Can't download apps or updates on either iPhone or ipad

Over the last couple of weeks I have been unable to download any applications or updates on both my iPhone and iPad, I just get a message saying 'unable to download application'. The problem began on both devices at exactly the same time. I have tried them on another network and the something happens so the network isn't the issue. I also thought that the update to the IOS would help but it made no difference.


I can update using iTunes on my pc but I really don't want to keep doing this, I want to know what the problem is.

iPad (3rd gen) Wi-Fi, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on May 21, 2012 11:14 AM

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4 replies

May 21, 2012 11:24 AM in response to tatty27

Check iTunes and see if you have a pending or stalled download in there. If you do, finish that download or delete it if you can.


If that doesn't work or if that was not the problem, go to Settings>Store >Apple ID, tap your ID and sign out. Then reboot the iPad, Reboot the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider - let go of the buttons.


Then go back to Settings>Store>Sign in and sign in again and see if the apps will update.

May 21, 2012 11:42 AM in response to Demo

Hi,


Thanks for your reply and although it didn't help me directly it did help me work out what the problem was. When I tried to log back into the store it told me my password was wrong which is strange because I haven't changed it and the problem happened on two devices at the same time. Also, at no point did the app store or iTunes tell me my password was wrong when I bought something since this problem began.


Eventually I reset my password via this site and then logged into store on my iPad using the new password and the updates etc worked

May 25, 2012 9:25 PM in response to Demo

Geez, can I just say this is ridiculous? I've been having the "unable to download" problem for a couple of weeks now, on both the iPad and the iPhone 4, and have been scouring the forum during that time. Apparently this is a problem that people have been enduring for literally years, so why's it STILL an issue? 😠 I have no problem logging in to the store, so it isn't the same problem Tatty27 had. I logged out of the store, logged back in and tried updating on the iPad again. Nothing. Connected to the PC and spent an entire hour ('cause over two weeks a whole lotta updates are released) updating and then synced again. Nada. I rebooted the iPad just now. Zip. Still those blank horizontal lines on the apps waiting to be updated. Odd thing, however, is that the app store icon on the iPad no longer shows any updates waiting to be downloaded. I somehow made the number in the red circle go away on the iPad, and there are no longer any updates showing in the store -- so WHY didn't the updates actually download? Even odder, the apps did update on the PC (e.g., I updated the New York Times app on the PC and it disappeared from the update list -- but on the iPad it's still hanging around with that blank horizontal line underneath, and when I touch it I get [sigh] "unable to download at this time"). I think I've tried every recommendation there is, but I still can't update. Why, Apple, why?

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Can't download apps or updates on either iPhone or ipad

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