Q: RESTORE FROM BACKUP does NOT restore everything. WHY APPLE?

Please post the response when (if) you receive it...  THANKS!

Backing up in app data is under the control of the app developers. You can't blame Apple for this.

Well, you can blame Apple, if it is an Apple App, like Stock Quotes, iPhone Settings, etc...

And if they didn't restore, I would. But they have ALWAYS restored for me, through 5 different iPhones for myself and 4 for my wife.

All of my apps, both Apple and non-Apple have always restored. What has not restored (and I wouldn't want it to) is passwords.

Something that DOES restore that shouldn't is the lifetime timer in Settings/General/Usage. My current phone includes the total usage since I first turned on my first phone, and I'm now on my 3rd.

Ok not sure if this has been answered directly. Been reading through all these messages but here is my question and does someone have a direct answer. I've had my iphone go bad and got replacements but the backup and restore never brings back my apps. I have to redownload each one. Is there a way that I can backup my old phone and have it restore so all my apps and icons and everything looks 100% the way it did on my old phoen without me manually having to download each app and reorganize which takes hours? Obviously backup and restore doesn't mean the same thing to apple that it means to the rest of the world if it's not backing up my apps.

Do a Restore from Backup on the computer you last synced to, then do a Sync. This should put things back where they belong. If your backup is in iCloud rather than on your computer go to Settings/General/Reset - Erase all content and settings. You will be prompted to restore from backup.

Thanks Larence pretty sure thats the way I always do it. With the computer and it only pulls a few apps and never puts them back like it was. I wil maybe try to completly delete itunes and reinstall...then backup and sync? And maybe that will do it? My iphone 5 lock button is going bad again so I will need to replace it but dread having to install all the apps again.

In iTunes, right-click (control-click on Macs) on the name of your phone in the side-bar and select "BACKUP."  This is the ONLY way to create a mirror-image of your iOS device. It takes a snap shot of the device and stores it in one single inaccessible file. The sync backup just creates loose files which can be restored to your device. Don't ask me why Apple doesnt highlight the difference.

KiltedTim wrote:

 

And if they didn't restore, I would. But they have ALWAYS restored for me, through 5 different iPhones for myself and 4 for my wife.

Count mine in.

(the iPhones )

commanderbailey wrote:

 

In iTunes, right-click (control-click on Macs) on the name of your phone in the side-bar and select "BACKUP."  This is the ONLY way to create a mirror-image of your iOS device. It takes a snap shot of the device and stores it in one single inaccessible file. The sync backup just creates loose files which can be restored to your device. Don't ask me why Apple doesnt highlight the difference.

Completely wrong. The described procedure DOES NOT create a mirror image backup. It creates (or updates) the same kind of backup that occurs when you do a sync. What you call "loose files", but what I (and everyone who knows) calls a "SQLite Database". Apple doesn't highlight the difference because there IS no difference.

I am in the middle of trying to transfer my daughter's info from her old iPOD touch to her new one. I've had to do this 3 or 4 times now in the last 2 – 3 years, and I guess there has been enough time in between each of these episodes for me to forget the EXTREME frustrations I've had with something that should be so simple to do. APPLE, this reminds me of why I will never personally own any more iPODs or an iPHONE. I just simply can't accept that Apple prides itself on being so intuitive and easy to use when the exact opposite is true for one of their main software programs - iTunes. The iTunes software is very cumbersome, slow, and extremely difficult to use. It duplicates music, creates additional files on the computer - for no real reason other than that Apple needs to have its OWN space. And anyone who has worked with more than one OS, daring to go across boundaries from Apple to Droid or Microsoft with their tablets or phones or computers can do nothing but accept that this is true. I work across different hardware and software applications so I can see what's the best of all. And each time I have to come back to iTunes, I can't help but wonder why this continues to be such an incredibly useless program – so much potential, but clearly not a priority for Apple – it is so large, slow and frustrating to use that I feel obligated to write this reply. And while I’m on the topic, as others have also asked, why does Apple call a "BACKUP" something that only stores settings, but doesn't backup music exactly as it is on the device? Why can't I easily sync two different devices on one computer with a simple click of a RESTORE button that will automatically select the music I had on my "backup"? Apple is afraid of piracy, so when someone has a legitimate right to transfer music and apps from an old, broken iDevice to a new one, it's all but impossible to do when one computer is used for more than one iDevice. The easiest way that I have found to do this (which, by the way, should NOT be the way I should have to do this) is to set up a completely different computer to do a complete backup, and then TRANSFER music before I can then send it all to the new device. How much time is wasted by doing these things? I know I'm not the only frustrated user ... just look at the posts related to this one simple question.

You are NOT talking to Apple.

Why should a backup make extra copies of music that had to come from your computer in the first place, or, if purchased from the iTunes store, that you should have copied to iTunes (which happens automatically during sync unless you've changed the settings) and that are freely available to re-download, during the backup process. The iPhone and iPod are NOT backup devices.

So I'm back to that "BACKUP" doesn't actually backup everything. It only backups SETTING from everything BUT All my APPS I have to redownload on the device once I restore on my new iPhone. Resyncing doesn't bring back my apps. Is that what everyone is trying to say? I've replaced my iphone twice. Everytime I do a backup on the old iphone. Then when I do a restore on my new iphone hardly any apps are there..I have to redownload them all and of course they are no in folders anymore so I spend a day reinstalling and reorganizing all my apps. I work in IT so If I'm having problems I can image regular people. Unless I am missing a step or something it hasn't worked for me twice. My Iphone 5 lock button is starting to fail again so I see another replacement comming up. I can see backup maybe not restoring all your music...that still *****...but come on...why not backup the apps??? When I replaced my blackberry I moved the sim( it contained all my music) and the it brought back everything. My replacement phone looked 100% like the replaced phone without me doing anywork. Thats what I want...come on Apple..How hard isi it to do a full backup of your device? What if I jailbreak it...is their a app that can do this?

If the apps are not in your iTunes library, then the restore can't magically put them back on the phone.

If they are there, then you're probably not letting the restore / sync process complete. Pay attention to the status of the phone in iTunes when you restore. There is no longer a full screen indicator warning you that a sync is in progress.

App data is backed up. Apps themselves are not for the same reason music is not. It would be redundant since they should already be in iTunes.