What to do if an App Store app you downloaded isn’t working or won’t open

Have you ever downloaded a free or paid app from the iPhone or iPad App Store only to find that it wouldn’t launch or it crashed immediately? If that’s the case, here are some quick fixes you can try.

Rage face holding iPhone App Store icon

Trouble with App Store apps

If you’re facing difficulty launching and using an app that you just downloaded from the App Store, don’t be so quick to blame the developer and suggest that the app is garbage. Although it very well could be, don’t get me wrong, you should never count out the idea that something else could be the culprit.

Possible issues you may encounter with an app include:

  • The app crashes as soon as you tap it from the Home Screen
  • The app is not opening at all from the Home Screen
  • The app opens but hangs on a blank page and does not load further
  • The app launches and lets you tap on things but then hangs or crashes

What causes these problems? There are a number of reasons, but everyone’s device is different because we all use different software, and we all configure our devices differently from one another. Some reasons an app may not work include:

  • Temporary glitches in the operating system
  • Buggy code in the app or iOS
  • Incompatible iOS device
  • Lack of network connection when it’s needed
  • Low memory
  • Corrupted download

If you suspect any of the above reasons, follow the steps below to troubleshoot why an App Store app may not be working as you expect it to.

How to resolve a problem with an iPhone or iPad app

Although an app may not be working at this point in time, there are sometimes ways you can resolve the problem yourself. Other times, you may need to contact support. Here are some troubleshooting tips to get your app to work right on your iOS device(s):

Close the app and re-launch it

Killing an app from the iOS app switcher

Sometimes, an app simply doesn’t initiate correctly because of low memory or a software conflict. Conflicts are far more common on jailbroken devices, but on rare occasions, they can happen on non-jailbroken devices, too.

If you suspect that the app might work, you could simply give it another chance. Open the App Switcher and slide up on the app to force-quit it, then re-launch it to see if it loads correctly that time. If not, try killing all apps from the App Switcher and then re-launch the app to see if it loads correctly.

Restart your iPhone or iPad

have you tried turning it off and on again gif

If that didn’t work, the problem could be with iOS itself. To fix this, you can try rebooting your device so that iOS can fully reinitialize.

Make sure iOS is up-to-date or compatible

Some apps require a specific version of iOS. If you downloaded an app and it’s not working as expected, make sure that iOS is up to date. Typically, apps that require a software version newer than what you have will not be allowed to install via App Store restrictions, but in rare instances, certain features of an app may be disabled on some firmware versions.

Moreover, if you download a major software update when Apple launches it after a special event, sometimes apps may take a while to receive an update to support the new firmware. This can cause instability, such as crashing, or even impact app usability.

To make sure you’re on the latest version of iOS, open the Settings app and navigate to General > Software Update. Any updates you may have waiting for you will appear here.

Make sure the app itself is up to date

If an app you downloaded from the App Store suddenly stops working on your device, app developers are often aware of it and are working on a fix. You can check for an update by launching the App Store and tapping your profile from the top.

Now, keep in mind that some app updates may actually be counterproductive and break apps, so you should always be wary of some updates. If an app is working properly before an update, consider waiting a few days and then checking the App Store reviews to see if it’s a good update.

Check your network connection

Some apps require a network connection to function properly, such as social networking, communication, and content-fetching apps. If you have a poor cellular network connection or aren’t connected to a Wi-Fi network, this will impact the app’s ability to fetch new data and will result in an error message.

In some cases, being on unsupported networks may even crash an app. I’ve been in a scenario where trying to connect to a public AT&T Wi-Fi network would crash the Shopkick app on my iPhone repeatedly until I switched to my LTE connection. The point is some Wi-Fi networks, despite being connected, have a log-in portal that you have to complete to gain network access, and the app might get confused and rage quit.

Try downloading another app from the App Store

Download another app

If you’re having trouble with an app you downloaded from the App Store, try downloading another free app to see if the same problem occurs. If it doesn’t, then the problem may be related to the app itself and not your device. This would at least suggest the problem isn’t on your end.

Delete and re-install the app

Delete an app from the Home screen

Sometimes, the reason you may be experiencing issues could be because the download was corrupted and you have an incomplete app installation.

You can try to delete the app and re-install it. This will install a fresh copy of the app on your device, hopefully without any glitches this time!

Contact app support

There are a few other things you can do if you still have problems using the app. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend wasting your time on a system restore to get a single App Store app to work properly, so the next best thing you can do is contact the app developer through the App Store’s support link.

Here, you’ll be able to explain your issues, and hopefully, they’ll be able to pinpoint the issues and fix them in a later app update. It may mean you have to wait a while longer, but at least you get the chance of a working app at some point!

Last resort: ask for a refund

app store refund

In some cases, the problem can’t be fixed, and the developer may not reply or fix the problem in a prompt time. In these cases, the best thing to do is to simply ask Apple for a refund on the app if you paid money for it. Apple generally approves most refund requests.

Has an App Store app ever refused to work right on your iOS device(s) before? Share in the comments!

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