Downloaded/Updated apps stuck on "waiting" on my iPhone 4S

[DocDenver]

Reset Worked, took a bit of time

[/COLOR]Worked for me using RESET SETTINGS.

BUT>... Couldn't do it using RESET USING ITUNES.
Had to do it using RESET USING ICLOUD.

Took about 30 minutes total.

THANKS!

 

[adys1111]

try a "reset all settings" (not an erase all) and if that doesn't work then you're going to have to restore.

Works

thanks

 

[grblade]

A hard (2-button) reset worked for me. Regular off/on did nothing. But as soon as it booted from a hard reset it loaded all the "waiting" apps.

 

[bestard1]

In some cases this is the only way that works

I found a way to fix it but its very annoying because you have to use this method for each update.

1. You need to SSH into your phone and delete the /var/mobile/Media/Downloads folder
2. You can do this if you are jailbroken with iFile or unjailbroken with iExplorer

Delete the folder shown above, reboot, install update. Rinse and Repeat until you are done updating.

I had two apps stuck in waiting for almost two weeks and I was about to restore my phone (which messes the order of your apps, settings etc.), so thankfully I saw this solution and downloaded iExplore. Worked like a charm.

 

[Golfnovember]

I found something.

If you are downloading anything from iTunes and that download itself is hung up, apps will not download or update. I deleted some podcasts I was trying to download that we're hung up themselves and that fixed it.

 

[janiPup]

It worked!

Your right! I had a podcast problem. All fixed now!
Thank you

 

[sampstar]

You are a genius. Thank you. Wish i would have seen this before resetting all settings. Fixed the podcast stuck in iTunes and they all updated no problem.
Thanks.

I found something.

If you are downloading anything from iTunes and that download itself is hung up, apps will not download or update. I deleted some podcasts I was trying to download that we're hung up themselves and that fixed it.

 

[MsJackson]

I found a way to fix it but its very annoying because you have to use this method for each update.

1. You need to SSH into your phone and delete the /var/mobile/Media/Downloads folder
2. You can do this if you are jailbroken with iFile or unjailbroken with iExplorer

Delete the folder shown above, reboot, install update. Rinse and Repeat until you are done updating.

I have a jailbroken 4s, some apps were stuck on waiting for weeks!! THIS WORKED!! Very easy too. Didn't affect any other apps that we're successfully installed. Note: I tried reset settings, hard reset, EVERYTHING! THANK YOU!!! ####

 

[sbauer28]

Easier way

This is the only thing that worked for me:

go into the iTunes app on the iOS device, then tap more / downloads / swipe item to delete... any item that errors while downloading will stop all others

 

[tooshaggy]

This is the only thing that worked for me:

go into the iTunes app on the iOS device, then tap more / downloads / swipe item to delete... any item that errors while downloading will stop all others

How do you delete pending downloads that are "processing"??? Impossible, and I can't restart waiting apps even after deleting them. Did not work through iTunes on the computer either. Apple. Fix. This.!!!!!

 

[Bobzan]

I found a way to fix it but its very annoying because you have to use this method for each update.

1. You need to SSH into your phone and delete the /var/mobile/Media/Downloads folder
2. You can do this if you are jailbroken with iFile or unjailbroken with iExplorer

Delete the folder shown above, reboot, install update. Rinse and Repeat until you are done updating.

I don't understand this. What does "SSH into your phone" mean? What is iExplorer?

I have tried Reset All Settings - doesn't work. I am looking for some other way to fix this problem. Could someone help with my questions? Thanks!

 

[Dave2249]

Found the answer on Youtube

Apparently this is an "authentication" glitch. Someone posted the fix that finally helped my "apps waiting" problem.

1. Open App Store
2. Sign in using your Apple ID
3. Download an update or a free app
4. (after the update or free app is completely downloaded) Tap on the app icon that was stuck on waiting, it should then start to re-download the app.

Apparently the app store loses the authentication that you have purchased the app but once signed back in with proper credentials, it downloads the app and changes the icon from a darkened icon that says "waiting" to a brighter icon and the app starts to work again!

I tried all the other recommendations in this thread but finally found my solution on a Youtube response. Hope this helps someone else. I was ready to download iExplorer and delete files, backup and restore, etc., but this was an easy fix.

 

[Galaxy Bound]

If you're jail broken its quite easy to fix:
Open iFile/iPhone explorer/ssh and navigate to /var/mobile/Media/Downloads BUT don't delete the entire folder instead just rename the downloads.somenumber.sqlitedb to downloads.somenumber.sqlitedb.bak and respring - this will also fix problems with apps that won't download and preserves the correct file structure

If you're not try a network reset and reboot. If that doesn't fix it you'll have to restore (but check that the app store isn't down first before you do it like it was a few days ago)

 

[sonovale]

i was trying to update ebay motors app this evening and it was on waiting for about 30+ minutes, after searching on google i got this great thread and reset all settings did the trick. Thank you so much, love this place !!!

I have been facing this problem for days.I will try this as it helped you very much.I think it will also help me much.Thank you

 

[benji888]

Mines been stuck like this for about 30 mins now.
Not sure what's going on but I aint resetting anything.
Hooked up my iPhone to the sync cable and synced away

To anyone reading this thread: BEFORE you try "reset all settings":

1) Wait a few minutes, tap on the "waiting" apps as if to open them, this should resume downloading. You may be prompted again for your password.

2) If that doesn't work, try deleting all apps from your task bar, then try above (1).

3) Do what "Dave2249" says back in post #37

4) If that doesn't work, try a power cycle. (a power cycle can solve MANY issues.) Then (1) above.

5) Sync w/iTunes using your USB sync cable. (update your apps in iTunes on your computer first) (as "thizzinG" did, quoted above)

6) If none of these work, then try the "reset all settings" approach, but, it shouldn't be necessary, should be a last resort.

Lastly, I do not use iCloud...so, this may not help, especially if the issue has to do with iCloud being down, or too busy. In that case, I would find out the status of iCloud, I'm sure there is a URL to check and find out if iCloud is down.

 

[Skiser]

Tip - look at most recent posts first

When I went to this site with the issue I was searching for it showed me oldest posts first. My issue with the stuck apps was resolved by deleting a stuck podcast. I had done almost everything but a full restore. I should have looked at the most recent posts first because, it is a commen problem that has been showing up lately.

Thanks to all for posting your issues and following up with your results. It helps all of us deal in this digital hell we have to wade through to keep thing working!

 

[paulineyao]

I found something.

If you are downloading anything from iTunes and that download itself is hung up, apps will not download or update. I deleted some podcasts I was trying to download that we're hung up themselves and that fixed it.

Hello, I just wanted to say thank you so much for this post. Being somewhat pathetic, I've been distraught since yesterday as my Instagram failed to update and I did everything short of erasing all content on my phone. Checked the podcasts app and this was the problem. So thank you, because you are a lifesaver and I may now resume living my life. Much love!

 

[kiwi_nz]

Found a great app that worked!

Ok, so I had had an app on my iPhone4S that was stuck with waiting for days so this is what I tried because it would not let me delete it from my phone.

I tried removing it using iTunes. FAIL
I tried deleting the file from iTunes and installing, then not doing the transfer when i tried to sync the phone. FAIL
I tried reinstalling the file from iTunes doing a sync. FAIL
I tried deleting the app using the Mac App PhoneView. FAIL

Then I found an application called DiskAid http://www.digidna.net/ that enables you access to some of the additional folders on your iPhone. I clicked on the 'File System' folder on the left and navigated to 'Media' then 'Downloads'. Once there I used DiskAid to copy/backup the files to a folder on my Mac and then Deleted them. Once deleted I reset the phone, (holding Power & Home buttons) then low and behold the 'waiting' app was gone!

So go get DiskAid and give it a go, it's free so what do you have to lose

 

[imac23]

So unfortunately, I reset all because nothing else worked when I had the app waiting issue -- and now I can't get my ipad to get past the set up. When I plug it in to my iMac, iTunes does its synch as if everything is fine, but my iPad wants me to set it up from a backup on iTunes or icloud or as a new iPad - what do I do?

 

[kiwi_nz]

So unfortunately, I reset all because nothing else worked when I had the app waiting issue -- and now I can't get my ipad to get past the set up. When I plug it in to my iMac, iTunes does its synch as if everything is fine, but my iPad wants me to set it up from a backup on iTunes or icloud or as a new iPad - what do I do?

I am not sure if you have been backing up to iCloud so you are going to have to decide if you have done that, but I guess you should just try to restore from a backup.

 

[iPxD User]

STOP: Before you reset the settings...

Before you reset your settings check both apps and music that you may have attempted to download. Is anything stuck trying to download?

I had the same problem on my Iphone4 as many others on this thread. Every app I tried to download or update got stuck in the waiting mode. I thought it might be an app that was stuck somewhere so I deleted my most recently downloaded app. That didn't help.

So I did a reset settings. That didn't help either and it caused the pain of losing a bunch of settings.

Then I went to iTunes and noticed that one of my podcast was stuck trying to download. I deleted it and whalaa, everything started working again.

So, before you do anything semi drastic like resetting your settings. Make sure that there are no iTunes downloads or app downloads stuck trying to download on your device. Deleting them might well be the fix.

 

[beetle02]

Before you reset your settings check both apps and music that you may have attempted to download. Is anything stuck trying to download?

I had the same problem on my Iphone4 as many others on this thread. Every app I tried to download or update got stuck in the waiting mode. I thought it might be an app that was stuck somewhere so I deleted my most recently downloaded app. That didn't help.

So I did a reset settings. That didn't help either and it caused the pain of losing a bunch of settings.

Then I went to iTunes and noticed that one of my podcast was stuck trying to download. I deleted it and whalaa, everything started working again.

So, before you do anything semi drastic like resetting your settings. Make sure that there are no iTunes downloads or app downloads stuck trying to download on your device. Deleting them might well be the fix.

I'm glad I found this forum. I had tried everything except for a restore. I found three podcast that were "processing" and 10 more that were "waiting". I could not delete the "processing" podcasts but when I deleted the "waiting" ones the other three started downloading. Then the aps updated.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Hogmd69]

I had this problem for a while. I tried many suggested fixes including deleting and reloading apps. They wouldn't reload. Finally yesterday I deactivated my Facebook account. Today I tried to reload one of my favorite apps and it loaded. I tried an update on another app. It worked. I hit update all and all 33 of my updates worked. Simple fix: Deactivate FaceBook. It ties into so many apps and I'm sure this was what caused my problem. Good luck.

 

[jicontreras]

every single suggestion on this forum did not help me

as my subject clearly says:

every single suggestion on this forum did not help me!
i literally tried everyone's suggestion and nothing worked!

this sucks! i am going to have to reset the entire phone which i am afraid to do because i dont want to lose pictures, contacts, etc.

i guess my apps are going to be on waiting mode forever!

unless anyone has ANOTHER suggestion??

 

[vwerne1]

waiting for apps to download to Iphone

I have to apps that have not downloaded for a day - the having waiting below them. I can't delete the apps. When I try all the other apps that are fully downloaded have the x in the left had corner but not the stuck apps. I reset the phone and that didn't work. Should I erase all the content and settings and just start from scratch?