iTunes does *not backup* save data/games (!?) Apps listed here

Well, I cannot speak on Mac, as I'm a Windows user, however I hope you get it sorted out. Good luck.

Two items not mentioned or just superficially referenced:

• iTunes versions. It is always recommended to use the latest version or at least one that has a release date equal or newer to the iGadget's version. Older iTunes versions may not know and understand how to deal with the features of newer models.
• Password protection. If you encrypt your backups with a password AND save them locally on the computer's hard drive, EVERYTHING gets saved/restored. Storing on the iCloud does NOT save everything. Storing without password does NOT save everything. Been there, done that, by now I've dealt with migrating 2 iPads and 5 iPhones of various vintages and flavors. Always with password on local storage, using Macs to run iTunes on. All have restored completely with no data loss at all.

Courcoul, thanks so much for the warning about iCloud backups - that's a bummer. Can you tell me more about how you would do an encrypted backup of an iOS device? I've never heard of this. Any info you can point me to as to how to tell iTunes to create an encrypted backup is appreciated. I would not think this would have any impact on what information iTunes saves, but I'm certainly willing to try. 🙂

- Jeff

I've experienced this issue as well. From this, I've gathered that the app developers themselves are responsible for flagging user data to be backed up with an iTunes backup. The app most notorious for this issue that I've personally experienced is a synthesizer app called Animoog. Many other Animoog owners have experienced the same thing. Basically, user-created root-sounds for the app (called timbres) along with presets (combinations of the timbres) were being stored in a folder within the app called "Caches". Apparently, this folder is (or was, before iOS 8.3) open to other apps as well as iOS for being cleared on a periodic basis for house keeping purposes or when a "memory cleaning/disk cleaning" app was run. Caches folders within apps are also NOT backed up in any way with an iTunes or iCloud backup. Why the developers chose to store critical user data in the app's "Caches" folder is beyond comprehension.

For this reason, users began using 3rd-party file utilities such as iTools/iExplorer/etc to backup this critical data themselves as it was clearly not being backed up using what you would expect a backup should be doing. When iOS 8.3 was released, these 3rd-party apps no longer worked for accessing the app's data. Users were stuck. The app developer heard the user and the app was corrected.

I also know of other games (Terraria is one before they implemented cloud saves) that lost game progress on a device restore from a backup. My kid plays these types of games and was devastated when he lost game progress (years worth) after his device needed to restored.

Also know that some of these games tie the savegame data to the device itself using the device's UUID (universally unique identifier) so even if the save data is indeed archived and backed up, if the device needs to be replaced, that save data will NOT work on the new device.

Hopefully, these issues regarding user data will be somehow resolved. In the meantime, never assume a backup on an iOS device will get you back up to 100%...I've learned the hard way (seeing a devastated kid is no fun).

jdiamond wrote:

Can you tell me more about how you would do an encrypted backup of an iOS device? I've never heard of this.

When you tick the Encrypt local backup option in the device's Summary pane in iTunes, you will be prompted to provide a password. With that option enabled everything in the phone is to be saved, contingent on using the latest version of the iTunes program, so all fixes such as those described by SergZak are included.

Thanks so much guys.

I really wish this would be part of the App acceptance process - after all, Apple wants people to use their iPads for content creation.

Or at the very least, the App would get some kind of symbol to indicate "this App confirmed to save your data". 🙂

Or Apple would restore our abilities to back up these apps with third party software, but then flag the apps to an Apple database of Apps not saving their data correctly.

Just a quick update. I've been going to developers, as suggested, and it looks like you guys were right:

The Apps in question do NOT store their data in /Documents. In fact, the common scenario is to store the data in /Caches. Could this be a miscommunication to developers?

In any case, I've not been able to convince any developers that this is even an issue, even though it is SO trivial for them to just change their directory paths to /Documents/~. They truly don't care. Or at least, there's no link between the developers and the customer support.

Obviously, I would not use any product that could not save its data. I just don't understand why Apple allows this. Everyone has to put up with a lot of compromise dealing with Apple's "curating" of the App Store, but one of the positive things you can say about it is at least Apple protects us. Except that Apple clearly doesn't protect us from losing all our data! Wouldn't this at least count as a program bug?

OK, it is now September 2015, Apple has just released the iPad Pro, and Apple's refusal to enforce or even identify Apps that do not back up user data has made this platform a deal breaker for me.

Anecdotally, at this point, about 20% of my apps do NOT save data in a backup - that data is just lost. All the developers I lost just shoved it in my face - they don't care at all. Why do we have a curated App Store again?

Sadly, it looks like we have to do this as grass root consumers if we want iOS to be a viable platform. (Or do people not mind losing 2 years of work?)

1) As the OP did, we can start contributing to a website identifying Apps that do not save their data.

2) Some how, we need to petition Apple. Apple really needs to do one of two things:

1. Provide an official seal for Apps that successfully back up data.

2. Make it mandatory and reject apps that do not successfully back up data.

I am completely in line with the original comments to the original poster -> Apple states that a backup should include all app data. If this cannot be automatic, if the developer is required to do something special to accomplish this, then it should be considered a BUG if the app fails to restore a backup, and that App should be rejected from the App Store.

I am a programmer, and it strikes me that (1) it is trivial for developers to make their apps support iTunes and iCloud Backups, and (2) it should not be hard to automate testing of backups as part of App acceptance.

QUESTION TO THIS FORUM: While Apple seems to turn a blind eye to this stuff, there have been cases where Apple has finally listened to customer issues. What is the best way to make Apple aware of a significant issue?

Thanks to everyone. Trust me - you will be just as passionate about this issue the first time you realize that you lost your data because an App you love doesn't support backups.

This is a big problem for me and I would love answers!

I never really played games in the past, but recently on iPad I've been playing Telltale Walking Dead, Walking Dead 2, Wolf Among Us,

I've also played a bunch of games like the Snoopy Fun Fair game where you spend lots of money to buy things in the game.

Unfortunately for me, my Apple keyboard that I sometimes take out with me with my iPad sometimes turns itself on in my bag, and a few mashed buttons before you know it "Your iPad is disabled" because your keypad was pushing buttons. This is most upsetting.

Then I had to erase my iPad completely to be able to use it again.

How can I backup game data?

This *****!

I see that this thread Exists already a long time....

Now its the end of 2016....and I did find this thread.....because the problem still seems to exist!!

I'm missing app-data as well. One of it is my own app, so I will check soon if my files are stored in /Documents or /Cashes

Just see if that will change anything. Means checking app, updating if necessary, uploading new version, waiting for approval, I'll let you know.