Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
So, I have an app, iBrew Master 2, on my old iPad. It is no longer available in the App Store. It still works fine on the old iPad. Is there a way to move the app from the old device to my new one? I tried doing a backup to iTunes of the old one and a restore to the new one, but it still tries to find it in the App Store and won’t let me use it.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
iPad, 13
The only way that you can restore that app now is if you already had it in your iTunes library on your computer. iTunes will no longer transfer apps to your library, but if it was already in there, you could connect to iTunes and then drag the app from the iTunes media folder onto your device.
Manually manage content on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iTunes - Apple Support
The only way that you can restore that app now is if you already had it in your iTunes library on your computer. iTunes will no longer transfer apps to your library, but if it was already in there, you could connect to iTunes and then drag the app from the iTunes media folder onto your device.
Manually manage content on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iTunes - Apple Support
There is no method by which you can directly transfer an App between iPadOS/iOS devices.
When creating a backup of your device via iTunes or iCloud, the App itself is not backed-up per-se - instead, the backup contains a record of the installed backup. When restored, this backup-record causes the device to attempt to download the App from App Store servers; restoring the App is only possible if the App is both available and compatible with the target device.
Many “old” Apps have been (or are being) withdrawn from the App Store - either because the respective developer has decided to withdraw the App, or by Apple where the App is (a) not being adequately maintained or (b) fails to meet ongoing compatibility requirements. If the App that you wish to reinstall falls within these criteria, it cannot be downloaded or reinstalled.
Most, if not all, legacy 32-bit Apps are long gone; if not updated to support 64-bit devices, you are very unlikely to find the App within the App Store.
All App purchases are merely a “licence to use” for the duration of its availability.
If you still have a very old version of iTunes installed on your PC, from where you may have originally installed the App on your old device, it is possible that the App “.ipa” file may still be present. However, if the “.ipa” relates to a 32-bit App, it will not be compatible with a modern iPad or iPhone.
Good job with all of that above!
Think you covered “all the bases!”
Nice job!
Michel
👍😉
Moving a Discontinued App from Old iPad to New?
