How do I delete / remove an iPhone app that is stuck installing?

Sometimes iPhone applications get stuck waiting or loading when installing. These apps might be frozen with a blank icon and no way to remove them for days. Holding down on the home screen to delete the stuck app won't even show the black circle with an "x" that appears on other icons. Here are instructions on how to delete these waiting applications:

Reboot your iPhone normally. See this link for instructions on how to restart your iPhone.
If the apps are still stuck on the home screen, try logging out of the App Store temporarily. Navigate to Settings -> Store -> Apple ID -> Sign Out. Now open the App Store and Navigate to the Featured section. Scroll to the bottom of the page and touch the Sign In -> Use Existing Apple ID. Log in and the stuck apps should reset.
Still have strange icons on the screen or frozen downloading apps? Connect your iPhone to the computer and open iTunes. Navigate to the app store. Install the apps you are having a problem with on the computer then sync your iPhone.

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tags:

iPhone Applications

Comments

Anonymous replied on March 7, 2014 - 4:25pmPermalink

I cannot thank you enough for this advice, thanks for posting it. I tried all the other options as well. After days of aggrevation and continuous low battery the stupid Icon is gone!

Anonymous replied on May 4, 2014 - 3:59pmPermalink

I tried this and it didn't work :( help?!

DaisyBelle replied on March 18, 2015 - 5:34pmPermalink

This is the only one that has worked! Thank you. It was driving me crazy! Thank you Apple lady.

Harold replied on December 29, 2015 - 10:39pmPermalink

Thank you for your advice. It works.

JacobRocks12 replied on March 28, 2014 - 9:31amPermalink

Doesn't work but.. Sign Out of your Apple ID then hold Power and Home for 10 seconds then turn back on your phone and it works

Anonymous replied on November 2, 2014 - 7:28pmPermalink

THANK YOU!!!

Qistina replied on September 21, 2016 - 8:09amPermalink

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Try this if you can't find the app under Manage section in your Settings. It worked for me, hopefully it'll work for you!

Bhargav replied on June 11, 2015 - 11:48pmPermalink

If we delete the stuck apps after existing signin process. Old apps will be remain on there?

Jo replied on September 19, 2016 - 8:12pmPermalink

Try this :
Settings;
General;
Storage and icloud usage;
Under storage click manage;
Scroll to the app click then select delete;
Then redownload it.

Anonymous replied on October 4, 2012 - 10:38amPermalink

tried all 3 steps, darn apps still there... any other ways?

Anonymous replied on October 10, 2012 - 11:54pmPermalink

Found online and worked for me (the other methods didn't):
"i had an issue this morning with my app not installing correctly the first time, therefore leaving the icon and "installing..." as you've mentioned. all i did was press on the icon (not press and hold) as if i was to open the application, it automatically attempted to reinstall and it was fine."

Thread here:
http://modmyi.com/forums/general-iphone-chat/277871-appstore-app-stuck-installing.html

Anonymous replied on October 22, 2012 - 1:32pmPermalink

this worked for me! thanks it was killing my battery

Anonymous replied on November 6, 2012 - 10:02pmPermalink

The tips in the main post didn't work for me - but the tip in your comment did. I just tapped on the app icon once (not press and hold) and it changed from "waiting" to downloading, then failed. I went into the App store and was finally able to restart the download and get it completed and off of the 'stuck' status.

Thanks!

Anonymous replied on November 23, 2012 - 1:22amPermalink

same here this worked not original steps!

Jake replied on November 29, 2012 - 8:24amPermalink

That worked great!! The update process started over when I went back in to update my 4 apps that had hung and this time it worked normally - thanks!!

Anonymous replied on December 12, 2012 - 1:26pmPermalink

That worked for me as well----amazingly simple, wish I had thought of it earlier...

Anonymous replied on July 31, 2013 - 8:00amPermalink

THANK YOU! This is the only thing that worked for me. I tried everything else for days.

Anonymous replied on March 23, 2014 - 8:06pmPermalink

That link doesn't work!

Anonymous replied on February 6, 2015 - 10:30pmPermalink

Fuck Apple it peice of shit

Anonymous replied on October 4, 2012 - 11:45pmPermalink

Rebooting worked. Thanks

Anonymous replied on October 12, 2012 - 7:12amPermalink

I've had apps stuck on waiting for a day now. I've tried everything people have suggested on other threads as well. Nothing has worked. After your last suggestion the app just got stuck on "installing". Pls help

Anonymous replied on October 15, 2012 - 2:19pmPermalink

This worked like a charm! Thank you so much -- the stuck app installation was eating all of my battery life!

Teri replied on October 20, 2012 - 4:34pmPermalink

I have tried to do this now at least 3 times, probably more and NOTHING works. Now, instead of only have 3 apps that are stuck in "installing" mode, I have 5. PLEASE HELP or direct me to someone who can!

Lois replied on October 27, 2012 - 8:15amPermalink

Are these steps suppose to work for the iPad also? That is what I am having the problem with and none of these steps worked. Now I have two games stuck on installing and three songs waiting to download. Please help. I am getting very upset and am debating on returning my iPad for a refund.

Thank you.
Lois

Shon replied on October 28, 2012 - 10:23amPermalink

After you bave completed all the above steps, this us the next step. Hold your phone down like u are going to delete the app. When it goes to the app, delete it and start over. It worked for me perfectly. Good Luck

Izzy g replied on July 25, 2013 - 12:51pmPermalink

I have a 5 too and this totally worked!!!! The weird thing was that it made duplicates of all of my apps!!!! I just deleted them

Tash replied on December 4, 2012 - 7:45pmPermalink

Thank you sooo much this worked amazingly didn't even have to restart my iPhone just logged out then in! :D.

Anonymous replied on December 6, 2012 - 2:12pmPermalink

Signing out and in of the app store worked for me.

thank you

Aris replied on December 14, 2012 - 8:34amPermalink

Hi all,

i wonder if anyone can help me here. I have an iphone 4 running on 5.0.1 for reasons that its JB. I went to update my apps and they have been frozen in the “waiting” position for 2 days now. Ive tried to delete them but to no success as the X wont show up on them. Ive installed other ones with success yet the stuck ones will not budge. I’ve tried signing in and out of my account with no success…rebooting after every attempt at any change…reset the setting s and still no luck. Ive even tried to delete them from Itunes on my pc and then sync….no success they are still on my phone. Even the ones i dont want on my phone anymore which ive deleted on itunes are still present on my phone. I have nothing downloading on itunes that might have gotten them stuck as i dont download music from there. Ive tried updating them with still now success…they wnt change to pause or anything other than the dreaded “Waiting”! I’m at me wits end…please can someone help me.I dont want to do a Factory reset as i dont want to lose all my stuff from Cydia, and its too much of a hastle. whether i delete them usinf Itunes and syncing on my pc they are still on my phone in the WAITING position. I use one of them all the time…Audible…and while its been reinstalled it just sits there unbudged in the waiting position. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance

Anonymous replied on February 6, 2013 - 5:13pmPermalink

Did you ever find a solution? I have this stupid Facebook messenger app that has been frozen in the update/instal phase for almost 3 weeks now and nothing is working!! It's seriously irritating me know!
Thanks!

How do I delete / remove an iPhone app that is stuck installing?

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