“You’ve just learned about a wonderful new app and are keen to try it, but when you open the App Store to download it, the screen is either blank or stuck loading. Here’s how to fix it.”
Can’t connect to the App Store on your iPhone or iPad to download apps? Is your device unable to log in? Or are you having trouble downloading an app or an app update?
Unfortunately, these are very common issues. But, thankfully, there are several simple solutions you may try. In this article, we’ll explain why the iPhone App Store isn’t working or is blank, and how to resolve the issue so that the it can load again on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
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Close and re-open the App Store application
Small bugs in the App Store can sometimes hinder it from connecting to the internet, so when that happens, it won’t run at all. The very first thing to do is to close and reopen the app.
If the store is down from the server, this is both good and bad news. There isn’t much you can do to solve that problem, but you may sit back and wait for Apple to fix it, which should come soon.
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Is your iPhone connected to Wi-Fi or data?
Initially, let’s ensure your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular data network. It will not load on your iPhone if you do not have a stable internet connection.
Let’s start by seeing if your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi. Go to Settings -> Wi-Fi and ensure that the switch next to Wi-Fi is turned on. When the switch turns green, Wi-Fi is activated!
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Clear The App Store Cache
Clearing the App Store cache is one of the key techniques to use when an iPhone cannot connect to the App Store.
The App Store, like other apps, is powered by software. There are thousands of lines of code that tell the App Store how to function and what to perform. As you may expect, all of that software takes a while to respond. However, because we want it to load quickly, software programs employ a “cache” to help their performance.
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Check Your Date & Time Settings
Out of sync Date & Time settings can cause all sorts of odd problems. Your iPhone may believe it is stuck in the past or the future, restricting it from connecting to the App Store.
To view your Date & Time settings, go to Settings and then General -> Date & Time. Check that the switch next to Set Automatically is turned on.
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Update Your iPhone
Updating your iPhone might help in the solution of a range of software issues. When a new iOS version becomes available, it’s a good idea to upgrade your iPhone.
Navigate to Settings and then to General -> Software Update. If there is a new iOS update available, select Install Now or Download and Install.
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Troubleshooting More Significant Software Issues
Although unlikely, it is possible that your iPhone “cannot connect to App Store” is due to a more significant software issue. Software files can become corrupted, resulting in several problems.
To proceed, try resetting all settings, which will reset everything in the Settings app back to factory defaults. To reset the phone, go to Settings and select General -> Transfer or Reset iPhone -> Reset -> Reset All Settings. When the confirmation message appears, tap Reset All Settings.
So you’ve fixed the issue, and you can now proceed to download and install your favorite apps. Next time your iPhone “cannot connect to App Store”, you’ll understand exactly how and where to fix the problem.
