iPhone & iPad App Download Stuck On Waiting iOS 10.3.1, not downloading

When downloading, updating or syncing apps to an iDevice like iPhone 6,iPhone 7 Plus and iPad Air, apps may occasionally get stuck waiting and never finish installing on the iPhone 6. Even with the latest update on ios 10.3.1, this error would appear sometimes.

First, give the app enough time to download and make sure it’s actually stuck before proceeding. Most apps download within a few minutes over Wi-Fi but if you are downloading or updating several apps this could take much longer depending on the size of apps and the speed of your internet connection.

Also, if you are downloading or updating apps over Wi-Fi or 3G make sure the problem is not with your data connection before proceeding.

Restarting iOS 10 iPhone Devices

The easiest way to clear up apps that are stuck waiting is a Restart.

To Restart or Reboot your iPad air, iPhone or iPad touch;

1. Press an hold the Sleep/Wake button (top right corner) until the red slider appears.
2. Slide your finger to turn off the device.
3. Give it a minute to shut down, then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the Apple logo appears.

This will sometimes clear up apps that have difficulty installing but if that did not resolve your problem then keep reading.

Video Tutorial on How to Fix Apps Stuck Waiting

Having Slow Internet or App Stuck – Change the DNS?

Some users found that by changing the DNS address on the Wi-Fi Setting will solve the apps being stuck on download. To change the DNS, first go to the “WiFi settings” Tap on the (I) Looking Button. Now look for the DNS  and input 8.8.8.8 (is a Google Public DNS– which will ensure safety and speed) and make sure your iOS 10.3.1 device has enough space to download. If your iPhone 6 won’t download Apps still, try restarting the device so the internet would reconnect.

Changing The Dates & Time on iPhone

Another Method of fixing the apps being stuck on “Waiting” is to change the Date & Time. To change the date, navigate to the Settings page -> General -> Date and Time. 

Download and Sync Apps With iTunes

1. The next method will require you to plug you device into your computer and open iTunes.

If you were installing a new app that is not on your computer, you should be able to download the app without being charged. Make sure you are signed in with the same account that made the purchase. When you locate the app in the iTunes Store, you should see “install” or “Downloaded” instead of a price. Download the app or apps to iTunes on your computer.

1. Select your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch under Devices on the left.
2. Click the Apps tab and check “Sync Apps”.
3. Select the apps you want to sync in the left-hand column. You can select all apps by clicking on an app checkbox while holding down the Control key on Windows or the Command key on Mac OS X.

1. Sync to transfer the apps you selected to your device.

Remove and Reinstall Apps from iTune

Hopefully your problem has already been resolved by this point but here’s one more method that should certainly clear up the issue. I have saved this for last since it is the most time consuming. The length of time will depend on the number of apps you sync to the device.

1. Uncheck “Sync Apps” from the same screen we were using above and sync the device. This will remove all the apps on the device.
2. After the device has finished syncing check “Sync Apps” again.
3. Select the apps you want to install and sync the device.

Updating iTunes Version to the latest

Check iTunes and update it to the latest version. After the update, try and download the apps on iTunes. After the apps is finish download, you can sync it to the iPhone 7 or iPad.

Make sure you’re running the latest iTunes Version. Click on Help and click on Check for Update

Do you have enough space on the iPhone/iPad?

Sometimes your iPhone 6 is out of storage space. When your iPhone is full on storage, you won’t be able to download any more apps. You can fix this by uninstalling apps that you don’t use. Goto General -> Storage and iCloud Usage. As you can see some apps are much bigger in term of size. The bigger they are, the longer it will take depending on your Wi-Fi Speed.

Updating to the Latest iOS 10.3.1

Apple often release new iOS update to fix bugs and glitches. So always check for new update on your iPhone 7 devices. Make sure you make a backup for your current iOS 9.3.5 devices because this is your stable iOS before the upgrade. To Update the iOS, Tap onto General -> Software Update. Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi connection because you don’t want to disconnect midway on the update and get a corrupted file. Also make sure you arn’t using Cellular Data to update(which is very unlikely because of the 100MB limit) for iPhone 7.

Try downloading other Apps

If the apps you’re downloading is stuck, try downloading other apps to see if it is stuck too. Some apps will download just fine and others will just not download. Download some of the most popular apps like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Pokemon Go, Geometry Dash and Spotify Music to test is it just that app problem.

Resetting iPhone 7 Settings back to default

Go Tap on Settings -> General -> Reset -> Reset All Settings

This will reset the default setting for the iPhone, it won’t delete photos and other media.

If the above trick doesn’t work out, try reseting your internet setting.

Tap on Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Setttings

Making Sure the App is Compatible

Most of the App Requires iOS 8.0 or later and compatibility to certain devices. Some apps will be limited to iPhone 7 or the iPad. Also some apps are locked to some region like the USA, which will make you unable to download them if you’re outside of USA.

Avoid Searching to download Apps outside iTunes or App Store

In the Android OS, you can download App files outside of Google Store. You can download .APK files which can be Apps or hidden virus onto the smartphone. Because Apple exclusively only allow apps to be listed on App store and iTunes software, you won’t be able to download apps on the safari browser.  If you have searched for apps on the Safari browser the app install button will redirect you to the App Store, therefore avoid downloading popup apps because they can be malware and various scam.

FAQ to Fix App Stuck/Freeze

What iOS Version are you running? Are you running the latest version 9.2 or an older version? Is the app compatibility with your iOS? Requires iOS 8.0 or later for some apps to be install. Can your app be upgrade to the newest version? Is your Wi-Fi internet working? Are you using cellular data to download the App?

Leave a Comment below, if the problem isn’t fix. Give detail on the Apps/iOS Version(iOS 10, iOS 9 or iOS 8? or the method that fixed your problems.