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Let’s look at the most common problem with the ‘iOS Files App Not Working’. The Apple Files app lets you manage all kinds of files on your iOS device. For example, you can save files locally for access when you’re not connected to the internet, upload them to iCloud or a third-party drive, or save them from another cloud storage (Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive, Amazon Drive, and many others).
You can also look at your files on your iPhone or iPad and give them different commands. If the Files app on your iPhone is crashing, not showing files, or going missing, or if you’re having any other problems with it, follow the steps below to get the app back up and running.
Files App Not Working on iPhone/iPad
Close Files App On Your iPhone
When the Files app on your iPhone doesn’t work, it’s likely because the app itself is broken. Some small app problems can be fixed by closing the app and then reopening it. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-clicking it will bring up the app switcher, which shows you all of the apps you have open. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to the middle of the screen.
Hold your finger in the middle of the screen until the app switcher opens. Once the app switcher comes up, swipe up and off the screen to get rid of Files. When it’s closed, the app won’t show up in the app switcher.
Start Your iPhone Back Up
Even if you don’t believe it, rebooting your iPhone seems to fix most software problems and app crashes. It’s one of the first things you should try if the Files app on your iPhone doesn’t work. Just turn your phone off and on again to see if the Files app works. To restart an iPhone with the Home button, press and hold the power button until the screen shows “Slide to power off.” Now, drag the red and white power icon across the screen from left to right. This will turn off your iPhone.
Give your iPhone about 20 seconds to turn off completely. Then hold the power button down again. When you see the Apple logo in the middle of the screen, you can let go of the power button. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, you can restart it by holding down the side button and either volume button until the screen says “Slide to power off.” To turn off your iPhone, swipe the red and white power icon from left to right. Wait about 20 seconds for your iPhone to turn off completely, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Look for a new version of iOS
The Files app might not work right because of a bug in iOS. Even though running an older version of iOS usually doesn’t cause any problems, Apple sometimes changes things on the server side, making some functions useless. You want to make sure you’re using the latest version of iOS, so go to Settings and check for iOS updates. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap General > Software Update. If there is a new iOS update, tap Download and Install or Install Now.
Turn Off/ On iCloud Drive
Many times, you can fix problems with your iPhone’s Files app by turning iCloud Drive on or off in the Settings app. So, if your iPhone’s Files app isn’t working, you should try this clever solution. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap on your name at the top of the screen. Now, tap iCloud, and on the next page, turn off the “iCloud Drive” switch. Now, turn your thing back on. After your device has restarted, go back to the iCloud setting and turn on the iCloud Drive toggle. This should help you figure out why your iPhone isn’t downloading files from iCloud.
Sign Out of iCloud and Sign Back Again
- Start the Settings app on your iPhone and tap [Your Name].
- Scroll all the way down and tap Sign Out.
- If prompted, enter your Apple ID password to Turn Off Find My.
- Choose what data to keep on your iPhone—anything you don’t keep is still saved to iCloud—then tap Sign Out.
- Return to Settings to sign in again using your Apple ID and password.
Turn Off/ On Airplane Mode
- On iPhone and iPad without a home button: Swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen to access the Control Center and tap the airplane mode icon to turn it on. Now, wait a few seconds and tap the airplane mode icon again to turn it off.
- On iPhone and iPad with a home button: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center and tap the airplane mode icon to turn it on. After waiting a few seconds, hit the airplane mode icon again to disable it.
Turn Off/ On iCloud Drive in Apple Files
You can manage all the cloud storage services you’ve added to the stock file manager app, including Apple’s iCloud Drive, with the Apple Files app. So, you can let or stop any cloud storage app from accessing the Files app, depending on what you need. Use this option in the Apple Files app to turn on or off iCloud Drive. Here’s how:
- Launch the Apple Files app on your iPhone or iPad and move to the “Browse” tab using the bottom navigation bar.
- Now, tap on the tiny circle with three horizontal dots at the top-right corner of the screen and choose “Edit” from the pop-up menu.
- Next, turn off the toggle next to “iCloud Drive“. Now, restart your device, return to the Files app, and then turn on iCloud Drive’s toggle. Doing so will reset the iCloud drive’s access to the Files app, and you will be able to download your files once again.
Reset Network Settings
- Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tap General.
- Now, scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Next, tap Reset and choose “Reset Network Settings” in the pop-up menu.
- If asked, make sure to enter your device or Screen Time passcode and then tap “Reset Network Settings” in the pop-up menu again to confirm the action.
Update Software on Your iPhone or iPad
- Head to the Settings app on your device and tap on “General“.
- Now, tap on “Software Update” and wait for some time to let your device check for the software update. Finally, tap “Download and Install“if an update is available and follow the usual instructions to get the latest version of iOS/ iPadOS.
FAQ
Why is my Files app not working
Normal bugs, like the Android file manager not working, can be fixed with a simple reboot of the phone. The power button on most Android phones is also the restart button. To restart the phone, hold down the power button for a while and then tap Restart. If you try to use Files apps, it should work as expected.
Why are Files greyed out on iPhone
When an iPhone can’t open a certain type of file, it greys out the file in the selector so that you can’t click on it. If you don’t have the right viewing software on your device, this is what will happen. PDF files are the most common kind of greyed-out file on an iPhone.