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Downloading apps stuck on waiting...

For the past few days I've been unable to download any apps from the App Store on my iOS devices, including the iPad and iPhone. I click "install", it asks for my password, it goes back to the home screen and the icon pops up and it says "waiting…" underneath, and then nothing ever happens. It's just stuck on waiting forever. It's basically what you would expect would happen if the store was down or my internet was down, except neither is the case.


I called Apple support and the only thing they had to offer was to do a factory reset on both my iPad and iPhone. I'd rather not do that because it's a pain. Plus, how can it be a hardware problem when it's happening on BOTH of my devices? It sounds like a problem with my account on their end, but they had no idea.


Has this happened anybody else? Anybody have any ideas?


For the record, I can still download apps onto my computer in iTunes and then sync those apps to my devices, I just can't download apps directly from my devices. Very strange.


Thanks for any help you guys can offer! =)


Philip

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

Posted on Jul 2, 2012 12:59 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jul 2, 2012 1:07 PM

I fixed it from another post: go into iTunes -> more -> downloads and look for stuck downloads there. It's non-obvious, but it's also not difficult. Delete all the downloads in progress in iTunes and then try downloading apps again.


I guess if you have one download stuck anywhere, it screws up all downloads everywhere.


Anyway, worked for me. Whew.

141 replies

May 2, 2015 7:23 AM in response to reymysterio619

reymysterio619 wrote:


I sorted out the issue by following the below steps:


  1. Navigated to Settings --> General --> Usage --> Select the App that has issue --> Delete App
  2. Navigate back to the icon of the App in question and delete it by long key press
  3. Re-install the app from App Store or iTunes


I searched all over the net for a solution to the problem and this was the only solution that worked for me. So simple, works a treat.

Jun 14, 2015 3:57 PM in response to stedwick

My issue: My iPhone 5s gave out. The sensor that senses your face next to screen while on the phone to black out the screen was bad. Phone screen didn't black out, my fat face would continue to push buttons. Took it to Sprint, they did what they could, ended up getting a replacement phone through the insurance plan. Backed my original phone through iTunes on my Macbook. Received the new phone, restored all my stuff through iTunes, no worries. Noticed that most of the after market apps had that "waiting" note next to them. I waited a day, nothing changed. Maybe if I saw something that said to restart the phone may have helped, but I didn't so I don't know if it'll work. I got an idea after reading some of this blog/response. Went to the App Store, all the way at the bottom to the right, tapped on "Updates". Noticed that the top 'thing' said purchases, with the bottom of the "P" as an arrow pointing down, thinking it was showing your apps. What I didn't notice at first, that there is an arrow pointing right meaning it's "selectable". clicked on it, and Voila!, it shows all the apps you've purchased, and the ones "waiting" have the little cloud symbol next to them. Just click on the clouds of the apps you want restored, and it's done. It will take time if there are a lot of them to be restored. Hope it helps.

Aug 17, 2015 1:18 AM in response to stedwick

I have now iOS 8.4.0 after downgrading from iOS 8.4.1.

When I tryied installed my backup, all apps were stuck "waiting" to be installed.

I tryed syncing over wifi, then with the Lightning cable, nothing...

Then I figured out to press and hold an app to make them all shake, and then tryied to sync like that over cable and that worked for me. Now all apps are being installed.


Hope this works!.

Aug 17, 2015 6:23 PM in response to stedwick

I tried every "fix" I could find, and nothing seemed to work. Finally, I went into my general settings for the AppStore, and turned off all updates. Then I had to go into itunes, where I have my iphone backed up. I removed all 5 apps that were locked (all due to "automatic" updates that would not install), then reinstalled them. I am still unable to update anything, but at least what I have works! I'll settle for that. I certainly hope that Apple gets the App install situation corrected in the near future, because not being able to update is irritating.

Aug 22, 2015 9:12 AM in response to stedwick

Not sure if this is a logical solution or just coincidence, but I was having this issue on my iMac for a game I was installing until I went Store > Check for Unfinished Downloads. Even though a pop-up came up confirming that I had no other downloads to queue, this somehow kickstarted my download again.


Can anyone confirm that this is a solution?

Nov 4, 2015 12:20 PM in response to stedwick

I had the same problem after getting a new iphone, restoring from iTunes backup, then updating the OS and updating individual apps. All on home wifi.


Somehow, many apps were stuck on "waiting" with no progress bar.


Solved it by simply running sync from iTunes. Must have been something that went wacky during my restore from backup.


All fixed now.

Jun 6, 2016 3:14 AM in response to Daphne chin

After everything else (which failed) I was able to delete the app in...

Settings -> General -> Storage & iCloud Usage -> Manage Storage

😮

To be specific - after deleting in storage management, the app was still on the home screen but without icon (and not "waiting" any more) so I deleted it again on the home screen.

Downloading apps stuck on waiting...

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