How to Fix iPhone Apps Stuck on Loading After Restore?

Restoring an iPhone is often very helpful when you need to fix a problem on your device or recover data that you accidentally deleted. You can simply do so by using an iCloud or iTunes backup.

However, restoring your iPhone may cause trouble sometimes. Did you find your iPhone apps stuck on loading after you restore your device? What causes this issue and how could you fix it? In the article below, you will find answers to all these questions.

Why Are Apps Stuck on Waiting?

To fix the problem of apps stuck on waiting, you need to first understand why this issue occurs in the first place. Here’s a list of possible reasons why your apps are stuck on loading after the restore.

• Interrupted Internet connection
• Software glitches on the apps
• Insufficient iPhone storage
• Issues with the Apple ID account
• Problems with the iPhone settings

How to Fix iPhone Apps Stuck on Loading?

Now that you understand why your iPhone apps may be stuck on loading, let’s see how to fix them with the methods below.

Method 1. Check for the Internet Connection

The first thing you need to do is to check your Internet connection. This is the easiest solution to many problems with your iPhone, yet it’s often ignored. Without a well-functioned Internet, your apps can’t be downloaded properly and thus will be stuck on loading.

If you are on a cellular network, try to connect to a more stable Wi-Fi instead. If you are on Wi-Fi already, try to re-connect it quickly by turning the airplane mode on and off. Then, check to see if the apps are fixed.

You May Like: How to Fix iPhone Wi-Fi Problems > 

Method 2. Force Stopping the Apps and App Store

If your Internet is working properly, then you may need to fix the issue by force stopping the apps or the App Store, and then restarting it. This process is often helpful when your apps stop responding to your taps.

Here’s how to force quit your apps depending on the versions of your iPhone.

For iPhone X and later:

1. From the center bottom of your screen, swipe up to the center middle of your screen to see a list of recently used apps.
2. Scroll to left or right to find the app that is not responding.
3. When the preview of the app is shown on the main screen, swipe up to force quit the app.

For iPhone SE, 8, and earlier:

1. Click your home button twice consecutively to see a list of recently used apps.
2. Scroll to left or right to find the app that is not responding.
3. When the preview of the app is shown on the main screen, swipe up to force quit the app.

Method 3. Clear the Cache of Apps and App Store

If force-stopping the apps didn’t work, consider clearing the cache for apps and the App Store. When there’s not enough storage on your device, your iPhone will not be able to download the apps smoothly. In this case, it’s recommended that you clear the cache of unused apps and the App Store to free up space on your iPhone.

If you want to clear the cache of a specific app:

1. Go to Settings >> General >> iPhone Storage.
2. Tap the app for which you want to clear the cache.
3. Then tap “Offload App” to free up space used by the app but still keep its data.

When you want to use that app again simply reinstall it and all its data will be put back to it.

If you want to clear the cache for all apps from the App Store:

1. Go to Settings > App Store.
2. Go to Settings > App Store.

Now your iPhone will automatically clear the cache for unused apps on your iPhone.

Method 4. Clear the Cache of Google Play Services

If you are using an app that has a built-in “Clear Cache” function, such as some apps in the Google Play Services, you can clear the cache for it inside the app. For example, here’s how to clear the cache for Google Chrome:

1. Go to the Chrome app.
2. Tap the three-dot “More” icon at the bottom right corner.
3. Tap “History” >> “Clear Browsing Data.” Make sure the options – “Cookies, Site Data” and “Cached Images and Files” are checked.
4. Tap “Clear Browsing Data” again and then tap “Done” when it’s finished.

With the cache of such apps being cleared, your iPhone should have some extra space to download apps freely without stuck on loading.

Method 5. Log Out and Log Back in Apple ID

If the problem is caused by your Apple account, you can try to log out of your Apple ID and then log back in to see if it fixes the issue. By doing so, information regarding your Apple ID will be reloaded and sometimes it will fix the loading problems on your iPhone. Here’s how to log out and log back in for your Apple ID:

1. Go to Settings and then tap your name.
2. Scroll down to find “Sign Out” and tap it.
3. When prompted, enter your Apple ID password to turn off Find My iPhone. This is required if you want to sign out of your Apple ID. Then, tap “Turn Off.”
4. Toggle on the option for those data that you want to keep on your device.
5. Tap “Sign Out” and then “Sign Out” again to confirm this action.

When you are done logging out, you can go to the same place in Settings to sign in to your Apple ID. You will be asked to enter your Apple ID and password. If you have set up a trusted device to receive a verification code before, you will be prompted to enter it on the screen of your iPhone during the sign-in process.

Method 6. Force Restart the iOS Device

A similar method to the above one would be to force restart your iPhone. A force restart reboots the iPhone system and thus might fix issues relevant to software glitches or system settings.

The ways to force restart an iPhone differ based on different versions of an iPhone. Find out how to force restart your iPhone below:

For iPhone X, 11, or 12:

1. Press and hold any volume button and the side power button until you see the slider that says, “slide to power off”.
2. Drag the slider to turn your iPhone off.
3. After it’s completely off, press and hold any volume button and the side power button together again. When you see the Apple logo, release your finger. Your phone is now back on.

For iPhone SE (2nd generation), 8, 7, or 6:

1. Press and hold the side power button until you see the slider that says, “slide to power off”.
2. Drag the slider to turn your iPhone off.
3. After it’s completely off, press and hold the side power button again until you see the Apple logo.

For iPhone SE (1st generation), 5, or any version earlier:

1. Press and hold the top power button until you see the slider that says, “slide to power off”.
2. Drag the slider to turn your iPhone off.
3. After it’s completely off, press and hold the side top button again until you see the Apple logo.

After the force restart, check the apps to see if they are still stuck.

Method 7. Update the Stuck App

If the problem is not with your iPhone or Apple ID but with the stuck app itself, you can try to update it. Sometimes, an older version of the app is not compatible with the iOS version of your iPhone and thus the app will be stuck on loading. If this is the case, updating the app may save it from loading forever.

Here’s how to update your app:

1. Go to the App Store.
2. Tap the Account icon on the top right corner.
3. Tap “Update All” to update all apps on your iPhone. Or scroll up to find the specific app you want to update and then tap “Update” next to the app.

Method 8. Delete and Reinstall the Stuck App

If updating the app doesn’t fix the issue, then it possibly means that some software glitches are happening with the app. You can try to manage and delete the stuck app and reinstall it again. The reinstallation could potentially stop the software errors happening with the app and thus make it function normally.

To do so, press and hold the app you intend to delete. When a new window prompts, tap “Remove App.” Then, search and download it from the App Store again.

Method 9. Reset iPhone Settings

If you have tried all methods above but still fail to recover your apps, you could reset your iPhone settings as a last resort. This reset process may take a while, but it could remove certain settings, which have been in place since a long time ago yet prevent you from downloading the apps normally now. You can follow the steps below to reset your iPhone settings.

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Scroll down to find “Reset” and tap it.
3. Tap “Reset All Settings” or, if you have a proper backup and don’t mind removing all content from your iPhone, tap “Erase All Content and Settings.”

Afterward, you can check to see if the loading issue is fixed. However, this method involves removing settings and/or erasing all data from your device. Therefore, please make sure that you don’t need them for your iPhone anymore, or you have a proper backup, before proceeding with the above steps. Otherwise, please consider using other methods instead.

The Bottom Line

Afterward, you can check to see if the loading issue is fixed. However, this method involves removing settings and/or erasing all data from your device. Therefore, please make sure that you don’t need them for your iPhone anymore, or you have a proper backup, before proceeding with the above steps. Otherwise, please consider using other methods instead.