How To Fix Apple iPhone XR That Wont Connect To App Store

App Store is a key feature of an iPhone designed to download and update apps and services. For iTunes to work, a fast and stable Internet connection through Wi-Fi or Cellular Data is recommended. However, Wi-Fi Internet connection is recommended for huge and heavy downloads. And because the service is network-dependent, random issues are inevitable. So don’t be surprised if one day you will be prompted with an alert message saying that you cannot connect to App Store, when you try to open the App Store.

On the brighter note, such errors are rectifiable by certain workarounds. Outlined below are suggested workarounds you can use whenever you’ll have trouble connecting to the App Store on your iPhone XR. Read on for more detailed solutions.

Before going further, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, then drop in on our iPhone XR Help Guides for we have already solved many of the problems with this phone. We may already have published articles that could help you fix your problem so take time to browse through that page.

How to troubleshoot iPhone XR that can’t connect to the App Store

Before troubleshooting, check the App Store status and make sure it isn’t down. To check, head over to the Apple system status page from the Apple support website. If the App Store is down, then there’s nothing much you can do on your end to solve the problem but to wait until Apple’s technical people solve it. And that should happen quickly. Also care to check the date and time settings on your phone. They must be set properly for the App Store server to fetch the correct timestamps for every app download and update.

To manage the date and time settings on your iPhone XR, go to Settings-> General-> Date & Time menu then enable the option to Set Automatically.

This will prompt your device to use automatic date and time information based on your current time zone.

If the App Store stops responding or crashes while attempting to download a file or app through cellular data, the file size may be huge and thus require faster Internet connection. In that case, switch to a Wi-Fi internet connection or else you may use up a large amount of data. Also ensure that the app you’re trying to update is still supported.

If your phone still cannot connect to the App Store, then rule out software-related hindrances with the following workarounds.

First solution: Refresh your Wi-Fi internet connection.

Network connectivity issues are usually the underlying cause. To clear out minor Internet errors that might have halted your device from connecting to the App Store server, refresh your Wi-Fi internet connection. There are different ways to get this done. You can refresh Wi-Fi internet connection on your iPhone by toggling Wi-Fi off and back on.

To do this, go to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu then tap the Wi-Fi switch to turn OFF. After a few seconds, toggle the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back on.

Another trick is to toggle Airplane Mode on and off. When Airplane mode is turned on, wireless radios on the phone including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features are automatically turned off. So here’s what you should do then:

Navigate to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
Toggle the Airplane mode switch to turn ON or enable the feature.
While Airplane mode is enabled, restart your iPhone XR (soft reset).
As soon as it boots up, go back to Settings-> Airplane mode menu and then toggle the switch to turn Airplane mode off again.

This re-enables the phones wireless radios and thus your Wi-Fi Internet connection resumes.

Allow your device to re-establish Internet connection and once it’s connected, try launching the App Store again to see if the error is gone.

Second solution: Delete/forget your Wi-Fi network then set it up again.

To rule out corrupted Wi-Fi network from the possible causes, try to forget or delete your current Wi-Fi network then set it up again. Doing so allows your device to connect to the Wi-Fi network like it’s the first time. This also refreshes and clears minor errors transpiring on the Wi-Fi network. So here’s what you can try doing next:

Go to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu. Turn Wi-Fi on, if necessary.
Then scroll through the Wi-Fi networks saved on the phone.
Select your Wi-Fi network then tap the information “i” icon next to it.
Tap the option to Delete This Network
Then tap the option to confirm.
After deleting or forgetting the Wi-Fi network, restart your iPhone XR.
After it reboots, go back to Settings-> Wi-Fi menu.
Select your Wi-Fi network then tap the option to Connect or Join.
Enter the correct Wi-Fi password when asked to proceed.

Wait until your phone is reconnected to the Internet. Once online, open the App Store then see how it works.

Alternatively, you can try using another Wi-Fi network. Sometimes the problem is due to the current Wi-Fi network in use, thus switching to a different Wi-Fi network will get the App Store back up and running properly again.

Third solution: Reset the App Store (clear App Store cache and data).

Corrupted caches and temporary data from the App Store can also trigger similar errors to occur and halts App Store downloads and other operations. You can rule this out be resetting the App Store or clearing the App Store cache and data with this user-defined tweak:

Tap to open the App Store.
From the App Store main screen, scroll down to the bottom section. You should see different icons/tabs lined up.
To reset or clear the App Store cache and data, tap on one of the tabs ten (10) times consecutively. You should then see the App Store main screen seemed to refresh.

That’s the indication that the App Store has been reset and its cache and data have been cleared.

Reboot your iPhone XR then retry using the App Store to download or update apps.

Fourth solution: Install new iOS update for your iPhone XR

Installing the latest iOS update on your iPhone XR can also be the key to resolving the problem if bugs and malware are inflicting it.

To check for new iOS update, go to Settings-> General-> Software Update menu on your iPhone XR.

If a new update is available, you will see an update notification containing the update details. Read and review the information then select the option to Download and Install new update when ready.

Your phone must have stable Internet connection, ample of memory space and battery life to carry out and complete wireless update installation.

Fifth solution: Sign out and sign back into your App Store account

Some App Store errors are attributed to invalid or incorrect account information. This is why it’s also important to update your App Store account credentials from time to time. Your Apple ID account needs to be updated especially if you recently changed your Apple ID or password. To sign out and sign back into the App Store, simply follow these steps:

Tap Settings from the Home screen.
Select your App Store [profile].
Tap iTunes & App Store.
Tap on your Apple ID then select the option to Sign Out.
After signing out, tap the Sign In option then enter your updated Apple ID and password.

After signing back into your App Store account, try connecting to the App Store again to download or update an app.

Seek more help

For further assistance and more advanced solutions, contact Apple Support and escalate the problem. Let them know exactly about how your iPhone XR ended up being unable to connect to the App Store. If the problem started after making some changes on your device settings, then there may be some settings or options that need to be reverted.

If the problem is not on your end, then you should get official recommendations from the support people.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!