Sometimes Apple App Store, iTunes Store or Mac App Store will crash for many users. This has happened recently and Apple acknowledged the outage on the System Status site. So what should Apple users do if this happens?
iPhone and iPad users will see the issue when they open the App Store on their iPhone or iPad and try to install new apps, uninstall purchased apps, or try to update installed apps. The issue also affects people trying to get apps or updates in the Mac App Store on their computers. Music, Movies, and TV Shows won’t download either, as iTunes crashes too.
App Store UI takes a long time to load on Mac App Store and iPhone or iPad. It will be uploaded eventually. Stores work fine for some users.
What to Do When App Store Crashes?
When the app store or iTunes store crashes, first Apple System Status area. This site lists the status of all Apple’s websites. Notice in the screenshot above that the App Store, iTunes Store, and Mac App Store show a red triangle that indicates they are currently closed. It says “Service not available for all users”.
We can only assume that this outage was not planned by Apple, as Apple did not announce scheduled maintenance or display the typical status page they list when updating its online store.
Now wait patiently. Too many people will try to download their apps or media, and this will put a strain on Apple’s servers, making things harder to run. Go do something else and come back in an hour or more and check the status page. Once it shows the green box in the store, it is ready to go and you should try downloading the apps.
Restarting the iPhone, iPad or Mac after such an interruption can help.
People who need to install an app on their iPad or iPhone they already have, connect the device to the computer they synced with. Open iTunes and see if they have already downloaded the app. iTunes backs up apps installed on a user’s iPhone or iPad.
How to Install from iTunes
Find the app icon represented by a compass at the top of the iTunes app. Top left. Then, click or on the top center of that window. If it’s listed, find the app. The latest version may not show up in the backup section, but at least the user can install the app and use it in an emergency.
To manually install the app, click on the iPhone or iPad icon that appears in the upper left after the user plugs in a device. Find the app listed in the Apps section that the user shows by clicking its icon in the left column. Click it and when the user clicks the button in the lower right corner, iTunes will install it.
Use the same process to transfer any music or video to an iPhone or iPad. Simply click on these parts of the left column. However, this does not work in the Mac App Store.
For users who can’t wait patiently, go to the Apple Support Community and console other Apple customers. For example, here Using the iPhone Community.
Note that the first four conversations focus on interruption. Sign in using your Apple ID and join threads. Be respectful and try to help people if possible, because after checking the status page you already know that it is officially closed.