Certain apps won't update - Error 404 "URL ... could not be found"

Question

Certain apps won't update - Error 404 "URL ... could not be found"

Yesterday, two apps that were listed in the Updates section of iTunes failed to update because of a 404 error; today, two more joined the list. Has anyone else had problems with certain apps not updating when they supposedly should? Most of the apps listed in the Updates section updated successfully, but I've never had any not update successfully, and now there are 4 over a span of two days:

Clock IT - Modern Nightstand Music Alarm

Grab for Instagram - Your Instagram Companion

Minesweeper Touch - Play by your finger

WorkFlowy

The text of the pop-up error message reads

The URL "http://<app link>" could not be found on the server.

When examining the Downloads listings, it reveals the error # as 404:

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 23, 2015 10:22 AM

Reply

Answer 1

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Oct 23, 2015 10:30 AM in response to DashingDaveASC

I was getting the same error on one app (both yesterday and earlier today), but I've just tried again and it's now worked. Try them again : go to the screen on your second screenshot and select/highlight one of them and press the Delete button on your keyboard to remove it from there (and do the other three as well). And then try closing iTunes, re-open it, and retry the downloads

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 23, 2015 12:11 PM in response to King_Penguin

Unfortunately, that didn't work for me. But it might be the apps: maybe the links are gradually being repaired across the iTunes Store today. I'll give it a shot this evening and post back here if the situation changes.

Thanks for the attempt, nonetheless!

Reply

Answer 3

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Oct 23, 2015 1:18 PM in response to DashingDaveASC

It's possible. The one that I had also had as part of its URL the 'pre-thinned' in your first screenshot - not sure whether all apps are like that, but there is a new developer feature called 'app thinning' that allows only the parts of the app that are needed on a device to be downloaded onto it, whether it's related to that I don't know

Reply

Answer 4

Oct 23, 2015 6:58 PM in response to King_Penguin

I tried to update them again this evening (now there are 5 that won't update), but I did check the URL for all 5 and they all have the "pre-thinned" portion of the address.

Does anyone reading this know how to check the URL of apps that do update correctly in order to see if they have the "pre-thinned" text in their addresses?

Reply

Answer 5

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Oct 24, 2015 12:53 AM in response to DashingDaveASC

Have you tried downloading the updates directly on the device(s) ? If it/they are on iOS 9+ then you won't be able to copy them back to your Mac's iTunes via File > Devices > Transfer Purchases, that no longer copies apps on iOS 9+

Reply

Answer 6

Oct 24, 2015 11:47 AM in response to DashingDaveASC

Has anyone found a solution to this? I have been trying to update/download the same "pre thinned" app since yesterday. Thanks very much

Reply

Answer 7

leehinde

Level 1

10 points

Oct 29, 2015 12:21 PM in response to King_Penguin

Thanks. That corrected one of two errors I was getting.

Reply

Answer 8

Oct 29, 2015 10:45 PM in response to DashingDaveASC

Having the same problem on Macbook Air OX El Captian with The Walking Dead app. Have been trying for 3 to 4 days to update and still get same 404 error message. Noticed the same app updated on iPad but not on my iTunes account on laptop.

Reply

Answer 9

Oct 30, 2015 9:12 AM in response to DashingDaveASC

Pushing this up because I am having same problem starting this week

Reply

Answer 10

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Oct 30, 2015 9:20 AM in response to DerekLeung

The apps that I've so far had the problem on have now downloaded ok (I had to delete them from the downloading list and restart the download) - one worked the following day, the other took 2 or 3 days (don't know whether it's Apple or the developer needed to do something).

Have you tried downloading the update(s) directly on your device(s) ? I think that should still work, but if the device is on iOS 9 you won't be able to copy apps back from it to your computer's iTunes library

Reply

Answer 11

Oct 30, 2015 11:01 AM in response to King_Penguin

Arghhh, Walking Dead still not updating on Macbook Air but has updated on iPad. Wondering why we cannot copy apps from device to iTunes library with IOS 9. Must go look up this issue as I normally do the transfer purchases from device to library when I backup to my computer.

Reply

Answer 12

eneisch

Level 1

34 points

Oct 30, 2015 4:11 PM in response to Ally 1850

Having same problem with updating Walking Dead from iTunes also. Been a problem for about two days, Also having same problem updating GoodPlayer. I deleted it from my MacBook and tried to re-download it. Does not download either. Same error.

Reply

Answer 13

joecab

Level 1

8 points

Oct 31, 2015 6:32 AM in response to King_Penguin

Thanks! Before I would just wait a week or so for this problem to clear up, but your tip worked.

I never saw it before so I assume it's an El Capitan or an iTunes 12.3 thing.

Reply

Answer 14

Nov 3, 2015 7:08 PM in response to DashingDaveASC

I'm having the same issue as the others.

Reply

Answer 15

Nov 3, 2015 7:47 PM in response to DashingDaveASC

The best potential solution I found was to remove the problematic apps from my iTunes library (drag them to the desktop first! and then delete them in the library, having the application move the copy still in the library to the trash). Then, a week or so later, I was able to download the current version of the app from the iTunes Store. I have no idea why I was able to download copies after all that time--or, more importantly, why I wasn't able to download new copies before then.

Reply