Ipad won't update apps

Question

Thought I'd post this in case anyone else is running into the same issue...
My iPad kept showing that there were lots of Apps to update (72 in my case!).  I used the Update All in the App Store, but my iPad never finished updating despite waiting hours and even days later it still wasn't updated.  Worse was that all the Apps that iOS was trying to update showing an empty progress bar on the App icon (instead of the blue progress bar through the app as it updates).
The word "INSTALLING" was greyed out on all the items in the App Store Updates section.  Ugh, what to do?  Didn't want to do a restore and lose all the data. 
Here's the slow but sure way to fix this issue (hit like if it works to keep this post active for others):
- Goto the "App Store" and Choose the "Updates" tab.  Look at how many apps need updating and write down which apps have the greyed out "INSTALLING" .  DO NOT HIT UPDATE ALL, this will only add more backed up apps to the update queue.
- Hit your Apple Home button to go back to the main App screens.  Start with the first of page of Apps on you iPad.  Look for any App icon that has an empty progress bar in it, and double click it to interrupt the update.  The iPad should pause for a second before delivering a message that the update was not applied and then show the original icon of the App.  If you get a WHITE blank icon it means the App has been corrupted and you'll need to hold down on the icon until the little X shows up to delete the App (write down the name so you can go back to the App store and install it again).  You'll need to go through the entire list until you've stopped the update process of all apps.
- Go back to the App Store and into the Update section and verify each App has a normal selecrtable "UPDATE" button available.  DO NOT HIT THE "UPDATE ALL" button in the upper left corner or you'll just recreate the problem again.  One by one hit the UPDATE button next to the App that needs updating.  Do not update the next app until the previous App is finished.  You are looking for which App's update button is going to stop the update process and get stuck!  Watch the blue bar on each App until it completes.  When it is successful the "UPDATE" button switches to an "OPEN" button.  Once you find the App where the blue bar doesn't progress at all you'll find the culprit that caused your Update train wreck.
- You'll need to go back out to the main desktop, find the page and possbily folder that the App is in and hold your finger down on it until it gives you the option to delete it (the X in the upper left of the app icon).  Once you delete this app you can go back to update the apps several at a time until you are finished.  You will then want to plug your iPad into your Mac/PC with iTunes, or do an iCloud sync to backup your iPad.
Take the time to go back to the app store and flag the offending App to let other users know this App was the cause of your update probelms.  Sometimes these issues are noted in the App's release notes with text saying, Users will need to manually delete the previous version and reinstall the App in order to get the latest update.
Hope this helps!  Hit like if it does, it something else worked please hit reply and share.

Answer 1

I have the same problem as the OP. Wife clicked on UPDATE ALL in her iPad mini w/iOS 6.1.3, and the iPad tried to update 20 or 30 apps. All ended up with a darkened icon with an empty progress bar, and "Waiting..." displayed instead of the app's title.
Before finding this thread, I powered the iPad off then on a couple of times, and also performed a hard reset. Neither intervention had any effect.
I tried to follow the recipe above. Unfortunately, double-tapping on one of the stuck apps doesn't work as described:
"The iPad should pause for a second before delivering a message that the update was not applied and then show the original icon of the App".
Instead, the icon goes very dark for a second, then returns to its previous state (Waiting...).
I've deleted most of the affected apps, but a few have large amounts of associated data that I am loathe to erese. Fortunately, the iPad was backed up this morning, so in theory I should be able to restore it from the backup.