You just paid for an app — or downloaded a promising free one — and instead of working as advertised, it crashes on launch, freezes mid-task, or refuses to open at all. Before you write an angry one-star review, run through the fixes below — most App Store app problems are solved in under five minutes.
The steps below work for free and paid apps alike, and they cover the usual suspects: corrupted installs, outdated versions, Apple ID mix-ups, and apps that simply don’t deliver what they promised.
How to fix an App Store app that doesn’t work
- Start with the basics. Force-close the misbehaving app: on iPhones with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom and flick the app away; on models with a Home button, double-click it and swipe the app up. Then reopen the app. Next, open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and pull down to check for updates — developers ship bug fixes constantly, and the version on your phone may simply be broken. If nothing helps, restart your iPhone; a restart clears temporary glitches.
- Reinstall the app. If it keeps crashing, the installation itself may be damaged. Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage, tap the app, and choose Offload App — this deletes the app but keeps its documents and data — or Delete App, which removes everything. Then download it again from the App Store. Not sure what else is safe to remove? See our guide to built-in iPhone apps you can delete.
- Check your Apple ID and App Store region. Make sure you’re signed in with the Apple ID that originally downloaded or purchased the app (Settings → [your name] → Media & Purchases). Some apps are licensed only for certain countries — if your App Store region doesn’t match where the app is sold, features can silently fail or the app may refuse to open.
- Request a refund for a paid app that doesn’t deliver. If you paid for features the app never provided, you don’t have to eat the cost. Visit reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in with your Apple ID, find the purchase, and choose “Request a refund.” Apple Support documents the full process, and honest claims — an app that crashes constantly or lacks advertised functionality — are usually approved.
- Leave an honest review — and read other reviews skeptically. Describe exactly what went wrong so other buyers are warned. And keep in mind that the top charts are full of fake five-star reviews bought by shady developers, so don’t let a 4.8-star average overrule the detailed one-star complaints. Outlets like MacRumors regularly report on App Store review manipulation — it’s more common than you’d think.
If it still doesn’t work
If the app fails on a second device too, or every recent review describes the same crash, the problem is on the developer’s side — no amount of reinstalling will fix a broken build. Use the “App Support” link on the app’s App Store page to contact the developer directly with your iPhone model and iOS version. And if a recent system update seems to be the trigger, our guide on how to completely block iOS 26 updates on iPhone can buy you time while you wait for a patched release.
FAQ
Will reinstalling the app delete my data?
Not necessarily. Offloading the app (Settings → General → iPhone Storage → Offload App) removes the app itself but preserves its documents and data, restored when you reinstall. Deleting removes everything, so offload first if you want to keep your progress and files.
How long do I have to request a refund from Apple?
Apple doesn’t publish a hard deadline, but refunds are easiest to win when you act promptly at reportaproblem.apple.com. State clearly that the app doesn’t work as advertised — vague requests are far more likely to be denied.
Conclusion
A broken App Store app is annoying, but the fix is almost always straightforward: force-close and update it, reinstall it cleanly, double-check your Apple ID and region, and claim a refund if a paid app never delivered. Work through the steps in order, and you’ll end up with either a working app or your money back.
