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How to Fix iPhone can't Download Apps? Here are the solutions.

Posted by Brian Davis on Jun 8, 2020 3:50 PM • Category: Fix iPhone Issues
5 mins read

fix iphone can't download apps

Many Apple users recently reported that they can't download apps on their iPhones after they updating their iOS system. And they keep asking why won't my phone download apps. If you also encounter the same trouble, you don't have to worry too much. Here we will make a detailed analysis of the reasons why this situation will happen and give you detailed instructions on how to fix it.

Part 1. Why can't I download apps on my iPhone?

The common reasons that caused this situation will be listed as follow:

1. Poor internet connection

2. A bug in the App Store

3. The incorrect iPhone settings

4. Low storage space on your iOS device

5. iOS system update bugs

Part 2. How to fix iPhone won’t download apps?

Here we will provide you the detailed tips on fixing this problem.

Tip 1. Check your Internet Connection

The first thing you should do is check your Wi-Fi connection. If your internet connection signal is very poor or your iPhone disconnects with the internet, you can't successfully download the apps from APP Store.

As Apple only allows up to 150 MB download, you need to switch to Wi-Fi connection if the download speed of your cellular data is very slow.

If your Wi-Fi still doesn't work, you can try another Wi-Fi network.

check your internet connection

Tip 2. Pause and Restart the App Download

After your iPhone network was reconnected, the App Download may be paused or has no response. So you can fix this problem by long-press the app icon and click 'Pause Download' and then restart the App download.

Tip 3. Check Storage Space on Your iPhone

If your iPhone storage space is insufficient, the system will automatically prevent the apps from being downloaded even if you have press the 'Download' button. Here are the ways to check the storage space on your phone.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings'

Step 2. Find 'General'

Step 3. Click on 'iPhone Storage' to check how much space is left.

check storage space on your iPhone

Tip 4. Sign out and Sign in to the App Store

You also can try to sign out and sign in to the App store. Here are the steps to do this.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings' > Find 'iTunes & App store'

Step 2. Tap the 'Apple ID'

Step 3. Tap 'Sign Out' in the pop-up window

Step 4. Tap the Apple ID again and sign in your Apple ID.

Then you can try to download apps again to find whether the problem has been fixed.

sign out and sign in to the app store

Tip 5. Disable restrictions for installing apps

You should check that if you have turned on iOS restriction, and make sure it is in the turn-off situation. Here are the steps to have a check.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings' > 'General' > Find 'Restrictions;

Step 2. Enter your passcode

Step 3. Turn off the button beside 'Installing Apps'.

disable restrictions for installing apps

Tip 6. Check your Apple ID payment

As we all know, some apps in the App stores are need to be paid and they cannot be download unless you have processed your payment successfully.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings'> Click [Your Name] > iTunes & App Store

Step 2. Tap 'Apple ID', tap 'View Apple ID'.

Step 3. Press the 'Manage Payments'.

Then you can add or remove the payment method in this interface by clicking the button in the red frame.

Tip 7. Restart your iPhone

Step 1. Press the button to which the blue arrow points according to the picture below until your phone's interface appears a slider.

restart iphone ways

Step 2. Drag the slider and wait for 30 seconds to turn off your phone.

Step 3. Press the button shown in the picture again to turn on your phone.

Tip 8. Update iPhone iOS system to the latest version

Your App Stores issues may also cause by some problems in the iOS system that haven't fixed. So here are the steps to update your system.

Step 1. Go to "Setting"> Find "General"

Step 2. Tap "Software Update"

Step 3. Choose "Install Now"

Tip 9. Reset your phone

Before resetting your iPhone to factory settings, you must back up your data first for this action will erase all the data on your phone.

To reset your phone, you should do the following steps.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings'> Find 'General'.

Step 2. Press 'Reset' at the bottom

Step 3. Tap 'Erase All Content and Settings'.

Notes: Remember to back up your iPhone data before your resetting and you can back up all your data by iCloud or iTunes.

Tip 10. Use an iOS System Recovery software

If iPhone can't download apps issue still can't be fixed after doing the 9 tips above, there is likely something wrong with your iOS system. Here I will recommend you to use a powerful system recovery software named TunesKit to help you fix it.

TunesKit iOS System Recovery can help you fix more than 50+ iOS issues like iPhone won't download apps, iPad won't charge without any data loss and the complicated process of backing up. It is more than an iOS repair tool, it can also help you downgrade iOS system and fix iTunes errors like Error 39 and 54, etc. More functions are waiting for you to explore, why not download it and have a try?

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Here are the detailed steps on fixing your problems by using TunesKit.

Step 1.Open TunesKit and Connect Your iPhone to PC

Open TunesKit on your computer. Then connect your phone with computer via a USB cable. After the computer has detected your phone, press "Start".

connect ios device

Step 2.Select a repairing mode and Download firmware package

To fix iPhone can't download apps, you should choose Standard Mode first.

select mode

Note: Standard Mode can solve the common iOS issues and repair the iOS system without any data loss. Advanced Mode can fix more serious iOS issues but it will erase all data on your phone.

Then, confirm your device info is correct and press "Download" to download the firmware package.

download firmware

Step 3. Recover the iOS system

After your firmware package has been downloaded, click the 'Repair' button and wait for the recovering process finished.

fix ios

TunesKit can also provide you the function of 1-click to enter/exit recovery mode for free. As it is very easy to operate, you can fix this problem by yourself without asking any help from a technical specialist, so you can download it and have a try.

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The Bottom Line

Here are all the contents on fixing iPhone can't download apps. If you still have any questions about the steps above, you can contact us by leaving your voice below. Or you can try to use TunesKit to fix your problem.

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