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How to Fix Cannot Connect to iTunes Store on iPhone and iPad
Cannot connect to iTunes Store on iPhone and iPad? Read this guide to figure out why does it say cannot connect to iTunes Store and how to solve this problem.
By Lena / Updated on May 15, 2023
Problem: cannot connect to iTunes Store
Cannot connect to iTunes Store on iPhone
I’m trying to change my payment method, but it’s impossible to connect to iTunes Stores. How to solve the problem? Thank you in advance!
- Question from Apple Community
iTunes Store is a digital media store that lets you get all kinds of apps, songs, TV shows, films and more. With iTunes Store, you can easily sync together your media files. However, it can sometimes go wrong and it says that you cannot connect to iTunes Store. Why does it say cannot connect to iTunes Store and go to solve this problem? Just keep reading to find the answer.
Why does it say cannot connect to iTunes Store?
Various reasons can cause the iPhone/iPad cannot connect to iTunes Store problem. Below are some of the possible reasons behind the problem.
● Apple server is down. iTunes Store itself is having a problem so it won’t load on your device.
● Weak internet connection. You won’t be able to access iTunes Store when you are not connected to the internet.
● Incorrect settings. The cannot connect to iTunes Store problem will occur if the time or region is not set correctly.
● Outdated iOS version. The bugs in the iOS may prevent your iPhone or iPad from accessing iTunes Store.
How to fix cannot connect to iTunes Store on iPhone iPad
What to do if iPad or iPhone cannot connect to iTunes Store? Don’t worry too much! Here are some of the working methods that can help you fix cannot connect to iTunes Store problem.
Tip 1. Check Apple System Status
The cannot connect to iTunes Store problem will occur when the server is down. You can go to Apple System Status (https://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/) to check the status of iTunes Store.
If the circle next to iTunes is not green, then this means there is a problem with iTunes Store. In this case, there's nothing you can do except wait for Apple to fix the problem. If it’s green, please move on to the following solutions.
Tip 2. Check Internet connection
As mentioned before, you will meet iPhone/iPad cannot connect to iTunes Store problem when the internet is poor. Therefore, be sure to check that your Internet connection is working. You can open a browser and see if it can connect to any website. When the network is slow, you can try the following methods.
🔸 Turn on and off Airplane mode to refresh the connection.
🔸Restart the router. Turn off the Wi-Fi router and then turn it on again after a few seconds.
🔸 If you want to use cellular data, you should go to Settings > WLAN > Apps Using WLAN & Mobode Data > find iTunes Store > choose WLAN & Mobile Data.
🔸 Turn off your VPN. The VPN from a different country may prevent the iTunes Store from loading.
🔸 Reset network settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset (Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset in iOS 15/iPadOS 15 and later) > choose Reset Network Settings > enter your passcode to confirm.
🔸 If possible, you can try another Wi-Fi network and see if you can connect to iTunes Store.
Tip 3. Force restart your device
iPad/iPhone cannot connect to iTunes Store problem may be caused by software glitches. You can force restart your device to eliminate any errors. A force restart can help solve most iOS-related issues.
How to force restart iPhone
● Force restart iPhone 8 and later with Face ID
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button > Quickly press and release the Volume Down button > Press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.
● Force restart iPhone 7/7 Plus
Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down button together > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
● Force restart iPhone 6s, SE and earlier with Home button
Hold down the Home button and the Top (or Side) button at the same time > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
How to force restart iPad
● Force restart iPad without Home button
Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button > Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button > Press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
● Force restart iPad with Home button
Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time until the Apple logo appears.
Tip 4. Update iOS/iPadOS
Apple always recommends users keep their iPhone or iPad up to date. That’s because an outdated OS may have bugs and glitches. When you meet cannot connect to iTunes Store problem, you can go to Settings > General > Software Update to check if an update is available. If there is, you can tap Download and Install to get the latest version.
Tip 5. Check data and time
When you find that you cannot connect to iTunes Store, you can go to Settings and check if the date and time are set correctly. Inaccurate time and date settings can cause connectivity issues with the iTunes Store. Go to Settings app > Tap General > Select Date & Time and turn on Set Automatically.
Tip 6. Check the location
Different countries have different access to the App Store. When the location is not set correctly, you may meet iPad/iPhone cannot connect to iTunes Store problem. You can go to Settings > Privacy & Security to turn on Location Services > After that, scroll down to find iTunes Store and choose While Using the App.
Tip 7. Contact Apple Support
If you still cannot connect to iTunes Store on iPhone or iPad, you may contact Apple Support for assistance. Tell them about your problems and what you've tried. The professional will help you solve the problem. You can visit https://support.apple.com/contact to find the contact information.
Bonus tip: an easy way to transfer media files on iPhone iPad
iTunes Store allows you to manage all media files in one place. However, it’s not that easy to transfer the purchased items between devices. What if you want to transfer a purchased song or film to another device that uses a different ID? In this case, you can use FoneTool to help you.
FoneTool is one professional iPhone/iPad data management tool for Windows users. It can help you transfer media files from iDevice to PC, from PC to iDevice, from iDevice to another. With FoneTool, you can easily transfer both purchased and non-purchased items with others or transfer iTunes library to iPhone.
Here is an example to transfer music from one Apple ID to another. You can click the download button to get FoneTool and give it a try.
Step 1. Transfer music from the source iPhone to computer
- Launch FoneTool > Connect the source iPhone to computer.
- Choose Phone Transfer on the left side > Go to iPhone to PC and click Get Started.
- Select songs you want to transfer > Click OK to continue.
- Click the Start Transfer button > Select a storage path to save the files and adjust other settings > Click Transfer to transfer songs to computer.
Step 2. Transfer music from computer to the target iPhone
- Unplug the source iPhone and plug in the target iPhone > Click Phone Transfer > Go to PC to iPhone this time.
- Click Music and select the songs you want to transfer. You can drag and drop the songs into the box or click anywhere in the box to select the songs.
- Click the Start Transfer to add songs to iPhone. It will not erase any existing songs or any other device on the device.
Final words
That’s all about how to fix iPad/iPhone cannot connect to iTunes Store problem. Poor internet connection and incorrect settings can prevent your device from accessing the iTunes Store. You can try the methods mentioned in this article to re-establish the connection. Hope this article helps to solve your problem.