Error when updating apps.

Hello all,

I was having the same issue and spoke to Apple customer support on the phone. It seems this error occurs whenever you’ve previously had a different AppleID associated with any of your devices, even devices you may not use anymore. For some reason, the App Store now thinks that you do not “own” the app because it was downloaded by a previous AppleID (even if the app was free).

The unfortunately tedious solution is to uninstall any apps that may have been downloaded on the previous AppleID and then reinstall them.

To prove to myself that this was what happened, I tried updating apps I knew I hadn’t downloaded with my old AppleID and these update just fine while any older downloaded apps give me the same error.

I hope this helps!

Hi PhillyApplesteak,

It seems you're having trouble with completing updates on with the App Store, and I want to help.

Let's try to sign out of the App Store by tapping on Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID: [your Apple ID] > Sign Out.

Next, make sure the App Store is closed, restart your iPhone, and try to sign in again:

How to force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Sign in to the App Store and iTunes Store on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Apple TV - Apple Support

If you're still having trouble completing a purchase or an update after trying that, I recommend contacting Apple Support:

Contact - Official Apple Support

Good luck!

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities.

Offloading worked perfectly for me; I didn’t even have to restart. I offloaded the app, went to my home screen, tapped on it, and it loaded. Thank you!

According to the Apple support fellow I spoke to, once you've reinstalled the app, it will no longer be associated with the old Apple ID and should now just be linked to your new Apple ID and therefore should not present the issue with updates anymore!

So yes, the phone will warn you that your data will be erased if you uninstall it. For the apps that I've reinstalled, this just meant I had to log in again (e.g. Instagram, Facebook, Fitbit) and then my data was restored for these, but I can't guarantee this will be the case for all apps.

Yes, deleting the app will delete the data. You can try offloading the app in Settings>iPhone (or iPad) Storage. Let the list of apps load. Tap on the app that you want to delete and in the next window you can select Offload App. Offloading apps is supposed to retain the data and merely remove the app.

Thanks Valerie_Ann. That worked. In my case, the Apps were originally downloaded on an earlier mobile phone, and then later installed on a second phone - the latter incurring the "purchase" message during updates.

I have had the same issue and have tried the suggestion you made, to no avail. What’s next?

Same for me. I also have had the same issue and have tried the suggestion you made, to no avail. What’s next?

Didn't worked for me.

Hi!

You need to do this to the future updates? I face the same problem.

Thank you! this fixed it!!!

Wouldn’t reinstalling erase all your data in that app?