To fix iPhone apps that are not working, close and reopen the unresponsive app, restart your iPhone, then update the app and iOS. If the app opens but a particular feature fails, check the connection or permission that feature needs. Save deleting the app for later because it can remove locally stored data.
The short version
- Start small: Close only the unresponsive app, reopen it, and restart your iPhone if it still fails.
- Install updates: Check for an app update and install the iOS update offered for your device.
- Match the symptom: Loading failures, missing permissions, delayed content, and blocked access need different checks.
- Protect your data: Preserve important app data before deleting and reinstalling an app.
| Fix | When to use it | Main catch |
|---|---|---|
| Close and reopen the app | One app is unresponsive | Close only the affected app |
| Restart your iPhone | Reopening does not help | Buttons differ by model |
| Force restart | The phone cannot restart normally | Use the sequence for your model |
| Update the app | An App Store app keeps failing | Check for an available update |
| Update iOS on the phone | The app still fails after updating | Back up first |
| Update through Finder | You need a computer update | Requires macOS Catalina or later |
| Update through Apple Devices | You use a compatible Windows PC | Install Apple Devices first |
| Test another connection | Online content will not load | Check other devices on the network |
| Allow cellular data | The app works only on Wi-Fi | Requires an active cellular plan |
| Check Apple service status | An Apple service fails | Wait if an outage is listed |
| Correct date and time | Apple service connections fail | Check the time zone too |
| Check VPN or filtering settings | Filtering interferes with connections | Consult your organization about managed settings |
| Reset network settings | Simpler connection checks fail | Removes saved networks and unmanaged VPN settings |
| Restore hardware permissions | Camera, microphone, or Bluetooth fails | The app must have requested access |
| Restore information permissions | Photos, calendars, or reminders are inaccessible | Access choices vary by category |
| Allow local network access | The app cannot find nearby devices | Enable access for the affected app |
| Restore location access | A location feature fails | Exact location may require additional permission |
| Enable background refresh | Supported apps show stale content | Reopen an app you previously closed |
| Turn off Low Power Mode | Background tasks are paused | The settings path depends on the model |
| Restore notifications | App alerts are missing | This addresses alerts rather than crashes |
| Allow notifications through Focus | A Focus silences the app | Review the active Focus |
| Adjust Screen Time allowances | A usage allowance blocks access | Parent-controlled changes require authorization |
| Turn off a blocking schedule | Screen Time blocks scheduled access | Menus below use iOS 27 |
| Allow a restricted built-in feature | Content restrictions block a feature | Requires an authorized change |
| Review storage and offloading | Device storage is nearly full | Offloading retains app data |
| Reinstall an offloaded app | The app icon displays a cloud | The app must remain available |
| Prioritize a download | An installation or update stalls | Use the downloading app’s Home Screen menu |
| Delete and redownload the app | One app still fails | Deletion can remove local data |
| Contact the developer | An app-specific problem persists | Use the app’s support route |
| Check the touchscreen and accessories | Touch fails across apps | Persistent touch problems need service |
| Reset all settings | System settings cause persistent problems | Requires extensive settings reconfiguration |
Reopen the app and restart your iPhone
On an iPhone without a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle. On a model with a Home button, double-click that button instead. Swipe sideways to find the affected app, swipe up on its preview, then reopen it. Apple recommends closing an app only when it is unresponsive.
If reopening does not help, restart your iPhone. On a Face ID model, hold either Volume button and the Side button until the power-off slider appears; on iPhone SE models from the second or third generation, hold the Side button alone. Drag the slider, wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. Older models with a Top button use that button instead.
If the whole phone is frozen and cannot restart normally, force restart your iPhone. On models covered by the iOS 27 guide, including iPhone SE from the second and third generations, quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then hold Side until the Apple logo appears and release it. On iPhone Duo, Volume Up is the volume button nearest Side.
Update the app and iOS
To update an app on iPhone, open App Store, tap your photo or tap My Account, then select App Updates. Tap Update beside the affected app, or tap Update All. Reopen the app after its update finishes.
Next, back up your iPhone, connect it to power and Wi-Fi, and open Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install when an update is offered for your device. If the update requests permission to temporarily remove apps, those apps are removed to make room and reinstalled afterward. Tap Continue to proceed with that temporary removal.
To update through a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, connect your iPhone and open Finder. Select the iPhone in the sidebar, then choose General > Check for Update > Download and Update. Enter the device passcode if requested.
On a compatible Windows PC, open Apple’s Windows downloads page and follow Download the Apple Devices app for Windows from the Microsoft Store. Select the Apple Devices listing in Microsoft Store and select Get. Connect your iPhone, tap Trust if requested on the phone, and open Apple Devices. Select the iPhone in the sidebar, select General, then select Check for Update if needed and Update.
Check the connection when content will not load
Open a website in a browser to check whether your iPhone can get online. If it fails, test another device on the same network; if all devices fail, restart the Wi-Fi router. Try another Wi-Fi network or a cellular connection. Contact your internet provider or network administrator if the failure is specific to that network.
For an app that works on Wi-Fi but fails on cellular, open Settings > Cellular and turn on Cellular Data. Find the affected app and turn on its cellular access, tapping Show All if needed. An app with cellular access disabled can use Wi-Fi only, and cellular access requires an active plan. Labels and SIM options can vary by region and carrier.
When an Apple service such as the App Store or Apple Music fails, check Apple’s System Status page for the affected service and region. Wait for service to return if an outage is listed. Also open Settings > General > Date & Time and correct an inaccurate date, time, or time zone, or enable automatic date and time.
A VPN or filtering app can interfere with connections, so open the relevant app and temporarily disable its filtering features. Search Settings for VPN, profile, firewall, or filter to locate related configuration. Restart after changes and retest the affected app. Consult your organization before changing managed settings.
For persistent connection problems after simpler checks, resetting network settings removes saved networks and unmanaged VPN settings. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings, then reconnect to Wi-Fi. Network settings installed through device management or configuration profiles remain, so contact your administrator if those settings are involved.
Restore permissions for features that fail
When an app opens but its camera, microphone, or Bluetooth feature fails, check its permissions. On iOS 27, open Settings > Privacy & Security, choose Camera, Microphone, Bluetooth, or the relevant permission category, and enable access for the app that requested it. For missing photos, calendars, or reminders, select the corresponding information category and grant the access the feature needs. Permission choices differ by category.
Apps that discover TVs, speakers, or computers may need local network permission. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn on access for the app. If it asks for permission while you are using it, tap Allow.
For a location-dependent feature, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and turn on Location Services. Select the app and choose While Using the App or another available access level appropriate to the feature. Turn on Precise Location when the feature requires your exact location; available access levels depend on the app.
Fix delayed content and missing notifications
For supported apps with stale background content, open Settings > General > Background App Refresh > Background App Refresh. Choose Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi & Cellular Data. Reopen an app you previously closed through the App Switcher so it can resume checking for content. This setting addresses background updates rather than crashes.
Low Power Mode turns off email fetch, Background App Refresh, and automatic downloads, and temporarily pauses iCloud Photos. On iPhone 15 and later, open Settings > Battery > Power Mode and turn off Low Power Mode. On iPhone 14 and earlier, open Settings > Battery and turn off Low Power Mode.
If only notifications are missing, open Settings > Notifications, select the app, and turn on Allow Notifications. Review its alert options and, when available, select Customize Notifications. These controls address missing alerts rather than an app failing to launch.
Check whether an active Focus is silencing the app by opening Settings > Focus, selecting that Focus, and choosing Apps or Choose Apps. Tap Allow Notifications From, tap the add-apps button, and select the app. Review Time Sensitive Notifications when relevant. On supported Apple Intelligence devices, Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing can also filter notifications.
Check Screen Time when access is blocked
On iOS 27, with upgraded Screen Time features supported across participating devices, open Settings > Screen Time > Time Allowances. Increase the overall allowance or select the affected category and increase its allowance. Alternatively, open Settings > Screen Time > Always Allowed > Add Apps and select the app. Parent-controlled changes require the parent or authorized passcode holder.
For a blocking schedule on iOS 27, open Settings > Screen Time > Screen Time Schedule and turn off Schedule. If your menus show App Limits or Downtime, those are older iOS 26 labels, so the iOS 27 paths differ from your screen. For a child’s account, have the parent review the restrictions; some child-account restrictions cannot be disabled in certain regions.
If a built-in feature is restricted on iOS 27, open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Other Features and allow it if you are authorized to make the change. On a school or work iPhone that prevents configuration changes, contact the device administrator to review the restrictions.
Check storage before reinstalling the app
When storage is nearly full, open Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Review the storage recommendations and the affected app’s storage details. Offloading removes an app’s installed software while retaining its documents and data, including potentially problematic app data. Consider that distinction before choosing to offload an app to free space.
If an offloaded app’s icon displays a cloud symbol, tap the icon to reinstall it, provided the app is still available for download. If a download or update stalls, touch and hold the downloading app on the Home Screen and choose Prioritize Download.
Deleting an app can remove locally stored data, so preserve important app data before proceeding. To delete the affected iPhone app, touch and hold it, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App and Delete. Removing only its Home Screen icon does not reinstall it. If deletion is blocked, have the authorized passcode holder review Screen Time restrictions or contact the administrator of a managed device.
To find and reinstall deleted apps, open App Store, tap your photo or tap My Account, then select Apps & Purchase History > Your Apps > Not on this iPhone. Locate the app and tap its redownload button. Use the Apple Account that obtained it; eligible Family Sharing purchases can also be selected. The app must still be available and compatible with your iPhone.
Get help before making broader changes
If one app still fails, contact its developer. Find it in App Store, open its product page, scroll to Ratings & Reviews, and tap App Support. For an app obtained elsewhere, contact the developer directly. This is also the next step for persistent compatibility, account, or server problems specific to that app.
If touch input fails across apps, restart your iPhone, clean and dry the screen, disconnect Lightning or USB-C accessories, and remove the case or screen protector. When disconnecting an accessory fixes the issue, try another outlet, cable, or charger. Seek service if touch remains unreliable after these checks.
For persistent problems attributable to system settings, Apple says resetting all settings is rarely necessary. This preserves apps and personal content but resets network, privacy, notification, biometric, pairing, and other settings, which require reconfiguration. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings only as a late troubleshooting step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can an app see some contacts but not others?
The app may have limited contacts access. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts, select the app, and review Contacts Access. If you use Limited Access, tap Edit Selected Contacts, select the contacts it needs, then tap Done.
How do you open an app that is hidden or locked?
Tap a locked app and authenticate to open it. For a hidden app, swipe left past your Home Screen pages to App Library, tap Hidden, authenticate, then tap the app and authenticate again. App locking and hiding are available from iOS 18.
What should you check when websites fail inside Safari?
For websites that require JavaScript, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced and turn on JavaScript. Clearing Safari’s website data removes browsing history and website data. To proceed, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data, then tap Clear History. This is a Safari-specific troubleshooting step.
Can temperature make iPhone apps stop working properly?
Yes, temperature protection can disable camera features or reduce app performance. If a temperature warning appears, turn off your iPhone, move it away from sunlight to a cooler environment, and let it cool. After excessive cold, return it to a moderate environment before retrying.
How can you receive future app updates automatically?
Open Settings > Apps > App Store and turn on App Updates. This helps you receive subsequent updates for App Store apps, but it does not guarantee an immediate update.
Why do app alerts disappear during screen sharing?
Your notification settings may suppress alerts during screen sharing. Open Settings > Notifications > Screen Sharing and enable Allow Notifications if you want alerts while sharing.