One of the major iOS 17 issues that many users complain about is the inability to download apps on iPhone. At times, apps tend to get stuck during installation and keep loading forever. At other times, they just refuse to download — without any obvious reason whatsoever. In this troubleshooting guide, we’ve talked about the ways to fix the annoying “apps won’t download on iPhone” running iOS 17 issue. So, if you can’t download apps on your iOS 17 device and are looking for easy methods to solve the problem, we’ve got you covered.
Please note: The solutions explain in this article apply to all iOS 17 supported devices including: iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
There are a couple of reasons why apps may not be downloading on your iPhone running iOS 17. However, there are just as many (or maybe more) methods that you can use to fix the problem as well. In this article we will take a look at all of these fixes for downloading apps on iPhone running iOS 17.
Plus, we will also take a look at some of the reasons why this problem arises in the first place.
Why Apps won’t download on iPhone in iOS 17?
While fixing an iPhone that won’t download apps is fairly straightforward, the causes aren’t easily diagnosed. Causes may stem from poor internet connection, App Store rules, simple software bugs, or problems with your Apple ID or iPhone settings. Rather than providing a list of the causes here, each solution below provides some background for the issue.
One simple explanation for why you can’t download apps in iOS 17 is that there’s not enough storage space on your iPhone.
16 Methods to Fix iPhone Apps Not downloading in iOS 17 Issue (2022)
There are several ways to fix an iPhone that fails or stalls while attempting to download apps. If apps on your iOS 17 device won’t download, try these fixes, in this order.
1. Check that you have a strong Wi-Fi or mobile data connection
If you can’t download apps on your iOS 17 device, you should start by checking your connection. In some cases, this is the cause of downloading troubles. No Wi-Fi or mobile data connection equals no downloads because your iPhone won’t communicate with the App Store.
You may be able to resolve the issues by checking your data connection. This is applicable whether you’re using Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Connect your device’ to Wi-Fi and test your internet connection by streaming a video on YouTube.
If you’re using cellular data to download apps, make sure it’s turned on and that the signal is strong. Make sure that you have enabled App Store to utilize Cellular data in your Settings as well.
- Go to Settings > Cellular.
- Scroll down to the list of apps and turn on App Store.
- Then go to Settings > App Store, tap App Downloads and choose if you want your iPhone to ask permission before downloading apps over 200MB in size.
2. Check your storage space
Apps may not be downloading on your iOS 17 device because there simply isn’t enough space to download the entire app. Usually, you will receive a notification if your storage is low when attempting a download. However, to check if you have enough available storage:
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much free space you have and take a look at which apps are using the most.
You might also want to free up some space by uninstalling unused apps or deleting old photos and videos you have backed up elsewhere.
3. Update Your Apple ID Details
Even if you only download free apps from the App Store, you still need to have valid payment information and contact details linked to your Apple ID account. It’s possible that the payment details on your account expired, so you should check if you need to update them.
Update your Apple ID details from the iPhone Settings app:
Go to Settings and tap [Your Name] at the top of the screen.
Tap Payment & Shipping to view your payment information.
Lastly, tap Add Payment Method to add a payment method, or use Edit to edit your existing methods.
Be sure to also check the Apple ID you’re using. If you have a problem updating an app in iOS 17, the problem could be the Apple ID you’re using. When you download an app, it’s tied to the Apple ID you’re logged into at the time. If you change the Apple ID you’re using, apps tied to the old ID can’t update. Sign in to other Apple IDs you’ve used to update apps.
4. Change the Date and Time
Incorrect date and time settings may block your iOS 17 device from downloading apps. Apple periodically checks your iPhone’s date and time to sync it with the App Store. If there is any discrepancy between the device’s time and Apple’s servers, it can cause problems with the App Store. The easiest way to solve this is to make your iPhone automatically set its date and time so that it’s always correct.
- Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
- Turn on the option to Set Automatically.
5. Turn Off Content and Privacy Restrictions
The content and privacy restrictions on an iPhone let you limit settings, apps, or features to keep the device safe for children. However, those same limitations explain why you can’t download new apps in iOS 17.
To edit your restrictions:
- Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- If prompted, enter your Screen Time passcode, which may be different from the standard passcode you use to unlock your iPhone.
- Turn off all Content & Privacy Restrictions at the top of the screen or change the following setting:
- Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases > Installing Apps.
- Select Allow to enable installing apps.
6. Pause and Resume Your App Download
Sometimes, if your iOS 17 device won’t download apps, all you need to do to fix it is pause the download, then resume it again. You can do this from the Home Screen on your device.
While an app is downloading, it should appear on the Home screen as a darkened app icon with a progress circle in the middle. Tap it to pause the download—causing a pause symbol to appear. Wait a few seconds, then tap it again to resume the download.
Alternatively, tap and hold on the app icon to reveal a quick-action menu. You can choose to Pause Download or Resume Download from this menu as well.
Alternatively, you have the option to Prioritize Download from the quick-action menu. This is a good idea if your iPhone is downloading other content as well, since it prioritizes this app above all other downloads.
7. Make Sure to Download One App at a Time
Be sure to download one app at a time on your iOS 17 device. While it may not sound to be a direct solution to fixing the iOS 17 app downloading problem, it’s something you should bear in mind. If the internet connectivity is not so strong, multiple apps may fail to download simultaneously.
8. Sign Out of the App Store, Then Sign In Again
An iOS 17 device that can’t download apps may signify that something is wrong with your Apple ID. If the connection between your iPhone and the Apple App Store is disrupted, signing out and signing back in may fix it.
When you sign out of the App Store, it cancels any app downloads in progress. After signing in again, you need to download the app from the App Store again.
To sign out of the App Store:
- Go to Settings > [Your **Name].**
- Tap Media & Purchases, then choose to Sign Out from the popup menu.
- Confirm you want to Sign Out.
- Now tap Media & Purchases again and sign in with your Apple ID account.
9. Restart the App Store app
If your iOS 17 device won’t download apps, you may need to force quit the app. There may be an app glitch causing issues with the downloads, and the only way to get it back on track is to force close it.
Force closing kills the activity’s process and allows it to start anew with the right processes. If the iOS 17 downloads aren’t working, force closing the app store could reset it to allow downloads.
First, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to view the App Switcher. Then slide the App Store off the top of the screen to close it.
10. Restart your iPhone
If you still can’t download apps on iPhone running iOS 17 after trying the above solutions, you need to restart your device to get things working again. There may be a temporary glitch in the operating system or a software component. A restart usually resolves these issues.
Press and hold the Side button with either Volume button. When prompted, slide to power off your iPhone.
Wait 30 seconds after it powers off before pressing the Side button again to restart it.
11. Delete the App, Then Download It Again
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 never used the app before, there’s nothing to lose from doing this.
However, if you were trying to update an app rather than download it for the first time, deleting it might also delete any data you have saved in the app. You should make a backup of your iPhone before deleting apps to protect your data.
When you want to delete an app from your iPhone, tap and hold the app icon on the Home Screen. In the quick-action menu that appears, tap Delete App, then confirm you want to Delete App.
After deleting an app, restart your iPhone and download it again from the App Store.
12. Ensure That the App is Compatible
Sometimes, you can’t download or install an app because it’s not compatible with your iOS 17 device. This might happen when the app depends on a piece of hardware your iPhone doesn’t have or when the app developer discontinues support for older versions of iOS.
Open the App Store and search for the app you want to download. View the app details and scroll down to the Information section. Next to Compatibility, the App Store lists whether this app should work on your iPhone or not.
Tap the dropdown arrow to view more information about the app compatibility.
If an app doesn’t work with your device, you might need to update iOS on your iPhone to the latest available version. This is a good idea even if the app is compatible, since iOS updates often fix problematic software bugs.
13. Update iOS
If apps are still getting stuck during download process on your iOS 17 device, update the software on your iPhone. The outdated software might be coming in the way.
You can update iOS by going to Settings > General > Software update. If an update is available, tap Download & Install.
14. Reset Network Settings
No solution as yet? Try resetting the network settings to troubleshoot any network-related issues that might be preventing the apps from being downloaded on your iPhone running iOS 17.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
15. Reset the iPhone device settings
Bugs sometimes stem from low-level settings. You can’t always see or fix these settings individually, but iOS gives you a way to reset all settings. Doing this won’t erase your data, but it can solve these sorts of issues. Go to Settings > general > transfer or reset iPhone > reset reset all settings.
16. Get help from Apple
If you tried all these steps and your iOS 17 device still won’t download apps, you need help from the experts at Apple. You can get online or phone support at the Apple website, or book an appointment at the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store for further help.
Easily Solve Apps Not Downloading in iOS 17 Issue
There you go! So, these are the most effective ways to troubleshoot the apps won’t download in iOS 17 issue. Hopefully, the problem is behind your back now. As always, we would be glad to know your feedback and the hack that has helped you fix the issue. Moreover, if you find any other efficient solution missing from this troubleshooting guide, make sure to point it out as well.