Apple Books is a great tool for all avid readers/book listeners as it offers a large library containing even a lot of free books. There’s a surge of book readers these days, considering we are dealing with a worldwide pandemic and a good book is definitely a great companion in dealing with boredom-ridden quarantine times. Sadly, some iOS users are having a hard time using Apple Books. Namely, it seems that Apple Books is not working on iPhone/iPad for some.
If you are among the affected users, make sure to check the steps we listed below.
Table of contents:
- Force close the app and reboot your iPhone
- Check the network connection
- Sign out and sign in with your AppleID
- Disable iCloud Sync for Books
- Redownload books if you can’t open them
- Reinstall the app
How to fix Apple Books issues on iPhone or iPad
1. Force close the app and reboot your iPhone
Let’s start by force-closing the app and simply restarting the device. Also, make sure to keep your firmware up to date. You can check for updates in Settings > General > Sofware update.
To force close the app, just bring recent apps (double-click the Home button or swipe up from the bottom) and swipe up the Apple Books app. Then restart your device and check for improvements.
2. Check the network connection
Apple Books require a network connection to download new books or browse through the Book Store. You don’t need an internet connection to read already downloaded books or audiobooks, though.
So, make sure to enable Wi-Fi and ensure that the connection is stable. If you are experiencing Wi-Fi issues, make sure to check this dedicated article and fix them in no time.
Additionally, if you are using cellular data to browse Apple Books, make sure to allow the app to use cellular data. You can do so in Settings > Books. Just enable the Cellular Data option.
3. Sign out and sign in with your AppleID
The next thing to try is to sign out of the app and sign in again with your Apple ID. This is a common troubleshooting step in apps connected to iCloud and we recommend it here, as well.
If you are not sure how to sign out/sign in to Apple Books with your AppleID, follow the steps below:
- Open Apple Books.
- Select the Reading Now tab and then tap on your Account in the top right corner.
- Tap Sign Out.
- Force close the app.
- Now, open Apple Books again and sign in with your AppleID.
- The initial sequence might take some time until the app syncs all your books/audiobooks.
4. Disable iCloud sync for Books and Dark Mode
Some users resolved the problem by disabling iCloud Sync for Books and the system-wide dark mode. Although this is ascribed to old bugs from iOS 13 that were patched in the meantime, you might as well try this approach on iOS 14.
The first thing is something that one user figured out. It seems that the library iCloud Sync is leading the app to a halt. So, make sure to disable the iCloud Sync, configure the app, and then re-enable it. You can do so by following these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Books.
- Scroll down and disable the iCloud Drive option.
- Open Apple Books and give it another try.
On the other hand, one user found out that the system-wide dark mode is not quite working for Apple Books which results in Books crashing and freezing. So, navigate to Settings > Display and disable Dark Mode. Get back to Books, wait for it to sync, and then you can re-enable Dark Mode if that’s your cup of tea.
5. Redownload books if you can’t open them
If you are unable to open books you already purchased, make sure to remove them and get them again. This can be done by simply navigating to Apple Books > Library. Tap on the 3-dot menu under a book and select Remove > Remove Download.
Now, just tap on the 3-dot menu again and select Download. That’s it. Tap on the book and it should open without any issues.
6. Reinstall the app
Finally, if the Apple Books app is not working as intended, you can reinstall it. Once you remove the app and install it again, the problem, the problem should be gone.
Here’s how to reinstall Apple Books on iPhone or iPad:
- Tap & hold on to the Apple Books (Home Screen) shortcut.
- Once the pop-up menu appears, tap the Remove app.
- Restart your device and then navigate to the App Store and install Apple Books again.
- Sign in when prompted and check for improvements.
And, on that note, we can call it a wrap. Thank you for reading, check our social media (Facebook and Twitter), and feel free to share your thoughts, alternative solutions, or questions in the comments section below.
