How to Fix the Weather App Not Working on iPhone or iPad

The Weather app on an iPhone or iPad is useful when you want to quickly check the temperature, rain chances, or forecast for your location. But sometimes the app may stop updating, show old information, display the wrong location, or fail to load altogether.

This can happen because of a temporary app problem, an internet connection issue, disabled location access, restricted background activity, or an iOS setting.

If the Weather app is not working properly on your iPhone or iPad, try the following solutions one by one.

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Why Is the Weather App Not Working on iPhone?

There can be several reasons why Apple’s Weather app fails to load current information.

Some common causes include:

• Location Services are turned off.
• The Weather app does not have the required location permission.
• Wi-Fi or mobile data is not working properly.
• Background App Refresh is disabled.
• Low Power Mode or Low Data Mode is limiting background activity.
• A temporary software glitch is affecting the app.
• Apple’s Weather service may be experiencing an outage.
• The Weather widget may have become stuck or incorrectly configured.

Start with the simpler fixes first. You may not need to change any advanced settings.

1. Close and Reopen the Weather App

A temporary app glitch can sometimes prevent the Weather app from loading new information. Closing the app completely and opening it again is a simple first step.

On an iPhone with Face ID:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle.
2. Find the Weather app in the App Switcher.
3. Swipe up on the Weather app to close it.
4. Return to the Home Screen and open Weather again.

Check whether the forecast loads normally.

If the problem continues, move on to the next solution.

2. Check Apple’s System Status

Sometimes the problem is not with your iPhone at all. Apple’s online services can occasionally experience temporary outages or maintenance.

You can check Apple’s System Status page to see whether its services are operating normally.

If the relevant service is experiencing an issue, there may be nothing you need to change on your device. Waiting for the service to recover may be enough.

If Apple’s services are working normally, check your internet connection next.

3. Check Your Internet Connection

The Weather app needs an internet connection to retrieve updated weather information.

First, open another app such as Safari and visit a website. If websites are also taking a long time to load, your internet connection may be the problem.

You can try these basic steps:

• Turn Wi-Fi off and back on.
• Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
• Move closer to your Wi-Fi router.
• Restart your router if the Wi-Fi connection is unstable.
• Try using mobile data in an area with better network coverage.

Once your connection is working normally, open the Weather app again.

4. Temporarily Turn Off Your VPN

A VPN can sometimes affect how certain apps connect to online services. If you are using a VPN and the Weather app is not loading correctly, temporarily disconnect it and test the app again.

For a third-party VPN, open its app and disconnect the VPN connection.

If you configured a VPN through your iPhone’s settings, check:

Settings → General → VPN & Device Management

The exact options can vary depending on your VPN configuration and iOS version.

If turning off the VPN does not help, you can turn it back on and continue troubleshooting.

5. Check Location Services

The Weather app can use your location to provide weather information for your current area. If Location Services are disabled or the Weather app does not have the necessary permission, the app may not be able to automatically determine your location.

Go to:

Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services

Make sure Location Services is enabled.

Then find Weather in the list and check its permission settings. Choose an appropriate location access option and enable Precise Location if you want the app to use your more accurate location.

After changing the setting, open the Weather app and check whether your local forecast appears.

6. Turn On Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh allows supported apps to check for new information when you are not actively using them.

To check this setting, go to:

Settings → General → Background App Refresh

Make sure Background App Refresh is enabled. If iOS gives you a choice between Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi & Mobile Data, select the option that suits your needs.

Keep in mind that background updating can also depend on other device settings and system conditions.

7. Restart Your iPhone or iPad

If the Weather app is still frozen or refusing to update, restart your device.

A normal restart can clear temporary software problems that may be affecting an app.

If your iPhone is unresponsive, you can use a force restart.

For most recent iPhone models:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
3. Press and hold the Side button.
4. Keep holding it until the Apple logo appears.

The procedure can be different on older iPhone models and some iPad models.

After the device starts again, open Weather and check the forecast.

8. Allow Weather to Use Mobile Data

If the Weather app works over Wi-Fi but not when you’re using mobile data, check whether cellular access has been disabled for the app.

Open:

Settings → Cellular

Scroll through the list of apps and make sure the switch next to Weather is enabled.

Then disconnect from Wi-Fi and test the Weather app using mobile data.

9. Turn Off Low Power Mode and Low Data Mode

Low Power Mode and Low Data Mode are useful for reducing battery or mobile data usage. However, some background activities may be limited when these settings are enabled.

To check Low Power Mode:

Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode

Temporarily turn it off and test Weather again.

For mobile data, go to:

Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options → Data Mode

If Low Data Mode is enabled, temporarily disable it and check whether the Weather app starts updating normally.

You can turn these features back on later if needed.

10. Add Your Location Manually

If the Weather app is not detecting your current location correctly, try adding the location manually.

Open the Weather app and look for the list of saved locations. Use the search option to find your city or current area and add it to the list.

You can also check the Weather widget separately.

To change the widget’s location:

1. Touch and hold the Weather widget.
2. Tap Edit Widget.
3. Tap Location.
4. Search for and select the location you want to display.

This can help if the widget is showing an incorrect location or is not updating as expected.

11. Remove and Add the Weather Widget Again

If the Weather app itself works but the Home Screen widget is stuck, the widget may be the problem.

To remove it:

1. Touch and hold the Weather widget.
2. Tap Remove Widget.
3. Confirm the removal.

To add it again:

1. Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen.
2. Tap the + button.
3. Search for Weather.
4. Select the widget style you want.
5. Tap Add Widget.

Check the widget after adding it again.

12. Update iOS or iPadOS

Software bugs can sometimes affect built-in apps and widgets. Apple regularly releases system updates that include bug fixes and other improvements.

To check for an update, open:

Settings → General → Software Update

If an update is available, review the information and install it if you decide it is appropriate for your device.

After updating, restart the device if necessary and test the Weather app again.

13. Reinstall the Weather App

The Weather app can be removed from an iPhone or iPad and downloaded again from the App Store.

Touch and hold the Weather app and select the option to remove or delete it. Then open the App Store, search for Apple’s Weather app, and install it again.

After reinstalling, open the app and check its location permissions if prompted.

14. Reset Location & Privacy Settings

If location-related problems continue after trying the other solutions, you can reset the device’s Location & Privacy settings.

Go to:

Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Location & Privacy

The wording and menu layout can vary slightly between iOS versions.

This reset does not erase your personal data, but apps may ask for location and privacy permissions again afterward.

15. Reset All Settings as a Last Resort

If the Weather app still does not work and you suspect another system setting is causing the problem, you can consider resetting all settings.

Go to:

Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset All Settings

This is different from erasing the iPhone. However, it will restore many system settings to their defaults, so you may need to configure some preferences again.

Because of this, it is better to try the simpler solutions first.

If Nothing Works

If none of these steps solves the problem, the issue may be related to a temporary Apple service problem, an iOS software bug, or another device-specific issue.

You can contact Apple Support for further troubleshooting. It is also worth checking whether the same problem occurs with other Apple services or apps.

As a temporary alternative, you can use another reputable weather service or website to check the forecast while troubleshooting the built-in Weather app.

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Final Thoughts

A Weather app that refuses to update can usually be traced to a connection, location permission, background activity, widget, or temporary software issue.

Start with the easiest solutions, such as reopening the app, checking your internet connection, and restarting the device. If those do not help, check Location Services, Background App Refresh, mobile-data access, and system settings.

You do not need to try every solution if the Weather app starts working again. Once the forecast is updating normally, you can stop troubleshooting.