Fix – IPhone app won’t start/launch/open
A friend of mine’s IPhone would not launch apps that previously worked for him, which appeared to be 3rd party applications. Here’s a few potential fixes with notes:
- Download a new free app (like google earth) and once you enter your itunes password, all is fixed
Reason:
“Taken from another forum:
The reason this happens is because every time a downloaded app is opened it checks for your itunes password for validation that you are authorized to open that app (as it may contain personal info). From time to time the iphone “forgets” your itunes password. You can fix the missing password by syncing the iphone with itunes or downloading an app from the app store and entering your password that way.”
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The solution for this situation was the Application setting tab at top when the iPhone is plugged in and iTunes is running. It seems when an iPhone ( the same may apply for iTouch also ) with 3rd party apps is plugged into iTunes , iTunes runs a backup to restore the 3rd party applications if needed. If the ‘ sync ‘ box ( for applications ) is unchecked and the sync is run , the apps are ‘ removed ‘ from your iPhone although they still appear on the iPhone ( similar to deleting a program but leaving the shortcut to it ). When starting the 3rd party app , it begins to run but then just exits.The fix for this was simply running iTunes , plugging in the iPhone and going to the Application tab and ensuring the ‘ sync ‘ applications box was checked ( along with all the applications it backed up under it ).
- The solution for this situation was the Application setting tab at top when the iPhone is plugged in and iTunes is running. It seems when an iPhone ( the same may apply for iTouch also ) with 3rd party apps is plugged into iTunes , iTunes runs a backup to restore the 3rd party applications if needed. If the ‘ sync ‘ box ( for applications ) is unchecked and the sync is run , the apps are ‘ removed ‘ from your iPhone although they still appear on the iPhone ( similar to deleting a program but leaving the shortcut to it ). When starting the 3rd party app , it begins to run but then just exits.The fix for this was simply running iTunes , plugging in the iPhone and going to the Application tab and ensuring the ‘ sync ‘ applications box was checked ( along with all the applications it backed up under it ).
- 1. Authorize, de-authorize and authorize again your computer in Itunes.
2. Sync all apps – chose ’specified apps’ and check them all for sync (the third party apps still won’t work at this point).
3. After syncing, with the IPhone still connected, delete one third party app (you’ll notice this app will lose its check).
4. Recheck this app in Itunes and (with all the other apps checked as well) sync again.
5. With the Iphone still connected, try opening the app you just restored. It should work fine, no saved data lost.
6. Test your other apps. If still not working, try repeating steps 3 – 5 with other third party apps until it fixes the problem. It took me 3 deletes/restores to get everything running again.
Hopefully one of these solutions works for you. I hear there’s good success with the install a new app solution.
–Ben
Source: Iphone App Ratings Forum


about 3 years ago
Thanks for this Ben. I had this situation happen to me. We lost 3G coverage around here for a little bit. And when I tried to use my 3rd party apps, they just closed. I then found this and so I delete facebook and then reinstalled it. And now all my apps work. Which is great so I didn’t have to go home to fix this problem.
Thanks again!!!!
Also I see your a fellow Utahan…rock on!
about 3 years ago
Dear Ben,
May I ask how do I do this prticular step:
1. Authorize, de-authorize and authorize again your computer in Itunes.
Tried the first 2 solutions but failed. Hope this last step would work!
Thanks,
Prax
about 3 years ago
Good Luck Prax.
Here’s the apple help on deauthorizing your computer in iTunes:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1420
You’re actually deauthorizing your computer, not your phone. So you’ll have to do this step on your computer and then sync your phone again.
Let me know how it works!
–Ben
about 9 months ago
worked great… thank you.!.!.!
about 3 years ago
Glad I could help out. Its fun to cross paths with other Utahns on the virtual side. I’ll look out for a McThomas on the real side.
–Ben
about 3 years ago
Thank you, simple explanation for the less technical amoungst us!!
about 3 years ago
I had the same thing happen to me. I plugged in my phone to my work computer, and I guess it tried to associate it with that machine. I’ve done this many times before without any issues, so why this happened this time is beyond me. My fix was to update an app that was ready for an update, once I entered my password all the 3rd party apps started working…Thanks for the article!
about 3 years ago
No problem. So far this month, this article has been viewed about 1,500 times. I think there are a lot of people with this issue.
–Ben
about 3 years ago
Great tips – i followed the authorize , deauthorize route and re synced – worked first time.
Thanke so much – saved me a trip to the ever so busy apple store in town !
about 3 years ago
Glad it worked.
about 2 years ago
omg i was freaking out !!! thanks so much !! solved my problem in 2 seconds and ive been stressing since yesterday!
about 2 years ago
No problem. Glad I could help.
about 2 years ago
Downloaded one free app. (Dropzap – cool game by the way) Now all my apps are working again. Great tip! Thanks.
about 2 years ago
Thanks so much – tried the ‘download free app’ fix to no avail – then found your article with iTunes sync. That did the trick!
about 2 years ago
Thank you!!! Took my phone to the AT&T store…no one there had any idea how to fix it, and told me to go to an Apple store. As I don’t have one near me, I tried to fix it myself, found your advice, and two minutes later after downloading Google Earth, everything was all set!
about 2 years ago
hi ben,
i’ve only one third application which won’t work
- i’ve installed google earth from appstore and entred the passbut the third app still start and close in few seconds.
- i’ve tried the steps 1,2,….,6 no change
help please
about 2 years ago
I just synched my iphone 3G with desktop pc and looks like all music, apps are on pc but I am unable to open apps in my itunes library for use on pc – any info/suggestions?
Thanks!
about 2 years ago
Viveca,
I don’t think you can use the iPhone apps on the PC. What you’ve done is backup your applications so that you can restore them if you get a new phone or have to reinitialize your current phone.
–Ben
about 2 years ago
Thanks! I had one app on my iPhone 4 that had been working and then just wouldn’t load. I tried removing and reinstalling, syncing, etc, etc. The key was to leave the phone connected to iTunes and then open the app. This was my most used app, what a lifesaver!
about 2 years ago
Thank you so much for posting this! It happened to my boyfriend and downloading another app worked perfectly =] thanks again!!
about 2 years ago
Thanks for this solution. Even my teenage son did not know how to fix this problem!
about 2 years ago
Glad I could help! Its an impressive day when I can help over the teenagers. They seem to quickly understand the technology.
–Ben
about 2 years ago
Wow, this works. I just installed a new app and bingo, all the other aps are working again. Thank you so much for the tip, Ben!!
about 2 years ago
Its amazing how simple the fix is. The problem is just knowing the trick. Glad it worked.
–Ben
about 2 years ago
Ben ur a damn genius! thanks so much!
about 1 year ago
Worked Great! Thanks so much!!!
about 1 year ago
My calendar still won’t work after restarting, downloading a new app I’ve tried downloading three. Then downloaded another calendar then same problem with that one, came on for 3 seconds then went back to the main menu I deleted that, and tried another list of “how to fix it” that I found on apple support and still nothing :s I really need my calendar!
about 1 year ago
It’s the calendar that’s already on the phone, and can’t be deleted ( is that a 3rd party app?)
about 1 year ago
Outstanding – I don’t even have an I-phone and I fixed my Wife’s phone with this info. Thanks!
about 1 year ago
Thanks much for this info, installing a new app did the trick for me!
about 1 year ago
Glad it worked. –Ben
about 1 year ago
Had this problem after resetting iPhone. None of the above solutions worked, I could not logon to iTunes. I figured it was an iTunes login account problem. Therefore, I logged into iTunes on my computer, did the iForgot password, and reset password. Problem solved, no need to reload and/or sync apps.
about 1 year ago
Thanks for sharing. Sound off below if Sandra’s comment helped!
–Ben
about 1 year ago
Dear Ben, I’ve got the same annoying thing that the 3rd party apps are no more working on my iPhone 4. Is there any issue of downloading apps by using more than one Apple IDs in parallel? Because only those apps left working which were not downloaded by using my account and the rest are going right their way. Any suggestions ?
about 1 year ago
My understanding is that only one apple id can be used at a time for apps. A second apple ID can be used for gamecenter without screwing things up.
about 1 year ago
This is so cool.. it really works. Just by downloading the free app. “google earth. Thanks Ben.
about 1 year ago
No problem. I use this site to bank my fixes (so I can reuse them too).
about 1 year ago
Thanks ben, worked for me as well
about 1 year ago
Well i should have tried all this, but the problem is that i dont have an apple id. I cant authorize or deauthorize my laptop, what shall i do now, plz help.
about 1 year ago
I’m not sure. I’ve never heard that it was possible to run an iphone/ipod without an apple id. Are you jailbroken?
about 1 year ago
First fixed worked for me Thanks!!
about 1 year ago
You’re a life saver thanks.
about 1 year ago
Glad to help.
about 1 year ago
Uploading a new app fixed everything! Thanks so much!
about 1 year ago
Mine still does not work. I click the icon on the iphone and they still refuse to load. It goes in for half a second then quickly goes back out.
about 1 year ago
I apologize if this is a dumb question. Have you tried rebooting (hold down the power button until the red slider comes up and sliding it to power off the phone)?
about 1 year ago
Help my phone is jailbroken. I have tried reinstalling a app and outing my password in but still don’t work
about 1 year ago
Sorry. I’m not sure what to do for a jailbroken iphone. You might try rebooting. Otherwise you might browse the forums on the site that is responsible for your jailbreaking program.
–Ben
about 1 year ago
Hey, this was a great help, thanks! New iPhone user and did my first sync today; didn’t try Facebook until much later and wouldn’t have made the connection at all. All fixed!
about 1 year ago
I have a jailbroken iphone 3g 4.2.1… The problem occured to me when i installed 2 apps from app store yesterday and restarted my phone… But Downloading a new free app and entering my app store password fixed my isssue!
about 1 year ago
Thanks
about 1 year ago
Had a problem where all 3rd party apps were instantly closing. Downloading a new app seems to have fixed the issue. Thank you for such a simple solution!
about 1 year ago
I can’t believe the deleting the app and installing in Itunes helped, but it worked like a charm! Thanks!
about 1 year ago
Thanks downloading Google maps worked
about 1 year ago
I have chess with friends but after a few seconds it doesn’t work and shuts off. What should I do?
about 1 year ago
My daughter’s new iPhone did this. We took it to the Apple Store, had to make an appointment, came back four hours later. They completely erased and reloaded her phone saying it was a bad factory-install. Of course, we hooked it up to iTunes to reload the music when we got home.
This morning, it started doing it again. She txted me to complain, I googled, txted her to get ANY free app, she txted back “It WORKED, you rock
”
THANK YOU for this post and for making me look good to my daughter.
about 1 year ago
Hey fellas, is there a way of making the apps load and work without re-installing and syncing with itunes? The reboot didnt work neither, and im just close to pulling my hair out…aaaarrgh
about 1 year ago
Wow, it worked! Thanks!
about 11 months ago
THANK YOU SO SO MUCH BEN!
I am so happy My apps are all working again, you sir are a genius
about 11 months ago
Gee thanks man!
It worked out perfectly.
about 11 months ago
Hello, please help me i still dont understand the steps
i tried deleting the apps as it said both on my Pc and Iphone and then syncing again but nonthing worked.
about 6 months ago
How about the developers release some functional products, you know, ones that actually work
about 4 months ago
hello,
i am facing same problem with Facebook app, tried all above things…. still not working…..
i just updated the new version and then faced this problem….
regards,
Sohail
about 4 months ago
I have tried all three ways and my facebook app, which is the only app I have ever had a problem with still wont load. Anyone got a fourth solution?
about 3 months ago
Unfortunately all the steps you said did not fix my grand theft auto vice city game which loads but closes again please somebody help my iPhone is jailbroken and downloaded the game
about 3 months ago
The install a new app solution worked, thank you SO much!