Finding errors in the updates of apps and games on the iPhone, either in a timely manner or being persistent problems, is something rare. However, it is not something anomalous either, always having a justified cause, so it is convenient that you carry out a series of checks and readjustments with which to try to solve the failures.
Possible general solutions
In addition to correctly following the application and game update process, it is also essential that before trying other things, you check certain parameters at a general level that could be causing the problem.
- Restart the iPhone: it will help you close all the processes in the background and thus prevent those errors related to them from also reproducing and that could be the cause of problems updating apps.
- Update the software: as always, having the latest version of iOS available helps the device to perform more efficiently and contains all the bug fixes that Apple is adding on a regular basis.
- Delete and reinstall the app : what this will do is eliminate possible junk files that have been generated in the app and that may be causing conflicts. On the other hand, when you install it again you will already be downloading the most recent version of the application.
- System Restore – A solution that may be too drastic but can be effective in eliminating all sorts of problems that are related to iPhone software and tool malfunctions.
Faults related to the iPhone itself
Once you have verified the above, it is time to start examining the iPhone and its different configurations in order to continue ruling out problems or, in the case of detecting the origin, putting a solution on it.
Check internet connection
Having a good connection is essential to be able to download applications, but also to update them. If you are connected via WiFi you must be sure that there is a good connection and that it is fast, something easily verifiable by performing a speed test. It is not that high speeds are required to update the app, but if it is too slow it could end up giving a failure.
What you should be clear about is that there are some common problems using mobile data , beyond the fact that this connection may be more or less slow. And it is that, you may have limited downloads of updates with this type of connections, something that you can check in Settings> App Store.
If you detect that one or the other connection method gives you problems, the failure will not really be a matter of updating iOS apps and games, but rather something related to the coverage of the device. In that case, it is convenient that you contact your operator so that they can verify if there is a fault and offer you a solution.
Login problems
Sometimes we can overlook the obvious precisely because it is obvious. However, not having logged into the App Store (or having closed it accidentally) is often a more than justified reason and why you will not be able to update or download new applications.
Just by opening the App Store you should get a message alerting you and requesting your login credentials, but if not, you must be the one to start it manually. To do this, you just have to click on the icon in the upper right corner and the window will appear that will allow you to enter your Apple ID and password, which may or may not be the same as the one you used for iCloud on the iPhone.
Review of restrictions
Another possible cause of problems related to the configuration of the iPhone is having some restriction activated that makes the update of games and applications not run normally. These types of restrictions are carried out from the Time of Use panel.
You must therefore open Settings> Time of use> Restrictions. Once there, a complete list will appear with all the restrictions that you have active, you should check these sections there:
- Purchases in iTunes and App Store.
- Use of mobile data.
- Background apps.
Problems of the application itself
Once the correct configuration of the iPhone is assured, it is necessary to ask if it is not a question of the application itself, which we will analyze in these next sections.
Is the update really out?
There can be several situations with respect to the updates and it is that none have really come out and, by mistake, you have believed that they did. Although it is also possible that you have read or heard that there is one and that nevertheless it does not appear. This could be because it is not an update for all teams or because for some technical reason, the developers have withdrawn it.
Be that as it may, it does not hurt to check the application file in the App Store and look at the “News” or “Versions” section, where in addition to the news, it will also put the date they were launched. If you are completely sure that it came out and you do not have it installed, you can try doing what we recommended at the beginning with respect to deleting it and reinstalling it again.
Is the app still available?
Closely related to the above, we find the possibility that the application is no longer available in the iPhone app store. Either because its developer eliminated it or because Apple itself detected some irregularity. It is not usually frequent and less with known apps, but it is not ruled out that it is happening.
To make sure of this, perform a manual search for the application in the App Store and, if it does not appear, you will already have a good sign that it is no longer available. In fact, it is possible that if you delete it, you will never be able to reinstall it. In any case, this is not very common and although it is not ruled out at this point, it is still not the most likely.
Other possible causes of failure
At this point, we find the last two possible causes of the problem. If once you review what we discuss in these next sections you continue to have problems, the ideal thing to do is to contact Apple to discuss the case with them.
Space problems
Another thing that seems very obvious and yet we can often forget. And is that if the iPhone memory is full or very close to doing so, the app updates will not be able to be installed. Sometimes not even having enough space is allowed, since the system does not allow it to be fully occupied and establishes limits before.
And although a pop-up should normally appear warning of this, it may not appear. In that case, it is recommended that you check how much memory you have left in Settings> General> iPhone Storage. Also in the application file in the App Store you can see what this new update occupies. If this is the problem, you will have no choice but to delete data, files and other apps to make room for the update.
Overloaded servers
Even for a matter of minutes, it is possible that the servers where the applications are hosted are collapsed and therefore they are not allowed to be accessed or the speed with which it is done is extremely slow. Unfortunately, there is little you can do in this regard other than wait, being Apple itself the one that must solve it.
Although it is true that they are usually quite quick to fix this problem, it does not hurt to monitor the status of the servers manually to, first, check if they are indeed down. And finally, to see if when they are operational again. Apple enables a website where you can see all this in real time.
