Newsroom Update

The redesigned iPad Air and new iPad Pro with Apple silicon are now available. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Apps won't download on my iOS devices.

I have a 3rd generation iPad and an iPhone 4, both of which are encountering problems downloading apps from the app store.

I first noticed the problem about 5 days ago, whenever i attempt to download an app or an update to an app it just stops at "waiting" on the home screen. I am unable to pause/resume the app status, as when i tap on it nothing happens.

if i leave the app for about 5-10 minutes i get a warning pop up along the lines of "could not connect to the iTunes store"...my wifi is connected fine and i have tried it on other peoples wifi and still have the same problem.

I have tried resetting the iPad and iPhone and that doesn't fix it either.

I even went to the extend of wiping the iPad completely and restoring from iCloud and that didn't fix it, I tried then restoring as a completely new iPad and that didn't fix it either.

I was beginning to think that it must be an issue with my apple ID, however it still lets me sign in ok and when i plug my iPad into my MacBook Pro and open iTunes I am able to install the apps via that method.

To be clear, it is installing or updating apps on my iOS devices themselves that refuses to work.

I hope you can advise a solution as I am becoming increasingly frustrated with my lack of progress on what seems such a ridiculous issue as downloading apps is one of the more basic functions of an iOS device.

Posted on Apr 20, 2012 7:43 PM

69 replies

Apr 20, 2012 10:40 PM in response to latags

I cannot purchase through iTunes on my Mac as well.

Apr 20, 2012 10:42 PM in response to Lynnettefucci

I also cannot purchase anything through iTunes. This isn't just an issue on the various iDevices

latags

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 10:43 PM in response to Lynnettefucci

Thats interesting. This is the first I have heard of that. I know it really is frustrating, but I think it is related to the new security features and stuff. I am sitting tight until I hear from some friends who are tied in to some other friends, and so on. Please let us know if you find something out. Thanks

latags

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 10:44 PM in response to spamthachb

I am starting to get a feeling that this is spreading.

Apr 20, 2012 10:45 PM in response to latags

I just popped on Twitter to see if anyones tweeted about the outage, but I couldn't find anything.

gogoking

Level 1

4 points

Apr 20, 2012 10:46 PM in response to spamthachb

@spamthachb - Yes, seems like much bigger issue than I originally thought. I'm not going to bother trying things on my other devices now.

@latags - My brother and I were just reminiscing about our old Atari the other day - things certainly have changed!

Apr 20, 2012 10:50 PM in response to badbradderz69

I'm on these forums now for this exact problem. 3 devices, all as described in the OP's post.

I did do the "security" question thing the other day.

Apr 20, 2012 10:53 PM in response to Sean from Texas

I didn't update my security question... did anyone else not either?

pshezza

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 10:56 PM in response to Lynnettefucci

I can't download apps from iTures or my iPad ....

What security question?

Apr 20, 2012 10:58 PM in response to pshezza

For security purposes, they require you to have answers to three pretty awful questions like "Where were you January 1, 2000?" For the record, I had my problems with the store before AND after filling out the security questions.

ckinnz

Level 1

4 points

Apr 20, 2012 11:11 PM in response to badbradderz69

Yep, same here in New Zealand. iPhone & iPad won't connect to the store. And now I can't download a movie from iTunes on my MacBook.

11pm in CA, and a bunch of people are spending their Friday night working hard on it ... we all hope.

Apr 20, 2012 11:22 PM in response to badbradderz69

the exact same thing is happening to me here in the ACT, Australia. this is really starting to **** me off. hopefully someone can get there act together and fixing this.

Paul Mah

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 11:33 PM in response to badbradderz69

Update: I was able to download Kindle App after multiple retries over a couple of hours. But now, Everything else have failed since though. Its frustrating because I'm trying to set up a new iPad, but am completely stuck. My wife's iTune is not affected hwoever, so it looks like some kind of bug/error than an outage.

Apr 20, 2012 11:34 PM in response to Lynnettefucci

I had the problem before I was asked to answer the questions and it has persisted after answering the questions AND updating my password. I suspect the questions were triggered by the amount of activity on my account as I was trying to make it work. Nonetheless I will be very surprised if the recent changes to the security model aren't part of the problem here.

Paul Mah

Level 1

0 points

Apr 20, 2012 11:44 PM in response to Correzpond

The security question is part of a move to bolster Apple ID security http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/04/apple-prompting-users-for-security-que stions-to-bolster-apple-id-security.ars?clicked=related_right

Hence it should not be related... unless, Apple did something wrong while implementing the security question that broke the App Store for us...

Apps won't download on my iOS devices.