Can’t update apps

I know why this is happening, it’s due to apps linked to a different appleID that you’re not currently logged into. Like many users out there, you may have downloaded an app that you purchased or free download that was linked to a different appleID from long ago, and created a new appleID(the one you’re using now); having multiple appleID isn’t uncommon.

Anyhoo, to get around this annoying problem, just log into whatever appleID that you downloaded the app from to update.

This wasn’t a problem before, something got changed on apple’s server end, apps that were linked to other accounts would update without any problems; someone at apple needs to “undo” whatever they did.

Apple needs to figure out a way to consolidate appleIDs or transfer purchases to another appleID. If Nintendo can do it, Apple should be able to do it too!

Delete the app and reinstall. If you see a “cloud” icon next to the app, then it’s link to your account, but if you see a “get” or purchase(some dollar amount) icon, then the app is not link to your account.

This is exactly what the problem was in my case. I had created another id to use testflight for a work email address, and must have been logged in with that id when I was downloading some apps. Logging in with that apple id and updating the apps worked perfectly me for me.

I figured out the problem for me. I have recently gotten married and changed my last name on my credit card, but hadn’t updated my last name on my credit card info on my iPhone. Just had to update my last name and now it’s working. So you might try making sure your credit card information hasn’t changed. Hope this helps somebody!

I'm having the same problem all of a sudden today. Some apps update fine, but so far all the google apps (google maps, chrome, google, sheets, youtube, gmail, google photos) and some banking apps (and weirdly enough a pdf scanner app) give me the exact same popup. When I click buy (even though I clearly own it...and it's free) the popup loops itself and doesn't go away unless I click cancel (and the updating stops). I've already checked out the other post and it's not a user-error problem. As in, my location is correct, my iOS is up to date, my account is correct, I've logged out and logged in again, restarted, nothing's wrong with my memory/storage. The only thing that's worked it deleting each app one by one and redownloading them. And since this is a problem with ALL my google apps (and a few select others) it's very tedious and annoying.

I hope there's an easier solution for others, because I can imagine this being a huge hassle for apps that maybe don't have a login or something to save your data and stuff and is only a local app. At least with the google suite I can just sign in and expect no changes to the data on the app.

Don’t log out of iCloud, log out of “iTunes & App Store” in settings. Warning though, if you have Apple Music and have songs downloaded, they will be erased and you will have to log back in your appleID to redownload your music again. I found out the hard way😢

I hit the"buy" button a hundred times (literally) and still the pop ups kept happening. I ended up deleting the 32 apps that showed needed an update ... and have reinstalled them. Now, I'm not sure what will happen the next time there is an update. I have only ever had one Apple ID so the other e-mails in this thread certainly didn't apply to me. This all started because O got a notice from my bank that their app had been updated and I needed to update.

I was on chat with App Store Support after 20 minutes, they finally told me to reinstall the apps that I was having a problem with. Not happy about this!

Hey hussein_g,

I see that you're having trouble updating an app because of this message that keeps looping. I'll be happy to help out.

This resource can help out: If you can’t download or update apps, or if apps get stuck - Apple Support. If you're still having trouble with this one specific app, but others update or download fine, Contact iTunes Support directly for further help with this specific app.

Take care.

yeah man mine too, by the way i use your way like deleting the apps and download again. it's very annoying for us who use Iphone. I'm afraid if their is more apps that must be update and it happens again. Cause i have 25 apps that must be update it's very very very very annoying for me. I hope there's an easier solution for others. PLEASE.......

I'm from Indonesian,

Several of my devices are having this issue with different apps. For example, my iPhone was able to update Dropbox while my iPad was not, however Google Sheets updated on my iPad but not on my iPhone.

I have this same problem. Starting yesterday, I can't update any of my apps. It gives me the same error message and no matter how many times I press buy, it just loops. And they're all free apps. I have the newest iOS, tried logging out and back in with my apple ID, and I turned my phone off and on again.

This reply does not help at all. The issue that many of us are having is that the Apple Update tool states that different individual apps cannot update because "This discounted price is only available to customers who bought a previous version of this item". The problem is that I didn't buy a previous version - it was free. Nonetheless, even if I choose the "Buy" option, the same message appears over and over again. Your article referenced above states several basic suggestions such as restarting your device or uninstalling and re-installing individual apps, which also doesn't work.

Since the same error affects multiple apps in the Apple store, it seems like it is an issue with the Apple update process, not the individual apps.

More help is needed to resolve this item.

This is infuriating and unacceptable. First of all there are like 22 apps currently trying to update and there is no way to tell which app is causing the problem. Second, I have no idea what "apple ID" I'm using. I do not even want an apple ID, I just want my phone to work.

What's worse, if I try to "sign out" I get this message about losing all my data. Is that actually going to happen? WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON????

I have not logged in differently in months, if ever, on this phone. Why is this problem suddenly happening?

Me too. Only started today and seven apps refuse to update showing the same error message. Tried restarting etc.