iOS 16: iPhone “Cannot Connect To App Store”! 13 Fixes!

Picture this: you are sitting with your iOS 16 device, eager to download your favorite app and boom! Your iPhone cannot connect to App Store. Does this scenario ring a bell? Like you, we are sure that many other users have also been victims of such messy situations. No matter what the problem is, rest assured there are solutions. Below, we have listed a bunch of solutions that could potentially fix the problem when iPhone cannot connect to App Store after iOS 16 update.

There are quite a few factors that could possibly cause your iOS 16 device not to commect to App Store. We’ll run through the troubleshooting methods beginning with simple solutions down to the more complicated ones.

How to Fix an iPhone That Cannot Connect to App Store in iOS 16

There are several ways to fix an iOS 16 device that cannot connect to App Store. If your iPhone won’t open App Store after iOS 16 update, try these fixes, in this order:

1. Make sure it is a user-end problem

First of all, you’ll want to make sure the problem is on your end and not a wider problem with Apple. The best way to do this is to visit Apple system status page to see if App Store is down. If the problem is on Apple’s side, then you’ll need to wait for Apple to fix it.

2. Restart the App Store app

Sometimes a simple force close is all you need when your iOS 16 device cannot connect to App Store! You can do this by simply swiping up from the bottom of the screen and then swiping up on the App Store on the app switcher. After you quit the App, check if your iOS 16 device can now connect to App Store.

3. Toggle airplane mode on and off

Not sure how much this one works, but I have heard a lot of people say that switching Airplane Mode on and then off will help the iOS 16 device connect to the App Store. Hey, it’s not a complicated process, and it’s safe. Why not try, right?

1. Access your iPhone’s Control Center by swiping down from the top-right of the screen.
2. Turn on Airplane mode.
3. Wait a few seconds.
4. Tap the icon to turn off Airplane mode.

Try to open the App Store. If your iOS 16 device won’t connect to App Store, try the next solution.

4. Toggle Wi-Fi off and on

Just like with Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi problems could be the reason why your iOS 16 device cannot connect to App Store. Not to mention, your network may very well be having simple connection issues. Toggle Wi-Fi on and off, and check if your iOS 16 device can connect to App Store.

1. Bring up your iPhone’s Control Center, as mentioned above.
2. In the top-left block, check if the Wi-Fi is already switched on and lit up as blue. Tap to turn it off if so
3. Wait a few seconds.
4. Tap the icon to turn on your iPhone’s Wi-Fi again.

5. Toggle Your iPhone’s Cellular Data off and on

If you are using cellular data to access the App Store, turning your iPhone’s Cellular data function off and back on may fix the issue you are experiencing. It may seem too simple or easy, but refreshing your cellular data connection could solve the problem of iPhone cannot connect to App Store in iOS 16. Try switching mobile data off and on, and see if the problem persists. To do this:

1. Launch your iPhone’s Control Center, by swiping down from top right of your screen.
2. In the top-left block, check if the Cellular Data icon (an antenna) is already switched on and lit up as green. Tap to turn it off if so
3. Wait a few seconds.
4. Tap the icon to turn on your iPhone’s cellular data again.

See also: 10 Ways To Fix iPhone Cellular Data Not Working on iOS 16

6. Restart your router

In some cases, you can fix the problem of iOS 16 not connecting to App Store by simply restarting your router. It might seem silly, but give it a try, and you might affect the Wi-Fi magic enough to get App Store going again. Some routers allow restarts to be triggered through an app, while others may have a physical button. If yours has neither, you can unplug the router’s power source and plug it back in.

7. Restart your phone

It’s simple, but turning your iPhone off and back on can resolve hidden software issues that may be preventing the App Store from opening. When you turn off your iPhone, the operating system shuts down all the little background programs that help your iPhone to run. When you turn it back on, they all start fresh, and sometimes that’s enough to fix a software glitch that had been preventing the App Store from opening. This will take a minute or two and might work.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Shut Down.
4. Press the Side button to power your iPhone back on.

8. Check your date and time settings

Out of sync Date & Time settings can cause all sorts of different problems. It’s possible your iOS 16 device thinks it’s stuck in the past or the future, which could be preventing it from connecting to the App Store.

You can fix the time and date settings of your iOS 16 device with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on General.
3. Select Date & time.
4. Toggle the Set automatically toggle to get your time from the internet.

9. Disable your VPN

VPNs are great to work with, but they tend to create connectivity issues for App Store. Plenty of users have reported that their iOS 16 device cannot connect to App Store when a VPN is enabled.

If your iOS 16 device has a VPN installed in it, then you should disable it.

Follow these steps to remove VPN settings on in iPhone running iOS 16:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on VPN & Device Management.
4. Disable any active VPN.

10. Update iOS

Another thing that may help is to download and install the latest version of iOS. The most current version of the software is likely to fix the iPhone cannot connect to App Store issue, so it’s useful to keep it updated.

You can update iOS wirelessly by following the steps below:

1. Start the Settings app.
2. Select General.
3. Tap Software update.
4. If an iOS update is available, tap download and install.

11. Reset all iPhone settings

We’re now coming to slightly more drastic solutions. If your iOS 16 device still cannot connect to App Store, then you may need to reset all settings on your device. Doing this won’t erase your data, but it can solve the problem of iPhone not connecting to App Store after iOS 16 update.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Select Reset.
5. Choose Reset All Settings.

12. Reset your iPhone to factory settings

If all else fails and your iOS 16 device cannot connect to app store, wipe your iPhone clean and give it a fresh start. At this point, we have no idea what could be causing your App Store discrepancies, but resetting your iPhone to factory defaults will likely fix most of your issues, as it deletes everything on the device and leaves it the way it was when you turned it on for the very first time. You can perform a factory reset by following the instructions below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
4. Select Erase All Content and Settings.

13. Get help from Apple

If you tried all these steps and your iOS 16 device still cannot connect to App Store, you need help from the experts at Apple. You can get online or phone support at the Apple website, or make an appointment at the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store for in-person help.

Fixed iPhone cannot connect to App Store in iOS 16 issue

We hope one of these methods fixed the problem of iOS 16 cannot connect to app store. If nothing helped, the problem has to run deeper than usual, and you should probably contact Apple Support.