How do I sync my apps without losing the app data?

Question

How do I sync my apps without losing the app data?

I recently had to downgrade and then upgrade my iTunes version (don't ask) but was greeted with a blank screen in the Apps section of iTunes where my apps used to be. So I refilled all my old apps from the "mobile applications" folder on my PC. Now I have the same apps on both my iPhone 4 and in my iTunes library, just like they used to be.

However, when I try to click the 'sync apps' checkbox it says +"Are you sure you want to sync apps? All existing apps *and their data* will be replaced with apps from this iTunes library"+. I have a whole bunch of free apps with precious data attached to them that I would hate to lose. How can I sync iTunes and iPhone up again like they were in the good old days without losing all of this app data? It's driving me crazy.

Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Laptop, Windows 7

Posted on Sep 17, 2010 9:56 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2010 4:06 AM in response to CubicalPerspective

bump

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Answer 2

mknapp

Level 1

4 points

Sep 19, 2010 5:16 AM in response to CubicalPerspective

i have the same issue!

my current (and dissatisfying work around) is to just not sync the apps. i use the backup feature in case something happens to my iPad/iPhone which allows me to restore everything including app data. i install all new apps straight on the iPad/iPhone.

cheerio,
martin

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Answer 3

Sep 22, 2010 12:37 AM in response to mknapp

I fixed it.
First I right-clicked on my iphone's name in iTunes and selected 'transfer purchases' which does a sort of backwards sync to your computer of downloaded apps.

Then I right-clicked on my iPhones name again and this time selected 'back up'.

Then I copied my application data from this location as a backup:
C:\Users\USERNAME HERE\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup
Note: On +Windows XP+ the mobilesync folder might be located in c:\documents and settings\username\local settings (which is a hidden folder) etc.

Then I copied my APPS themselves from here as a backup, just in case:
C:\Users\Rainz3d\Music\iTunes\itunes media\mobile applications

Then I took screenshots on my iphone of all my folders, my app layout and noted which apps were in which folders (I have an obscene number of 200 apps sorted perfectly into categories).

Then I ticked the terrifying 'sync apps' checkbox and crossed my fingers.
It came up with the warning and I continued. I must admit there was a bit of sphincter clenching as I noticed my iPhone was displaying 'Restore in Progress' rather that 'sync in progress'.

Suprisingly NONE of my app data or my apps were lost! However all of the NEW apps in the itunes list needed to be ticked again so they could be put back on the phone, which took about a minute, not a problem.

I also needed to rearrange all of my apps into their folders, as iTunes just dumped them all back onto my iPhone (I'm a bit of a perfectionist.)

Then I held my breath and checked inside all of my apps on my iPhone, which included to-do list programs, third-party document managers, password managers, games with high scores, a .txt file editing app, among many others with important app data.

It was all still miraculously intact. Nothing at all was lost.
I think the updated iTunes 10 version may have added a feature to preserve the app data instead of wiping it, but they forgot to update the warning message to be a little less daunting.

I don't see why this process shouldn't work for you also, but make **** sure you do those backups beforehand just in case!

Message was edited by: CubicalPerspective

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Answer 4

Lil Wolf

Level 1

0 points

Sep 28, 2010 7:16 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

Excellent advice - it was the "transfer purchases" I forgot about. Didn't need the backups, but it made me feel better to have them. However it seemed to take a couple of goes before the Library Apps list matched the iPad's - don't know why that was - some sort of cache refresh issue I suspect. Anyway, many thanks!

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Answer 5

Oct 10, 2010 4:09 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

I have worked in the IT field for almost 30 years. I find the iphone OS 4.1 "synching" process an abysmally horrendous experience. More often than not after spending hours reorganizing apps into meaningful folders, the synching process loses all my efforts. Often there are no folders remaining and I have to start all over again.

After calling Apple support on numerous occasions, they admit they are unclear as to when precisely backups / synching occur and in which direction they occur. They provide conflicting answers as to the proper procedure to follow when attempting to make changes to folder changes and synching them back onto your device.

Apple needs to make the process of synching folders / apps etc far less buggy and easier for the end user to understand and control. On numerous occasions I've lost hours of work due to a buggy and seriously flawed 'synching' process.

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Answer 6

teisnet

Level 1

8 points

Nov 23, 2010 10:20 PM in response to HavingFun2

I agree. The iTunes sync usability fails. It makes no logical sense.
Apple please make it better.

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Answer 7

furrytoes

Level 2

235 points

Feb 13, 2011 1:28 AM in response to teisnet

I'd like to see someone try to argue that the ITunes interface around syncing is usable and makes sense to the majority of users.

Would be a laugh... but surely someone in Apple thinks it's the right way to do it? Truly Bizarre.

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Answer 8

Apr 22, 2011 12:30 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

Thank you so much for posting this!

I tried exactly the same thing, and got exactly the same results! So at least there's some consistency at play. xD

All my app data was preserved, and most of my folders dumped, but some stayed intact, which was odd. X) It seemed that most of the apple-made apps stayed where they were, where the third party apps got scrambled...

Anyway, loved your suggestion on taking screenshots beforehand, and I'm getting my apps all back in order. X)

What miffs me more than anything is that despite the fact that they fixed such a frustrating issue, for so many people... that they didn't bother to tell anybody about it. Or even update the warnings.

Just wanted to say thanks, and add another layer of validation.

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Answer 9

Jul 24, 2011 2:12 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

you have answered my question - as a bit of a techno dummy I was confused how to simply transfer my purchased itesm to my library, who'd have thought to right click??! It worked, thank you so much for being a wizard at these things!!

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Answer 10

alimac13

Level 1

0 points

Aug 25, 2011 3:09 AM in response to CubicalPerspective

This is a great help, thanks for the info.

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Answer 11

Mom04

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2011 12:56 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

Thank you for posting this! I worked at apple in the early 90s and gradually moved over to programming in windows. I find the sync process for the iPhone / iPod to be both baffling and infuriating! We did a family share in my house, which then copied all of the stupid apps from my 11 year old son's iPod to my iPhone. There are a few apps that are ok to overlap, but I don't want to bog down my phone with the farting apps that my boys find hysterical. I don't understand why iTunes doesn't give you the opportunity to group your apps by device. Seems like someone would have thought of that by now! Thanks for the info!

I don't know why they hide the "transfer purchases" under a right click.

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Answer 12

Zxen

Level 1

8 points

Aug 29, 2011 1:36 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

I lost three years of agenda entries the day I finally synced to itunes. Despite all the warnings, my ipod version needed updating so i took a deep breath and itunes did exactly as it promised, deleting ll the games I was 99% of the way through, all my hundreds of notes (which were diary entries and took HUNDREDS OF HOURS to write, recorded information from recording apps which were even more important than the notes and Apple said I should have checked a few specific boxes that were nonsensical. This was after the previous receptionist had assured me that nothing would go wrong. All the archiving I had done for my agenda entries with phone numbers, addresses and life events were deleted in seconds. The Indian at Apple didn't even feel guilty. I think if a programmer deliberately designs a program that causes deliberate data loss for the user, at least a thousand dollars should be paid in compensation per hour of lost work, as well as a year in prison for sentimental irreplacable recordings of the deceased. Who agrees that compensation should be paid out under those circumstances?

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Answer 13

Sep 13, 2011 12:17 PM in response to CubicalPerspective

well ... now i understand why noone of my friends want to buy IPhone .... i have changed my computer 4 times in 3 months ..... now i am reallly sick of it .... i have to lose everything every time and if i leave i am reallly sick of this .... they reallly have to do something about this .... and about purchased apps ..... i have bought some apps in February.... now i have to pay again for them? cuz i lost them when changed my 1st computer .....

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Answer 14

sbvwyk

Level 1

8 points

Sep 18, 2011 11:53 AM in response to CubicalPerspective

YOU LEGEND. That worked great. You need to work for Apple and sort this abvious flaw in their software. Its a sphincter clenching issue evertime I sync. Thanx again mate.

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Answer 15

Oct 11, 2011 2:48 PM in response to AndreiM_HD

AndreiM_HD

Just a point of clarification. Once you buy an App, you can always download it, and or re-install it for free. I've done this plenty of times, and haven't incurred a charge.

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