Why Won’t My Apps Download? Fixes for Android and iPhone

When you get a new app from the App Store, it should download and install it immediately. Unfortunately, no matter what kind of phone you have, that’s not always the case, which can be frustrating. So why won’t your apps download, and how can you fix that?

This issue isn’t unique to either Android or iPhone, and you can experience it on any model too. That’s because there’s no single reason why your apps may not download, and so there’s no one solution, either. As a result, addressing this problem may take a bit of troubleshooting.

To help you out, here’s a rundown of some of the most common causes and how to fix them.

Not Enough Storage Space

The first thing to check if your apps aren’t downloading is your storage space. You only have so much space on your phone, so if you don’t have enough left, you can’t download another app. Thankfully, figuring that out and fixing it is a straightforward process.

On iOS, you can see how much space you have left by going into Settings, then General and then iPhone Storage. On an Android, it can vary depending on your phone, but you should be able to find it under your settings. If you don’t have enough storage for new apps or updates, you’ll have to delete some data.

On an iPhone, you can create space by deleting apps you don’t use, photos or downloaded music. You can free space on Android the same ways or by transferring some data to an SD card. If your SD card is full, you can upgrade your storage space by buying a new one.

Weak Internet Signal

If you have enough storage for your new apps or updates, it could be a matter of connectivity. Check to make sure that you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network and have a strong signal. If your signal’s low, you may need to connect to another network or move closer to the Wi-Fi router.

Apple has file size download limits for cellular data, so if you’re using data, try connecting to Wi-Fi instead. Even if you have an Android, you’ll have better luck with Wi-Fi, since it’s usually faster than cellular connections. If you can’t get a good signal either way, you may need to wait until you have a stronger one.

Other Possible Issues

If you try those two steps and still have problems, it could be a glitch or other issue. You can address most of these by closing the App Store or Play Store and then opening it up again. If that doesn’t work, you can restart your phone entirely.

On iOS, you need up-to-date payment info to download an app, even if it’s free. Go into Settings, tap your Apple ID, tap “Payment & Shipping” and make sure your credit card info is correct. If it’s not, enter all the right information and try to download your app again.

If you have an Android, you can clear the Play Store cache, which will free up some memory. Go into your settings, then go to “Apps & notifications” and find Google Play Store. Under the Play Store’s settings, tap “Storage,” “Clear Cache” and then “Clear data.”

If none of these options work, check to make sure you have the most recent version of your operating system. Download the new OS update if there is one, as that could have fixes to a bug that’s preventing your downloads.

Try These Fixes When Your Apps Won’t Download

It can be annoying when your apps won’t download, but it’s not an impossible situation. Like many phone issues, it could come from any number of factors, so you may have to try a few things. At least one of the fixes here should do the trick, though.

If you keep having issues, reach out to either Apple or Google for support. Otherwise, enjoy your new apps and updates.