Since picking up my iPhone three days ago, I’ve been blown away by the UI and all the applications available for the phone. I’ve never had a phone that was so easy to use and so powerful at the same time.
My one gripe (and it’s a major one) is that applications frequently close up on me at random times for no reason. Texas Hold’Em is unplayable for me due to this glitch - it happens every time I play within minutes of getting started. Ditto with Super Monkey Ball. I was trying to review the latter just now and haven’t been able to since the game shuts down within minutes of opening the game. Is this a widespread issue? Are other iPhone 3G users seeing this?
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category: Troubleshooting
July 25th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
This doesn’t happen much to me, but it does happen. Hopefully, there are no long term side effects on the phone itself
August 1st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I have the original iPhone and have upgraded to the 2.0 firmware. I started to have this issue as well. I had over 20 Apps installed and they worked great for about a week.. then all of a sudden… I couldnt open ANY app with out it closing after 3 to 5 seconds. I had to use iTunes to restore and then NOT reinstall the apps. I installed Texas Hold’em by itself and its working fine. I havent reinstalled any other apps as I am afraid the same issue will start to happen!
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Jamin, I fixed the problem by doing the following:
1. Click on “Settings.”
2. Click on “General.”
3. Click on “Reset.”
4. Click on “Reset All Settings.”
After doing this I haven’t had the problem again.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I too have the same problem with my iPhone 3G 16Gb. All my apps were working perfectly until now. =/
August 7th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
happened to me too. the fix doesn’t work for me though. they still reset.
August 7th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Amir, have you downloaded the firmware update?
August 27th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I am really annoyed by this issue too. The phone works great but all the downloaded apps would close themself as soon as I open them. I tried all the tricks, soft reboot, hard reboot, reset network, reset all settings, update firmware. none fixes the issue. The only thing that would work is to remove the app and reinstall it. But it is only 2 days after I re-installed the apps now. the problem came back again.
I search all over internet, not too many people seem to have the same issue. so it is largely ignored. should anyone has this same issue please speak out and hopefully Apple will fix this problem.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I have the same problem… what’s more annoying is when it happens to apps that you paid for. As for the “reset all settings”… what settings does it reset? In otherwords, will I lose my notes, my weather setting, my ring tones, etc., if I do reset all settings?
September 6th, 2008 at 1:11 am
I’ve had this issue as well. It’s really annoying. That ‘reset settings’ technique doesn’t work either.
September 6th, 2008 at 6:00 am
I have the same issue. Rogers may have to swap my phone
September 6th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I picked up my phone yesterday, 16gb, here in Switzerland, then installed about 10-14 apps which all worked fine. Then just now upgraded to the latest firmware 2.0.2 (i think it was) then most apps just close as soon as I open them. Shit! This is very frustrating… tried reset without luck! … any ideas?
September 6th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Peter - try deleting the app (apps?) that are giving you problems from your phone. Restart your phone and computer. Sync your phone. Can’t promise that that will work but it’s worked before for me when I was having problems with specific apps.
September 6th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I have 16 GB 3 G - I also had the same problem with the apps closing seconds upon opening -so I synched it up with itunes on my computer and now all is fine. Try to synch it..
September 7th, 2008 at 7:31 am
I have the same problem. Resetting or synching with itunes doesn’t work for me.
September 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I was having the same problem. I reset the settings which didn’t work and then synced the phone and that seemed to work fine. Thank goodness.
September 7th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Im having the same problems since buying the phone about 3-4 weeks ago. Im also on my second phone for a different reason, but it was happening on the first one as well. Im quite dissapointed with this thing! My synch now advises “Some of the applications in your iTunes library, including “”, were not installed on the iPhone”” because you are not authorised for them on this computer. This is the same and only computer Ive used all the way through! It has now deleted all of the apps from my iPhone but still lists them all in the sync applications list in iTunes (I cant see a remove button!). Ive reinstalled them to the iPhone and iTunes just removes them again when I re-sync now. Ridiculous.
PS, has anyone found a way of getting around the fact you cant forward text/sms message or contacts?
September 7th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Just found:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1652810
Hope this might help someone… I just had to re-authorise my computer (for some reason).
September 7th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
My iTunes is also constantly telling me that I have one update for an app available. Then when I go to the update page, it says there are no updates available. That little “1” symbol is driving me crazy.
September 7th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
i also have the same problem with a white 16gb iphone firmware 2.0.2
September 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
This is annoying, but if you download a free app from itunes on your computer and then transfer that app onto your phone, the ones that were closing suddenly work… Weird.
September 8th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
All of my downloaded apps are loading and then closing right away also. I updated to the new 2.0.2 software and they keep closing.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:08 am
maybe because it is an crap american phone,you’ll never see this problems with a nokia or other brand. I regret my money already
September 10th, 2008 at 9:39 am
i had the same problem, but its fixed now. the reason the applications close is because u do not have enough memory on ur phone (i overloaded mine with music and videos). Delete a few videos or a few cd’s.. or if u have too many apps then delete the 1’s that u dnt really need..
Its a problem that apple confesses to having
September 18th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Mike’s solution works for me, i just downloaded the free APP from itunes, sync and it’s fixed.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I had Pandora downloaded, and this problem with all my apps started shortly afterwards. After removing Pandora, the problem went away.
Space wasn’t the issue for me, as I still have 3.7 GB free.
Unless of course Pandora was using all the temporary memory for song buffering…
October 12th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
for everyone having the problem after updating I just removed all my apps then reinstalled and that worked fine e
October 16th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
SOLUTION! What Mike said worked. You have to download an app to your computer, then sync and load it onto your iphone. This stopped all my apps from closing after 3 seconds.
Thanks Mike!
jay
October 18th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
hey i had the same problem so i deleted my applications and redownloaded them adn they work fine now, i didnt have to pay twice because it was all on the same account, took five min
October 20th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
apparently this has something to do with whether or not your computer is authorized. Go to Store > authorise this computer in itunes menu. After this remove all apps by unchecking the sync all apps checkbox. Sync your phone then go back and check the “sync all apps chkbox and sync again.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:07 am
What vishal says works. Just authorise your computer, sync, unsync apps, resync apps and there you go! No troubles since.
Tnx alot m8
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
I had the same problem and i’d tried every thing reseting syncing but the only thing that worked was downloading an application ON YOUR COMPUTER then syncing it with your iphone.
thank you sooooooooooooooo much MIKE
November 1st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
is there any way to fix this problem without having to use an iTunes account and password?
Because my mom downloaded the apps for me andtheyre being stupid and closing after 4 seconds.
I’d just do what everyone else is doing but i don’t wanna bother my mom so .. A little helps?O___O
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
Update : There is no need to remove all applications. Use the following method instead -
This typically happens when you sync your iphone to two computers. Or if you are syncing on a computer other than the one on which you originally bought the application.
For example, in my case I sync it with the computer at work as well as with the one at home. I download some apps at work and some at home. I update some contacts at work and some at home and I want my iphone to be able to sync with both computers and I think this is what is causing the problem.
Here is what I do to fix it and it works everytime -
1. Immediately after the sync I launch any of my downloaded apps to see it they close by themselves.
2. If yes, I power off my iphone
3. I close Itunes.
4. Re-open itunes. Go to Store > Deauthorize computer > enter appstore id and password. You will get a pop up message saying this computer has been de-authroized.
4. Go to Store > Authorize computer > Enter appstore ID and password. You will now get a message saying this computer has been Authorized.
5. power on your iphone and sync again.
Doing this fixes the problem.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I JUST bought my Iphone 3g (16g) today, and I encountered the exact same problem. The apps wouldn’t even open up for me, and instantly shut down (space wasn’t an issue; I only was using a 3rd of the space). I followed the steps by Vishal, and after the sync my apps came back - working at 100 percent once again…Thank you so much Vishal! I’ll check back to let you know if I encounter this same problem again.
November 13th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Vishal is right on. worked like a charm
November 16th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Do you have to sync everything?
including music?
November 20th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Had same issue of applications closing immediately and got it solved:
- Connect the phone to Itunes
- Go to Applications folder in Itunes (devices-Iphone)
- click or dobulecklick one of the installed apps.
- Itunes asks for authorizing the computer
- Authorize the computer (even you had it authorized)
Now works for me.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Had the same thing happen.
I did the following…
Reset all settings
Uninstalled One app
Reinstalled app
After that all my apps started working again.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Hey people,
i had the same problem, reali reali annoying as u kno……
i tried everything, restart reboot etc….
the onli thing that seemed 2 work straight away is to simply sync ure iphone with ure itunes on your computer….it copies all apps to itunes, n then they seem 2 work fine on the phone…
hope thats helped
December 7th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
johnny’s solution helped, it’s simple, see and try it.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:21 am
thanks Vishal, it now works fine. that was a quick way to fix it.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:46 am
yeah johnny’s solution works for like a day and then it comes back again
December 18th, 2008 at 7:26 am
I found the solution. Don’t get me wrong, I love the iphone so much that I can’t bear to see it act up like that. Just lay it down gently and make sure you’re wearing Timberland cause I’m not sure if it will have the same effect if not. Stomp on the iphone 6 times and… Voila! you’ve taken it out of it’s misery
December 18th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Jason, I just tried that solution and it doesn’t seem to work at all.
Also, anyone have any suggestions for how to fix a fractured screen?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I took the suggestion to reset my settings and everything went well.
I did not lose any of my pictures or ringtones. It will set your ringtone
to the standard one, but all of your files are still there to change it back.
All of my notes are still there as well. The game I had a problem with
now works well and doesnt shut off at all. =)
Does anyone know how to set the Weather to where you live?
Mine only shows New York and Cupertino…
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Regarding weather: click on the little “i” icon at the bottom right of the weather screen. Delete Cupertino and click on the + button at the top right to add other locations.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Here is another update on apps closing automatically for people who are syncing their iphone to two seperate computers.
1. First, disable automatic syncing on both computers.
2. If you have a jailbroken phone and are using SWAPTUNES application to maintain two seperate and distinct libraries on your iphone, make sure to swap to the right library for the right computer.
3. Here is where it gets a little tricky. Using the tabs on the sync screen make sure only the options that pertain to the computer you are currently using for syncing are enabled. For example if i sync my iphone to the PICTURES on my home computer, when syncing on my work computer i make sure the sync pictures option is disabled.
4. For applications however, SYNC ALL should be enabled. If you have some apps synced from home computer and some from work computer, make sure to respond in affirmative when itunes asks you whether you want an APP to be transferred to you current computer.
5. Now authroize your computer before starting to sync.
6. sync manually.
December 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Mike is a legend thanks alot pal.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:28 am
MY SOLUTION :: All of My downloaded apps (purchased and free) would also close after 3 seconds of opening them. I never updated my software from when i purchased iphone 3g. I figured this was the problem - so i updated my iphone to 2.2 (5g77) using itunes 8.0.2.20. this did not fix the problem. I resetted the settings on phone - settings,general,reset. this didn’t work.. i then noticed my app store icon had 12 updates waiting to be downloaded. once i hit the app store and entered my user email and password, - then downloaded all updates - MY APPS WORKED!!! im not sure if all or some of my steps are needed but it worked for me — hope it helps
December 29th, 2008 at 6:31 am
After a few months I suddenly had this problem. The solution was already mentioned somewhere and simple: authorize itunes on your computer, sync with your iphone and DONE! Everything is working perfect again!
December 30th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
All u have to do to fix this is download any app. Re enter your iTunes user name and password sometimes during synch your phone losses this info
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
i bought an unlocked/jailbroken original iphone from ebay and this application closing after about 3 seconds has happened, if i restore to factory or update the software to try fix the problem will it get rid of the jailbreak or unlock on my iphone ?
January 5th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Hi all - had the exact same problem a few times (2g iphone, 2.2 firmware, jailbroken). It seems to happen immediately after I sync to my computer (and I only sync to one) - however it doesn’t happen everytime I sync (it’s happened twice and I’ve synced about 30 times since I got the phone). I have only ever installed apps via my phone - never from iTunes. All my applications - both app store and jailbroken apps - started to close after ~3 seconds of opening.
RESOLUTION (for me): I deleted one of the free app store apps I installed on my phone, and then re-installed it via app store on my phone. After it installed I found ALL applications were now working again (both app store apps and jailbroken apps)
It worked for me, it was easy to do, so hopefully it will work for someone else too.