Android System WebView allows your device to display web-based content inside regular apps without resorting to a web browser like Chrome.

The WebView app is essential to most modern Android device's operation and can't be disabled or uninstalled without consequence. It's possible to disable Android System WebView on older devices ...

You can find its options by navigating to Settings > Apps > See all apps and selecting "Android System WebView." Here, you can disable the service, force-stop it, or reset its data.

Assuming you still have those versions of Android running on your phone, here’s what you can do to disable System WebView. First, go to Settings > Apps/Application > More > Show system.

Your privacy here is more tied to the websites you interact with than to the WebView app itself. If you want to learn more about Android System WebView, you can always dig a little deeper.

Update (8:26 PM ET): Google has confirmed the issue and its link to the WebView app. According to a spokesperson, "We are aware of an issue with WebView causing some apps on Android to crash.

In Android 4.4 KitKat, WebView became powered by Chromium, and in Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google made it possible to update WebView independently of the Android platform, just like an app.

WebView is a tool developers use to allow their apps to render webpages, without the need to open the content in an external browser. Now with Google adding it directly to the Play Store, much ...