iPhone doesn't want to download apps. App Store does not download applications: what to do

The reason why we decided to use iPhone is because the App Store has many interesting and useful applications that we can download. But recently, some users have reported an issue that App Store is not downloading or updating apps after installing the latest iOS 12 on iPhone/iPad. This is a huge problem since you can't download apps, especially since you can't update the ones you have installed. Let's see how you can solve these problems.

Troubleshooting if the App Store won't download or update apps

Before you try some of the solutions listed below, we suggest you wait a little longer. As the reason why you can't download or update an app on iPhone after iOS 12/11.2/11.1 update is probably a problem with Apple's server. When they fix the servers, the problem will go away on its own. However, if this issue still exists for more than a few hours or more, try the solutions listed below.

1. Check your internet connection

If the App Store is not downloading apps, make sure you have a stable internet connection to download and install apps from the App Store. This error may occur if your network connection is unstable or the network settings on your Apple device are not configured correctly. If necessary, reset the network settings in the menu “Settings” → “General” → “Reset” → “Reset network settings”.

2. Force restart your iPhone

Press and hold the Home button and the Wake/Sleep button until the Apple logo appears. For iPhone 7 users, press the Home button and Volume Down button to do this. For iPhone8/X users: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then press and quickly release the Volume Down button, finally press and hold the Side (Sleep/Wake) button until the Apple logo appears.


3. Completely remove the application from settings

This is by far the most effective method if your apps are stuck downloading/installing/updating after iOS 11 update. This will remove the stuck app from your iPhone or iPad, hence you can reinstall one app from App Store. Go to Settings → General → Storage & iCloud → Manage. Select the app that you can't download or update and uninstall it. After uninstalling it, open the App Store and reinstall the app you uninstalled earlier.


4. Download the app to iTunes and sync it with your device

If your iPhone does not download applications from the App store, an alternative method is to open iTunes on your computer and download the required application. After downloading the app, sync it with your iPhone or iPad. Here's how you can do it.

  • Launch iTunes on your computer and click on App Store on the screen.
  • Select the app you want to download to your iPhone.
  • After downloading the app, connect your iPhone to PC using a USB cable and open it in iTunes and install it on your device.

5. Reset all settings

Another way to fix this problem is to reset all settings on your iPhone. This method has also helped some users deal with this problem. But the downside is that all your personalized data and customized app settings will also be deleted in the process.

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all settings.


After resetting, try installing or updating apps again.

6. Change language and region

Go to “Settings”> “General”> “Language and Region”> “Add language”> “English” After downloading the application, change the language to Russian.


7. Troubleshooting with Tenorshare ReiBoot

If you have tried all the solutions we have listed but you are unable to download or update apps, you can fix your operating system using iPhone Repair Tool - which provides a FREE solution to fix all iOS problems. Now let's see how it works.

Step 1: Click the Fix Operating System “Solve All iOS Freezes” button on the main window to enter system recovery.


Step 2: Click "Download" and download the firmware package

The iPhone has a lot of applications that make the daily hustle and bustle easier and life becomes a little easier when the gadget can warn you about some important meeting, call or business. But sometimes the technology fails and you notice that the iPhone does not download the applications that you need. There are some actions that will help in such a situation. If you don't know how to do it yourself, specialists will do it for you at the following prices from the list below.

  • If a similar problem occurs, restart the device. There may have been some error in the code that caused the loop to repeat in a circular manner. All this prevents you from downloading applications. Restarting will update all iPhone programs and activities so you can continue downloading.
  • Also, if the iPhone does not download applications, it will be possible to do an “Update” of the firmware, which will lead to the same settings that were present when purchased or to the factory settings.
  • You definitely need to check if your friends who own iDevice have a similar problem. This could be a widespread problem that is repeated on a large number of devices.
  • Try downloading not through your phone, but directly through a connection to your computer and iTunes.
  • If this does not help and the iPhone does not update applications, restore from a backup copy that had working settings and check if you can download any messages.
  • Such problems may be due to a common glitch in the firmware. You should also avoid “Beta” versions, which do not yet have quality parameters and may have errors that lead to problems.
  • Problems with the AppStore itself may result in no one being able to download the application. This could be a problem with one specific program or a lot.
  • One of the surefire ways to fix programs not downloading or updating is this: go to “Settings” and look at the statistics of all the programs that you have on your device. Of these, there may be some that have an empty field in the size column. If you see this, you should simply remove the program from there and run it again. This will help you download the app correctly and keep it updated without any interruptions.

Users of Apple products often encounter the following problem: applications in the App Store are not updated. The company itself does not comment on problems with updates and errors when downloading applications. Users have to find a solution on their own, going through different stages, from simple to complex.

In order to deal with gray icons when waiting, as well as the fact that applications in the App Store on the iPhone are not updated, it is better to perform each step in turn, since the download can continue at any time, and the need for subsequent actions will simply disappear.

Follow the news

Before you start getting angry at your smartphone or tablet, you need to put aside your laziness and go to sites with news related to everything related to Apple products. It is quite possible that there will be news about problems with the company’s servers or problems experienced by the application store. The company will do everything that depends on it, because if applications in the App Store are not updated, it suffers big losses and loses trust, which is not good.

Checking your Internet connection

One of the common reasons why there is a problem with the update is the usual lack of Internet connection or a problem with the wireless network surrounding the user. After all, an icon showing that there is a connection does not mean anything. No connection - applications in the App Store are not updated. To eliminate this problem, just open your browser and try to open any page. If everything is good, then you need to move on to the next step.

Stop downloading

If there is a gray icon that is waiting or downloading for a very long time, then you need to stop the download. It's not entirely clear why apps in the App Store won't update, but if you tap on the icon and stop downloading, and then tap again to resume, the app may continue to download and the problem will be resolved.

Turning airplane mode on or off

You can try to resume downloading by temporarily switching to flight mode. To do this, you need to swipe up and down and click on the airplane icon. After a few seconds, you need to turn off the mode again by pressing again.

Uninstalling the application and reinstalling it

If applications are not updated via the App Store, then complete uninstallation followed by reinstallation can help. To do this, you need to hold your finger on the application icon and go to edit mode. After tapping on the small cross that appears, the application will be deleted. You can now launch the app store and reinstall.

Re-authorization

You can bring a frozen application back to life by logging out of your account and logging in again. To do this, you need to open the application store and go to the “Selection” tab. Here you need to tap on the account name and select “Exit” in the window that opens. Here you will need to log in to your account again, and then try to download the application again.

Restarting the device

If applications in the App Store are still not updated, another treatment option may be to restart your smartphone or tablet. To do this, you need to hold down the power key and turn off the device. Once it is enabled again, the application can continue its installation.

Synchronizing purchases with your computer

If the above steps did not help solve the problem, and the applications are still not updated, you need to synchronize your device with the version of iTunes that is installed on your desktop computer. To do this, the device is connected to the PC on which the application is running. You need to make sure that you are logged into your account correctly. Accounts on your mobile device and computer must match. You need the “Synchronization” item.

Reset

A radical way to help resume downloading is to completely reset the device. First of all, the network settings are reset. If that doesn't help, you'll have to reset all settings. Before doing this, be sure to make a backup copy of all necessary data.

DFU mode

This is the last hope. Why aren't apps updated in the App Store? It could be a problem with the firmware. This mode is necessary in order to restore this very firmware. The device connects to a computer running iTunes. Then you need to hold down the power key and immediately after that press Home. After 10 seconds, the device should reboot. The keys must be held until the company logo appears on the screen. At this point, you need to release the power button and continue to hold Home until the iTunes logo appears. After a message appears on the computer stating that the device is in recovery mode, you can exit DFU. You need to press both keys again for 10 seconds until the smartphone or tablet restarts.

“This couldn’t have happened under Steve Jobs,” is the first thought that comes to mind when, for the second hour in a row, you’ve been trying to revive a dead gray utility icon loading from the app store.

Regarding difficulties with updating software for the iOS system and glitches when downloading from the official server. Apple does not comment in any way on why applications sometimes fail to download. Users themselves have to look for answers to questions, try stages one by one: from the simplest to the most complex.

Note: If you have a problem with the “gray waiting icon” and are experiencing errors when downloading the application from the app store, we recommend that you follow the instructions.

Must remember! At any time, downloading from the store server can resume and there will be no need for this instruction.

Ten options to fix the problem

What to do if the app store is not responding? Before using your tablet or smartphone, spend time browsing your news feed. You may find news that “the AppStore server has crashed” or the store is experiencing difficulties, and developers are activating resources to resume the operation of the resource.

1. Check your internet connection

It may also be that the iPhone does not update the widget due to a lack of remaining traffic in the tariff plan or problems with the Wi-Fi router. The LTE, 3G, or Wi-Fi connection icon is not an indicator.

How to fix: Open Safari and go to the first page you come across. If the connections are in perfect order, move on to the next step.

2. Restart the download

A frozen gray icon that remains in the “Waiting” status for a long time is an excellent reason to stop downloading from the app store.

How to solve: Click on the icon, thereby stopping the loading of a program that stubbornly shows no signs of life. Pressing it again will restore communication with the app store server.

3. On-off flight mode

There is a possibility of resuming the download with a short transition to normal aircraft mode.

How to fix: On the unlocked screen, move your finger from bottom to top and tap on the airplane icon. Wait a couple of moments and turn off the mode by single-clicking on the liner image.

4. Delete the widget and install again

If widgets do not load, uninstalling the program (if possible) and reinstalling it in the future can help solve the problem.

How to solve: hold your finger over the frozen icon and wait until it enters edit or delete mode (shaking icons). Tap on the cross that appears next to the icon and delete the program. Open the app store and reinstall what you need.

5. Install the second program at the same time

If applications are not downloaded from the app store, you can resume downloading and establish contact with the store by downloading another additional widget.

How to fix: Go to the app store and download any program. Once the download begins, a frozen program may automatically continue downloading.

6. Login to your account again

A frozen program download can be brought to life by logging out of your account and then entering your login and password.

How to solve: open the AppStore and go to the Collections tab. Click on the account name and select Log Out. On the same page, log in to your account again and repeat the software installation.

If applications in the app store are not updated, the next way to treat a “gray” widget stuck and stuck in downloading is to reboot the device.

How to fix: hold down the Power button and turn off the device. After turning on, the utility will start downloading automatically. You can also use a hard reboot: hold down the Home and Power buttons for a few seconds.

8. Sync purchases with Mac/PC

When none of the methods described above has an effect and applications are not downloaded from the appstore (and you cannot pause the download or delete them), you need to synchronize with the desktop version of iTunes.

Instructions:

  • Connect your iOS device to your laptop or PC running iTunes.
  • Make sure that you are logged into a valid account (the account from which you are downloading from the app store must be the same in iTunes).
  • Next you need to select “Synchronization”.

9. Hard reset

If applications in the app store are not updated, you can restore the download of the program using a radical method - a complete reset of settings.

How to solve: start small and reset your Internet settings: open Settings, then expand the Reset menu, select Reset network settings. If this does not have an effect, you need to prepare to return the settings to factory settings. Before doing this, back up your iOS device. Open Settings, select General, then Reset, and finally Reset everything.

10. Go to DFU mode

When the app store does not work or applications do not load, the last resort for purchasing a widget or updating it may be to switch the iPhone to DFU service mode.

How to log into DFU correctly:

  • Connect the long-suffering smart device to a laptop or PC.
  • Launch the official iTunes utility.
  • Press the Power button and then Home.
  • Hold for about 10 seconds.
  • After this time, the iPhone or iPad will restart.
  • Continue pressing the buttons until a bitten apple appears.
  • When the Apple logo appears, release the ON button and hold Home until the iTunes picture appears with the cable connected.
  • We are waiting for iTunes to write that the iOS device is in recovery mode and DFU is no longer required. To do this, simultaneously hold down Home and Power and wait for the reboot.

Conclusion

The article examined the most common reasons why the iPhone does not load or update programs from the official Apple store, and found a solution for them. Before you blame Apple engineers, check your Internet settings, in 90% of cases this is the problem. Be careful and see you on the site!

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Almost every iOS application developer periodically makes various additions and amendments to them, as a result of which iPad users need to update the programs installed on their devices. Of course, some software can be used without updating, but in this case the speed and stability of the applications may be reduced. Among other things, updating applications allows you to expand their functionality.

However, some owners of Apple devices encounter such a problem as applications on the iPad are not updated. This problem can be caused by several reasons and, as a rule, is easily solved in a couple of steps.

What to do if apps won't load on iPad

Problem #1. When trying to install a new version of the program, the user sees the message: “Your payment method is not accepted...”. Its appearance is a sign that the owner of an iPad or iPhone has a debt to the App Store - when purchasing software, the amount of money necessary to pay for it was not on the card linked to the Apple ID. In this case, the device owner will not be able to either update the application or download a new one.

There is only one solution, and it is obvious - need to pay off debt, that is, top up the card specified in your account or link a new one. All existing debts will be written off, and the user will be able to download and update applications.

Problem #2. If your device is running low on free space and you don't know how to update an app on your iPad, then you need to know that to successfully update any app installed on iOS, you must have twice as much free space on your device as it occupies. Thus, if the iPad reports that there is not enough free space for the update, then it must be freed up.

Problem #3. Sometimes users of Apple tablets and smartphones encounter a situation where, during an application update, an error appears with the message: "Unable to load program". If the iPad App Store does not download a program, this is most often caused by a poor Internet connection or problems with Apple servers. However, in some cases, the problem can only be resolved by re-authorizing the content store. To do this, click on the button in the error window "Ready", log out of your account and log in again (use the account under which the software was purchased). Click on the shortcut for the application in standby mode.

Problem #4. Since any applications for Apple mobile devices are tied to the account of the user who purchased them. To update them, you simply need to know both the Apple ID itself and the password for it. This even applies to hacked programs, since before they were hacked, someone bought them. Thus, it is impossible to update an offer without knowing the details of the account from which it was purchased. In such a situation, it is better to uninstall the program and install it again using your registration data.

Problem #5. Sometimes you may encounter a situation where there is no software in the “Updates” section of the Apple Store, but the store icon itself shows that they are available. Most often this is caused by temporary glitches, and you can solve the problem like this:

  • reboot the device;
  • unload the store application from memory and download it again;
  • Log in to the Apple Store again.

If such actions do not help, then you should wait a while or how to update the game (application) on the iPad via a computer, that is, using iTunes.