Manually synching one app

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Level 1

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Manually synching one app

Is there a way to manually synch just one app?

If I just check one app in the App Synchronizing tab, it tells me it'll delete the other 89 apps installed. And I can't click and drag to install an app like I do for music. Is there a setting I'm missing, or is it something that can't be done in iTunes.

I generally add apps directly from the app store; however, there are some apps that are rather large that it seems like downloading on my PC would make more sense. However, I have nothing but problems when synching apps with my computer (some apps disappear and need to be re-downloaded, it takes a long time, etc), hence the downloading directly from the app store.

PC

Posted on Jun 12, 2009 10:24 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 12, 2009 10:30 AM in response to TKoP

The options under the Applications tab for your iPhone sync preferences are All Applications, or Selected Applications.

If you choose Selected Applications, unchecking an app in the window below will remove the app from your iPhone. Selecting an app that was previously unchecked and removed from your iPhone will reinstall the app.

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Answer 2

igrok-mac

Level 3

947 points

Jun 12, 2009 10:34 AM in response to TKoP

Do you have 89 apps installed on your iphone? As the other poster stated, choosing "selected" apps let you choose just which ones you want on your iphone. It'll add whatever's checked -- if it's on your phone already it'll leave it there, if it's not there it'll put it there. Similarly, unchecking it will delete it from your phone. It'll remain in your itunes library of apps in any case, so you can add/delete from your phone as you wish.

So, if you just want to add one more app, just choose "selected apps" and check off that new one.

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Answer 3

TKoP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 12, 2009 11:32 AM in response to igrok-mac

Some clarifications:

- I do have a LOT of apps installed on my iPhone
- If I go to the Applications tab, there are a LOT of apps listed
- If I check the "Sync Applications" box and choose the "Selected applications:" radio button and uncheck all the applications except the one I want to add to my iPhone, I'm told that it will delete all of the apps from my iPhone except the one I'm trying to copy over.
- I would be ok synching all of the apps except that I've had issues in the past synching apps -- I've had it stall on me, delete the apps, take FOREVER, lose my settings (e.g., saved games, log in info, etc). In particular, if I downloaded an app from the App store directly, it wouldn't show in iTunes and would therefore delete the app from my iPhone.

My goal was the find a way that I could simply install one app without affecting any other setting/app/etc in the same manner that I can copy a single song by clicking and dragging the song from my music directory to the iPhone.

Thanks for helping.

null

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Answer 4

Daiya

Level 4

1,666 points

Jun 12, 2009 11:39 AM in response to TKoP

if I downloaded an app from the App store directly, it wouldn't show in iTunes and would there for delete the app from my iPhone.

are you using two iTunes Store accounts? what should happen is that you get a prompt "do you want to transfer apps on the phone into iTunes?" and you say yes. Then those apps will be in your sync list. If you don't get the prompt, then before syncing, use the Transfer Purchases command to force it.

"Sync Applications" does not mean "copy these apps to the phone". It means "make the phone look like this list". You can't do what you want to do.

Fixing the larger problems with syncing all the apps, which would make this a non-issue. Have you tried reset or restore to see if it helps? 3.0 might also improve the situation.

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Answer 5

igrok-mac

Level 3

947 points

Jun 12, 2009 12:47 PM in response to TKoP

If I understand correctly, you'd like to sync an app just like what you do when you drag a song to the phone. But that's exactly what that "selected apps" list is for. You just check the apps you want to appear on the phone. instead of dragging off the ones you don't want, you just uncheck them. Instead of dragging on the new one, you just check it. So if you have all of them checked already, just check the new one and it'll sync to the phone. Like the other poster said, the full list is what's in your library and is available to be put on the phone, and the checked list is what you want on your phone.

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Answer 6

TKoP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2009 10:24 AM in response to igrok-mac

Ok, I bit the bullet and selected all to synch my apps. I did this after first "transferring purchases from iPhone" to iTunes.

It took a LONG time to -- it looks like it did a full backup and who knows what else. Anyway, all of the apps that were on my iPhone before the sync appear to still be there, but that one particular app that started this odyssey is still not on my iPhone.

Would an initial failed install directly from the app store that I tried to correct by downloading in iTunes cause this?

Thanks again to everyone for their help.

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Answer 7

Jun 28, 2009 7:43 PM in response to igrok-mac

"You just check the apps you want to appear on the phone."

Ah, this makes it sound so easy and convenient. But when you have dozens of applications (and dozens more deleted apps that iTunes thinks you still care about) this operation becomes non-trivial and a frustrating waste of time and energy as you sit there trying to figure out what apps you want.

There should be a way to manually manage applications just the same way you can manually manage music. That way we could have answered OP's post with something easy and quick - not tedious and time-consuming.

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