Purchased aps won't transfer

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Level 1

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Purchased aps won't transfer

I have a ton of aps on my phone, many with content I would hate to lose. I just wiped my computer so my iphone settings disappeared. Now when I sync my phone it asks if I want to transfer my aps to itunes. I click yes and it starts the process. But the aps never show up on the list that is on the left side of the application screen. They do show up on the "snapshot screens" of my iphone on the right side but I can't scroll through them without clicking on "sync applications." If I do that I am afraid I will lose all the aps. I know I can re-download them but I would like to save the content. So I guess my question is this--are the aps actually saved into itunes and are shown as their iphone icons only on the right side or should they be showing as part of the list? If they did actually transfer, why does it ask me to transfer purchased aps every time I connect my phone to the computer? I do connect the iphone without having the "sync applications" button checked as I am afraid I will lose everything but am wondering if this may cause the aps to not transfer. Thanks in advance for any help.

Windows Vista

Posted on Feb 9, 2010 7:48 PM

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Answer 1

DaVBMan

Level 6

9,280 points

Feb 9, 2010 7:51 PM in response to Lilacmom

Already did things in wrong order.
You needed to backup before cleaning drive.
You also needed to copy that backup off to someplace else to put back.
Then you could of restored from backup.

Also before you say to transfer purchases you need to first make sure you are signed into iTunes store and your computer is authorized with account (you deautorized before cleaning drive right)

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Answer 2

Lilacmom Author

Level 1

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Feb 9, 2010 10:34 PM in response to DaVBMan

I should be able to transfer my purchases from my phone into itunes on an authorized computer--which mine is. When I backed up my computer I did back-up itunes but my aps did not make it onto the hard drive. Evidently, you must do something special with them and as far as I can tell by the complete absence of any kind of directions on the Apple website about backing up aps to an auxiliary hard drive, this is impossible. I am sure you can do it they just don't want to tell you how. My problem is not the backup--it's that I don't know what I am getting if I use the back-up I made or the sync option. When I click the "restore from backup" option it does not list aps as one of the things it will transfer from the back-up so I hesitate to use restore. And I still don't understand why it is trying to transfer purchases from my phone again and again. When I wiped my computer, I didn't worry about backing up the aps because I have always been able to transfer everything back from my iphone. I have done this many times. Now with the new syncing screens, it is much less clear what is actually happening. So my question is--are my aps on my computer if they show up in the picture of my phone on the sync screen or are the only aps on the computer the ones in list to the left? And if they are on my computer, why does my phone keep trying to transfer them?

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Answer 3

Feb 10, 2010 8:13 AM in response to Lilacmom

I can't answer all of your questions, but to this one:
<<but I can't scroll through them without clicking on "sync applications." If I do that I am afraid I will lose all the aps.>>
On a Mac you can check the Sync Applications checkbox and then be able to scroll through whatever list is there, checking or unchecking each individual app. Nothing takes effect until you hit the Apply button at the bottom of the window. So you can still 'cancel'. To actually do the snyc is a two step process, not one like that scary dialoge seems to imply that pops up when you click the checkbox. I am not sure how iTunes is designed on Windows, but would guess very similar.
If the apps show up in the left column, then they generally should be on your computer. When I sync and apps are copied over from my phone they do show up in the left column. If that is not happening for you then something seems wrong and voices much wiser than mine need to help.
I agree that with the new screens on the right, I have much more hesitation and am not sure what I am getting into every time I go to sync.
FWIW.

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Answer 4

Feb 10, 2010 1:19 PM in response to Roger Benson1

You might also check out this doc: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848?viewlocale=en_US

It shows how to just transfer apps from the phone to iTunes without syncing.

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