How to fix an iPhone 11 that cannot update apps through App Store

by

Contrary to what most people think of, the App Store isn’t actually free of flaws. Although the platform is constantly monitored and maintained by Apple itself, it isn’t exempted from experiencing random glitches. In fact, you’re likely reading this context because you’re currently dealing with an issue with the App Store on your phone. If so, then this post might be able to help you out. Feel free to refer to this walkthrough and get some help dealing with a relevant issue on your new iphone 11 that cannot update apps through the App Store.

Before moving on, feel free to browse through our troubleshooting pages to find potential solutions to other problems with your other Apple devices. If your iPad is in the list of our supported devices, then you can visit its exclusive troubleshooting page and find the problem that you need help dealing with. You can refer to or use our provided solutions and workarounds if needed. In the case where you’d prefer to get direct assistance from us, simply fill up our iOS issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Troubleshooting an iPhone 11 that cannot update apps through App Store

Apple services usually become unavailable or unstable if the server is experiencing temporary downtimes or technical difficulties. Thus it is highly recommended to check on the current status of your App Store server before you begin troubleshooting. To access this information, visit the Apple Support status page then find out the current status of the App Store server. A green status indicator means that the server is up and available. Other than green, it denotes a temporary problem and could therefore be the main reason why you’re unable to use or connect to the App Store on your iPhone. If the App Store server is available but for some reason, you still cannot update apps, rule out common factors individually with these subsequent simple solutions.

 

First solution: Quit the App Store then reboot your iPhone.

When an application is glitching, it may not be able to execute certain tasks as it used to. And that could be what’s going on with the App Store on your new iPhone. Usually, problems like these are just minor symptoms are therefore can easily be resolved by quitting and restarting the glitching application. That being said, consider this as the first possible solution to try on:

  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen then stop when your finger reaches the middle and pause until the app cards/previews show up.
  2. In the app switcher, swipe sideways to find the App Store card/preview.
  3. Swipe up on the card preview to force close the app.

It is also recommended to close all other running apps so that none of them can cause conflicts the next time you launch the App Store. After clearing all background apps, reboot or soft reset your iPhone to clear its memory cache and to refresh its system functions. Just follow these steps to proceed:

  1. Simultaneously press and hold the Side and Volume Up buttons for a few seconds.
  2. Release both buttons when the Slide to Power off bar appears.
  3. Swipe or drag the bar to turn your device off.
  4. After about 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button and then release when the Apple logo appears.

Wait for your phone to finish its boot sequence and reconnect to Wi-Fi. When it’s back online, launch the App Store again and see if you can now update apps. 

In case you’ve missed this info, Apple has made changes to the App Store in iOS 13 and one of the main changes is on the App updates. The App Store updates are no longer to be found in the Updates tab on the App Store as that tab is now replaced with Arcade. To ensure that you’re doing the right thing, follow these steps to update your Apps in iPhone 11/iOS 13:

  1. Open the App Store to get started. This will launch the App Store screen.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and then tap on Today tab.
  3. Select your user profile icon on the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so will bring up the account details.
  4. Scroll down to the Available Updates section.
  5. Then tap on Update All to view all pending app updates. You can also tap the Update button next to the name of an app to update individual application.

The faster way to update apps on your iphone 11 is through this method:

  1. Long press (touch and hold) the App Store icon from the Home screen until the menu options pop-up (Quick Action menu).
  2. Select Updates from the Quick Action menu.

Then follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to update all or some of your apps.

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone 7 App Store that’s not working in iOS 13, cannot update or download apps

 

Second solution: Refresh your Internet connection.

As mentioned earlier, internet connectivity issues are also among the common reasons as to why you cannot update apps on your iPhone. To make sure this isn’t giving you trouble updating apps via App Store, use the following methods to refresh your iPhone’s internet connection:

  • Toggle Wi-Fi off and on. Turning the Wi-Fi switch on your iPhone can also help resolve minor issues affecting wireless functions and online applications. Doing so gives a quick refresh to your phone’s Wi-Fi system and thereby eliminates any existing connection errors Here’s how it’s done:
    • Tap Settings from your Home screen.
    • Select Wi-Fi.
    • Tap the Wi-Fi switch to the OFF position.
    • After about 30 seconds, tap the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back ON.
  • Use the Airplane Mode trick. Another simple old trick that’s been used to rectify various wireless connectivity issues on an iPhone is the so-called Airplane Mode trick. It works by giving a simultaneous restart on your phone’s wireless features. Here’s how it’s exactly done:
    • Tap Settings from your Home screen.
    • Select Airplane Mode.
    • Tap the switch to turn Airplane Mode on. Doing so simultaneously disables wireless radios of your iPhone.
    • While Airplane mode is turned on, restart/soft reset your iPhone.
    • Then head back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
    • Toggle the switch to turn Airplane Mode off again.
    • Wait for your iPhone to re-establish wireless signals.

As soon as your phone re-established Wi-Fi signal, turn Wi-Fi back on to reconnect to your network and get back online. Then launch the App Store again and retry updating your apps.

To execute a complete Wi-Fi internet refresh, reboot or power cycle your wireless router/modem. This will help fix the problem if the network equipment is at fault. Here’s how it’s exactly done:

  • Press the power button/switch to turn off the network equipment completely.
  • While the equipment is turned off, unplug its AC adapter from the power source and keep it unplugged for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • After the elapsed time, plug it back into the power source and then turn it back on.
  • Wait until all the light indicators become stable. 

Once the Wi-Fi signal has stabilized, your iPhone should reconnect to your Wi-Fi network (if you’ve set it up to auto-connect). Otherwise, you’ll have to manually connect to your Wi-Fi network.

 

Third solution: Check and manage storage on your iPhone 11.

Insufficient storage is one of the factors that can hinder update installation. While this isn’t usually the case in new devices, it wouldn’t hurt to double-check and rule out memory-related problems from the underlying causes. Here’s how to check the available memory of your iphone 11:

  1. Go to the Home screen and then tap Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Select iPhone storage.
  4. Scroll to the used and available memory section to view the details.

You can also view how much memory is used by each application. If you find the need to free up space, then you can delete any unused apps from your phone.

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone XR Mail app that’s not working in iOS 13, cannot send emails

 

Fourth solution: Disable restrictions on your iPhone 11.

When enabled, restrictions can hinder apps including App Store from executing certain functions. To rule this out, follow these steps to manage (or disable) restrictions for App Store downloads and updates on your iphone 11:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Then tap on Screen Time.
  3. Select Content & Privacy Restrictions then toggle the switch to turn the feature off.

Or you may still keep restrictions disabled except for App Store downloads and purchases. Just use the following settings:

  1. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time. 
  2. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode.
  3. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
  4. Select individual setting and set to Allow

See if you can now update apps through the App Store after making these changes.

 

Fifth solution: Reset network settings to fix your iPhone 11 that cannot update apps through App Store.

To eliminate network-related errors that might have caused conflicts with the App Store downloads, resetting your iPhone’s network settings can also help. This will erase all customized network settings and then restores the original network values. By doing so, you can manage and re-configure network settings like new. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen. 
  2. Scroll down to and select General. 
  3. Tap Reset then select Reset network settings option.
  4. Enter your device passcode if prompted. 
  5. Tap Reset network settings again to confirm.

When the reset is finished, your phone should restart and then loads up the original network values. To get back online and use online services, you’ll have to set up and connect to your Wi-Fi network like the first time. Thus be sure to enter the correct network password to ensure successful connection.

 

Last resort: Delete the application then install the latest version.

This can be deemed among the last options. Deleting the apps you’re having trouble updating through the App Store is just another simple app management trick you can utilize whenever you run out of options. By doing so, you can download and install the latest version of the application, if not reinstall the app then update immediately. Just refer to these steps:

  1. Go to the Home screen to get started.
  2. Scroll to and find the app that you’d like to reinstall.
  3. Tap and hold on the app icon for a few seconds. Keep holding the app icon when the pop-up menu appears and then release when the app icon starts to jiggle.
  4. Tap Delete from the warning message. 
  5. Follow the same steps to delete other apps that you’d like to reinstall.
  6. Finally, tap Done on the top-right corner of the screen once you’re done deleting apps.

Reboot your iPhone to clear cache and refresh its memory. Then open the App Store to start searching for the app(s) you’d like to redownload and install then update. 

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone 11 YouTube app that can’t play videos, something went wrong

 

What to do if your iPhone iPhone 11 still cannot update apps through App Store after troubleshooting?

There may be some ongoing issues with the App Store server and thus downloading and updating services are temporarily unavailable. To clear this out, head on to the Apple Support’s service status page to view the current status of the App Store server. If the status button is green, it means that the service is available. Otherwise, the status indicator shows up in different colors such as gray, red, or yellow. You can also report the problem straight to the Apple Support team so that they can make necessary assessments to confirm whether or not the problem is on the App Store server. Just give them enough time to do their job. Rest assured, App Store services should be up and running in no time.

Connect with Us

We are committed to helping our readers fix the problems with their phones as well as learn how to properly use their devices. So, if you have other issues, you may visit our troubleshooting page so you can check by yourself the articles we’ve already published that contain solutions to common problems. Furthermore, we do create videos to demonstrate how things are done on your phone. Visit our Youtube Channel and please subscribe to it. Thanks.