game to load without crashing, even in silent mode.
Fixes for iOS Users Facing Silent Mode Crashes
On iPhone or iPad, the issue often relates to how iOS handles silent mode and background apps.
Fix 1: Turn Off Silent Mode
Flip the mute switch on the left side of your iPhone (if available)
Make sure ringer volume is above zero
Relaunch the app
This one change has fixed the issue for many iPhone users instantly.
Fix 2: Reinstall the Game With Default Settings
Delete the app
Restart your device
Reinstall Galaxy of Heroes from the App Store
Launch the app and do not disable audio
This resets the app’s internal configuration. Once it’s stable, you can reduce the device volume instead of disabling audio completely.
Fix 3: Use Wired or Bluetooth Headphones
Even if you don’t plan to listen to audio, plugging in headphones (wired or wireless) tricks the app into initializing its sound system properly. It’s a strange workaround, but it works.
If you’re using AirPods or similar devices, just connecting them can sometimes prevent the crash—even if you don’t play any sound.
Additional Workarounds Confirmed by the Community
Beyond platform-specific fixes, here are some general methods that have worked for many players:
Lower screen resolution or frame rate in device settings (especially on high-end phones)
Close background apps that might use audio resources (like YouTube, Spotify)
Avoid minimizing the app immediately after launch. Let it fully load before multitasking.
Use Game Mode or Performance Mode if your phone offers it
Some users have shared in the Galaxy of Heroes community that disabling developer tools like screen recorders or overlays (e.g., Game Launcher, Game Turbo) can also help stabilize audio processing at launch.
Reporting the Issue to EA Help or Bug Tracker
If none of the above solutions work for you, the issue may need to be escalated to EA’s technical team.
To submit a report:
Go to EA Help
Sign in and click Contact Us
Select Technical Issues > App Crashing
Include:
Your device model and OS version
Game version number
When the crash happens (e.g., “After launching with muted volume”)
Any error messages or logs, if available
Alternatively, you can join the discussion in this community crash thread where developers monitor ongoing bug reports.
A Final Word: Play Quietly, Play Safely
Until an official patch is rolled out, this crash bug may continue to affect players who prefer a silent gameplay experience. But with the right settings and a little creativity, you don’t have to choose between sound and stability.
The key takeaways:
Keep audio enabled inside the game even if your device is muted
Avoid modifying system-level audio settings before launching
Use headphones if necessary to trick the audio engine
Report consistent crashes to EA so the bug gets prioritized
If you want to stay updated on bug fixes, patches, and performance tips for Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes, this official EA help section is a good place to keep bookmarked.