Why Are My Apps Not Downloading on My New iPhone 13?

Apps are the most important part of the Smartphone user experience, and daily we use a number of apps for different purposes. Some to help organize our files and schedules, others to entertain us, a few to keep us connected to our loved ones and the happenings of the world, etc. 

Usually, downloading and installing applications on an iPhone is an easy and glitch-free experience. Still, sometimes new apps you want on your iPhone 13 don’t download from the Apple App Store. Issues arise when attempting to update the apps on your iPhone 13 but remain queued.

The apps not downloading on iPhone 13 may be caused by a handful of complications, which we will address in this article. We will also provide systematic guides for troubleshooting the issue so you can get back to downloading apps to your iPhone 13.

How Can You Fix Apps Not Downloading Or Updating Issue On Your iPhone 13?

So, why cant I download apps on my iphone? This post details 14 fixes that have worked when there is an app updating or downloading issue from the App Store on an iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

1. Ensure That The WiFi Or Mobile Data Connection Is Strong

Ensure That The WiFi Or Mobile Data Connection Is Strong

If you cannot download apps from the App Store on your iPhone 13, your internet connection is the first place to check. Poor connections are sometimes the cause of app downloading issues. Without WiFi or a stable mobile data connection, the device is unable to communicate with the App Store, which means you can’t download anything.

Check your data connection to see if it’s causing the problem, whether you are using mobile data or WiFi, make sure the connection is stable, and the signals are strong.

You can check the performance of your internet connection by streaming a video on a website like YouTube. If the connection speed is slow or unstable, you might have to troubleshoot the WiFi network on your iPhone 13.

On the other hand, on your iPhone, if you are using mobile data to download apps, first make sure the setting is turned on and the signal is strong. Also, you need to allow the App Store to use Cellular data in your Settings. Here’s how to do that:

  • Go to Settings and then open the “Cellular” option.
  • Scroll down to find the list of apps and enable the App Store to use cellular data to download.
  • Return to Settings again and open the App Store menu. 
  • Go to App Downloads and select if you want the system to ask permission prior to downloading apps bigger than 200MB.

2. Ensure Your Phone Has Enough Storage Space

Your iPhone 14 might be having issues downloading apps due to a lack of storage space. It may not have enough memory to store the entire downloaded software. Usually, the system alerts the user if the phone is running low on space. You can find out how much storage the iPhone has available by following these steps:

Open Settings, go to General, and then tap the iPhone Storage option to see how much iPhone space is occupied and how much is remaining. It will also tell you which apps are occupying the most.

You can gain some valuable storage space by deleting old videos and photos that have already been backed up elsewhere and removing unused applications. You can manage your storage space from the storage settings on your iPhone.

You can do all of this from the iPhone storage settings.

3. Ensure Your Apple ID Details Are Up-To-Date

Ensure Your Apple ID Details Are Up-To-Date

Your Apple ID account requires your contact details and valid payment details even if you don’t purchase any apps and only download the free ones. If the account details are outdated or the payment details have expired, you may have issues downloading apps from the App Store. Make sure to update them.

Follow these steps to update the details of  your Apple ID from iPhone Settings:

  • Open Settings and select [Your Name] located at the top of the screen 
  • Select Payment & Shipping to see your current payment information.
  • Select Payment Method to add new payment details or tap Edit to edit the existing information to change the payment details.

We suggest you also double-check the Apple ID being used on your phone to ensure that the existing ID doesn’t cause the issue with updating and downloading. This is significant because whenever you download an application, it is associated with the Apple ID used on the device. Changing the Apple ID will prevent apps tied to the previous ID from updating.

4. Ensure That The Date And Time Are Correct 

If your iPhone has the incorrect date and time settings, it may prevent the device from updating and downloading apps. Your iPhone’s time and date should sync with the App Store for the system to work without any problems.

Any discrepancy between date and time on Apple’s server and your phone can result in issues with the App Store. Allowing your iPhone to set the time and date automatically is the simplest way to ensure everything is correct and in order.

If you cant download app on iPhone, follow the steps below to set the time automatically on your iPhone and fix the error:

  • Open Settings, then go to General and select Date & Time.
  • Then enable the Set Automatically option.

5. Turn Off Content and Privacy Restrictions

Turn Off Content and Privacy Restrictions

The purpose of the iPhone’s content and privacy restrictions is to allow you to limit features, apps, and settings for the safety of children. However, the limitations can also stop the device from downloading new apps from the App Store.

Here is how you can adjust the restrictions:

  • Open Settings, select the Screen Time option and select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  • Enter your Screen Time password if the system requires it, which could be different from the passcode you use to unlock the phone.
  • Disable all Content & Privacy Restrictions or edit the follow: at the top of the screen or change the following setting:
  • Select iTunes & App Store Purchases and then tap Installing Apps.
  • Choose Allow to unrestrict app installations.

6. Pause and Resume Application Download

If apps won’t download on iPhone, sometimes the easiest way to resolve this issue is to simply pause the progress and resume the download again. There are multiple ways on the iPhone 13 to do it from the Home Screen.

Apps that are downloading show up on the Home screen as a dark app icon along with a progress circle located in the center. Press the center to pause the download, and the pause symbol will appear. Then tap the symbol again after a few seconds to resume the download.

Another way is to select and hold the app’s icon until the quick-action menu appears. Select Pause Download and then Resume download from this menu.

Alternatively, the quick-action menu also allows you to prioritize the download. This is convenient when your device is also downloading other content since it tells the system that the app download is above all other downloading files.

7. Sign Out And Sign In To The App Store

If there is a problem with your Apple ID, your iPhone 13 might stop downloading apps from the App Store. The simplest way of fixing the connection between your iPhone 13 and the Apple App Store is to sign out and in again. 

Signing out of the App Store cancels all downloads in progress, so you would have to restart the download process after signing in. 

Follow the steps below to sign out and sign in to the Apple App Store:

  • Open the App Store. Find and open the settings. 
  • Tap open Media & Purchases. From the pop-up menu, choose Sign Out, and confirm your Sign Out. 
  • Now tap open Media & Purchases again and choose Sign In from the pop-up menu.
  • Enter your Apple ID account details to sign in. 

8. Restart The Apple App Store App

Restart The Apple App Store App

If your iPhone won’t download apps, then force quitting the app might resolve the issue. An app glitch can cause download issues, and the best way to fix it is to force close the App Store app. 

Force closing the App Store kills apps’ update and download processes. By restarting the app after force closing, you can reset the App Store and fix the download issues. 

Next, you need to swipe up from the bottom of the screen of your iPhone to view the App Switcher. Then slide the Apple App Store off the top of the screen to force close it.

9. Restart Your iPhone 

One of the simplest methods of fixing many temporary errors is to restart your iPhone to get things working again. A temporary glitch in the software component of the operating system can cause the iPhone not to download apps apps won’t download on new iPhone error. 

You can restart iPhone 13 by pressing and holding the side button with the up or down volume button. Next, slide to power off your iPhone and wait. After 30 seconds, turn your iPhone on by pressing and holding the side button again.

10. Re-download The Half-downloaded App

If the previously discussed methods didn’t help resolve the download issue, you can try deleting the half-downloaded app and re-downloading them from scratch. 

If it’s a new app, you can re-download it without any worries. On the contrary, if you are having update issues with an app that you have used before, then remember that deleting the app might also delete all the data that is saved in the app. 

If the above fixes don’t resolve the issue, you may want to delete the half-downloaded app and download it again from scratch. If you’ve never used the app before, there’s nothing to lose from doing this. Therefore, we highly recommend making a data backup before deleting and re-downloading the apps.

Follow the steps below to delete and re-download an app from the Apple App Store.

  • To delete the app, tap and hold the icon on the Home Screen.
  • From the quick-action menu, select Remove App. Confirm the deletion, and you are done. 
  • After deleting the app, restart your iPhone and re-download the app from the App Store.

11. Check The Compatibility Of The App

Check The Compatibility Of The App

If you’re facing an error while installing or downloading apps, the reason might be its compatibility with your device. If your iPhone lacks a piece of hardware or software that the app requires, the app will fail to download. It can also happen if the app developer discontinues app support for older versions of iOS.

To cut the hassle, you should always check the compatibility details of the app. Follow the steps below to confirm the compatibility requirements of apps:

  • Open the App Store. Search and select the app that you want to download. 
  • Find and tap open the app details and scroll down to the Information section. 
  • Find and tap open Compatibility to find whether or not the app is compatible with your iPhone. 

(You can tap the dropdown arrow to learn more about the app compatibility requirements)

If the app isn’t compatible with your iPhone, the only solution is to update your iPhone to the latest version available. iOS updates often fix problematic software bugs.

12: Enable The Location Service

You might be facing the apps not loading on iPhone issues because some apps use location services. You would have to enable location service (GPS Service if necessary) to fix the error. If you do get a allow pop-up for Location Service, you can follow these steps to enable it:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Scroll down to Find Privacy.
  • Now find the Location Service and switch it on.

Try downloading the app again after enabling the Location Service. 

13. Update iOS

Check for iOS updates and ensure that your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are updated. iOS updates resolve software bugs, so if you are facing the new iPhone apps stuck on loading error, updating the iOS might resolve the issue. iOS update is one of the easiest, fastest, and safest ways to resolve ios-related problems, including apps not showing on iPhone error.

Follow the steps below to update iOS:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Find and open General > Software update.
  • If an update is available, tap on it to start the download and installation process. 

14. Reset The Device Settings

Reset The Device Settings

I cant download apps iphone error can occur due to low-level settings. Fixing the settings individually is next to impossible, so the best way is to reset all device settings. Resetting device settings doesn’t erase your device data, so you don’t have to worry about creating a data backup. 

To reset all device settings, follow these steps:

  • Go to Settings 
  • Find and open General 
  • Tap open the Transfer or Reset iPhone option and choose Reset All Settings. 

Final Words

Apps not showing on iPhone is a common error. We have shared the 14 tried and tested methods of fixing the error, so your apps update, download, and install without any problem.  

If the apps won’t download on iPhone persists after trying our fixes, contact an Apple expert to assist you. You can contact them via phone, get online support via Apple’s website, or book an appointment at your local Apple Store. 

If you have questions regarding why won’t my iphone download apps or want to share the method that worked for you, please write to Reviewsed in the comments section below. 

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By Sarah Durrani

Sarah is a writer by profession and passion. She is a real tech-savvy who loves everything tech! Talk about the latest tech releases, latest news from the tech world, on-trend tech gadgets, or simple tech hacks – Sarah knows it all! Being a movie enthusiast, she always has a close eye on the latest releases. Her insights about how well the movie will do on the box offices are surprisingly always correct! We call her the “Encyclopaedia of Movies”.

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