How to fix an Apple iPhone XR that won't connect to App Store

So you just got the new iPhone XR and would want to download your favorite apps on it. But to your dismay, that couldn’t be done since your iPhone won’t connect to the App Store for some reasons. Indeed it’s a bummer but there are plenty of simple solutions you can try.

If you need some inputs, then this post got you covered. Work through these subsequent methods and attempt to fix the problem on your end. Keep reading and learn what to do if your iPhone XR won’t connect to the App Store.

Before going further, if you found this post because you were trying to find a solution to your problem, then try to visit our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed most of the commonly reported issues with the phone. We’ve already provided solutions to some of the problems reported by our readers so try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you and if you need further assistance, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and hit submit.

How to troubleshoot iPhone XR that won’t connect to App Store

Before you begin troubleshooting, check the App Store server status to see if it’s currently available or not. You can view this information from the Apple system status page. If it shows that the App Store is down or unavailable, then it’s likely due to a server outage and that should be resolved by Apple Support. Unfortunately, nothing much can be done on your end but to wait until the server is back up and running again. Otherwise, try any of the following solutions.

First solution: Check and manage your Internet connection.

Internet access is a requirement for online apps and services to work on your device. And that applies to the App Store. Without stable Internet connection, the app couldn’t work as it won’t be able to connect to the Apple server. To make sure this isn’t the problem, check and ensure that your iPhone has Internet connection. Toggling the Wi-Fi off and then back on can help clear out minor errors that may have caused random Internet issues and prevented App Store from working. So here’s the first possible solution you can try on:

Open the Settings app from Home.
Select Wi-Fi.
Then toggle the Wi-Fi switch to turn the feature OFF.
After a few seconds, toggle the switch again to turn Wi-Fi back ON.

Another simple way to restart and refresh wireless features of your phone is through the Airplane Mode toggle. The trick is to enable Airplane mode from the settings menu for a few seconds and then disable it again.

Wait for your phone to reconnect to Wi-Fi and once it’s connected, test your Internet connection. To do so, try opening a browser app then navigate to some websites to see if they load properly. If they do, then the problem isn’t the Internet.

ALSO READ: How to fix App Store not working on iPhone

Second solution: Quit the App Store then reboot your iPhone XR.

The App Store can also experience random glitches and goes rogue as other apps do. When this happens, the app may not be working as intended. To clear this out, clearing the App Store is recommended. And here’s how it’s done:

Go to the Home screen.
Swipe your finger up and then pause.
Swipe right or left to navigate through the app previews.
Then swipe up on the App Store preview to close it.

To make sure none of your background apps are causing conflict with App Store, clear them all. After force closing the App Store and other background applications, reboot your iPhone XR or perform a soft reset with these steps:

Press and hold the Side/Power button and either Volume buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
Release the buttons when the Slide to Power Off command appears.
Drag the power off slider to the right.
After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button or Side button again until the phone reboots.

Doing so helps clear out minor firmware issues that may have halted the App Store operations and prevented your device from connecting to the App Store server.

Third solution: Update iOS to the latest version available.

Application problems that are attributed to firmware issues or software bugs are usually remedied by an iOS update. New iOS versions rolled by Apple also offer fix patches to address existing issues tied to system bugs and malware. If your Internet is working fine, then you can manually check for new iOS (OTA) updates to download and install on your device. Here’s how:

Open Settings from your Home screen.
Tap General.
Select Software Update.

You should see an update notification if a new iOS version is available for your device. Before installing the update, it’s recommended to create a copy of critical files stored on the phone memory. Doing so will ensure that you can still recover them later when needed. Reboot your iPhone XR after installing the update to save and apply the recent iOS changes. Then reattempt to launch the App Store and see if your iPhone can now connect and use the application.

Fourth solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone XR.

The way your iPhone settings are configured may also affect other app’s operations. If your iPhone was able to connect to the App Store but suddenly bumped into this problem after making some changes to your device settings, then incorrect settings are likely to blame. To clear this out, follow these steps to erase all customized settings on your iPhone XR and then restore the defaults or original configuration.

Go to the Home screen then tap Settings.
Tap General.
Scroll down to and tap Reset.
Select the option to Reset all settings.
If prompted, enter your device passcode.
Then tap the option to confirm all settings reset.

Unlike a factory reset, this won’t affect any saved data on the phone so no need to back up files beforehand. After the reset, your device should reboot by itself. Wait until it boots up then reconnect to your Wi-Fi network to use the Internet and retry connecting to the App Store.

Fifth solution: Factory reset/master reset your iPhone XR.

The problem may be more complicated than you think as you still end up having the same trouble after applying the previous methods. But on the positive note, you’re dealing with a software-related issue and so it can still be resolved using more advanced solution. At this point, you may resort to a master reset. This will wipe everything from your phone system and then restores the default factory settings. If you wish to proceed, back up all your personal information, then refer to these steps:

Tap to open the Settings app from Home.
Tap on General.
Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
Then tap the option to confirm fully system reset.

Wait for your iPhone to reboot after the reset then proceed with the initial setup process. Connect your iPhone XR to Wi-Fi Internet then sign into the App Store on your iPhone XR by going to Settings-> iTunes & App Store menu then enter your Apple ID and password.

Seek more help

Performing the previous workarounds should be good enough to deal with minor system errors that may have halted your iPhone XR from connect to the App Store server but since the problem persists, it could be an issue with the network or Apple servers. In short, the problem isn’t on your end. In that case, there’s nothing much you can do but to escalate the issue to Apple Support. Doing so will prompt them to check their systems and confirm App Store server status on their end.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XR smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XR. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.