Sync Apps from iphone to itunes changes the apps layout

Every time I do a restore (as I did with unlocking my phone on iOS4, and now upgrading to iOS5) it only partially restores apps in folders, and then strews the rest over 6-7 screens in no particular order.

I've already done transfer purchases and backed up, but iTunes never honours the layout. ( Just like it can never honour disabling of Genius and Ping when you upgrade it).

This is the 4th time it's f*****ed it up this year.

I love everything about ios, iphone, and my ipad...except iTunes. It's an awful experience, particularly after ios5. My view of Apple is changing slightly now. This experience I'm sharing below has a Microsoftish feel to it.

Why it's such a nightmare:

1) In order to update to ios5, you really have not much choice but to sync apps, otherwise you have to do a lot of manual re-downloading and re-sorting/repositioning.

2) I want to stop syncing with iTunes and instead sync with iCloud. However, by syncing 127 apps, there's no way I can backup to iCloud without paying for extra space. 5gb is not even close to enough space. Why should I pay for the extra space when the apps are already stored on Apple's cloud anyway?

3) So naturally I tried "un-syncing" the apps. And of course it says it will delete everything on the iphone. Why does it require this? How does it benefit me, the user? Who is going to want to delete ALL their app, but seriously? If I wanted to delete apps I could do it manually. Anyway, I went through the exercise just so I could really know (backing up beforehand). Surely enough every app got deleted. Then I tried a restore from backup. It restored only the basics, not the apps. It then automatically began re-syncing the apps with iTunes; thankfully it at least remembered the positons and folders. So, my conclusion is that once you check the "sync apps" box there is no way to ever un-sync after that without deleting all apps and their data from the iphone.

And, what iTunes calls "sync apps" is really not a sync. For example, if I delete apps on my iphone, it won't delete them in iTunes...even worse, when I sync, it re-downloads them on my iphone! I agree with RSAustin completely...the phone should be in priority position. I don't use apps on my friggin laptop. I only use itunes because I'm forced to if I want to put photos and music on my iphone. There's strange lack of logic here. I can see no point...no point AT ALL for syncing apps. I do see the need to remember app position and folder.

The fact that I can't backup to icloud without paying extra for more space is what feels Microsofty...like "haha we got ya now". I mean there is no way that Apple would not have known this would happen. How many of us have over 5gb of apps? I hope there is something I am missing here. If anyone has the magic answer please let me know. Otherwise I would say the Apple magic is losing its luster. I'm not going to pay $100 per year to Apple AND Dropbox. Dropbox is way more useful. Help!

I have done the transfer purchases and backup and my phone's layout appears in the screen to the right, but the Sync box is unchecked. When I check it, a box asks if I am sure and then when I check it my whole layout and apps change. Ahhhhhhh!? I always thought transfer purchases and backup do the same thing as sync, but that is obviously not the case since my apps and all folders need to be adjusted after a "backup from restore" or when I replace a phone. So..........I guess that means the box in each catagory needs to be checked so they sync? ...Even with iCloud? Advice is appreciated.

See the earlier posts from Aspertine on Mar 28, 2011 and supertommy on Apr 8, 2011. Their combined solution fixed the problem for me. The key seemed to be quiting (command + Q) and reopening iTunes, which caused my folders and app arrangement to return to normal.

For reference I'm using an iPhone 4 iOS 5.0.1 with iTunes 10.5.1 on a MacBook Pro (OS X 10.7.2).

Thanks for the info. This worked well for me using the steps you provided and then restarting itunes.

This discussion has persuaded me that the once unstoppable Apple is losing interest in the user. The completely arbitrary and baroque policies behind the iTunes (described very well in this Forum) is one. It drives me crazy to see the Apps displayed in iTunes in grey and know I can't light them up without the threat of having all my Apps deleted? Another policy I have not been able to see the rationale for is the tightly controlled "sharing", as used in iOS. Nowhere else have I seen so much effort needed to workaround the tight control of file types in order to move files from one App to another -- if one of them is an Apple App. Is there any rational reason why I should not be able to create a file in, say, Pages and then send it to some common file system so Share-n-Print can print it (or send it directly to a printer that can handle the pages format)? Or send a file from my desktop to my iPad if the file extension is not one of the ones listed in the Apple list of approved file types. I can ask Word to try reading any file I wish and if it does not have a converter for that type I would then have to take additional steps. But in iOS it censors Apple files in advance and will not allow a file to go to a non-Apple App or to for a non-Apple file be examined by any Apple App. Is this a sign that Apple has decided we are all dummies so it will have to think for us? More likely there is a marketing decision behind all these lame design choices. As Vajrasattva says, it all feels so Microsftee!

Maybe we should Occupy the Apple Design Team!

Aspertine excellent and easy workaround/solution... worked like a charm!!!

I found an easier way for your apps to be safe.. Just go to the Iphone or Ipod icon on the left in Itunes and press it with the right button, a little window will open and you just have to press transfer purchased items 🙂
Pretty much it!

Except it doesn't put the apps in the folders they were in before. They're just "thrown" randomly across a dozen screens.

MikeInOz: Exactly the problem!!!!!! Isn't the problem clear enough for everyone and especially Apple????

I have arranged my Folders and my Apps so many times! And when it comes to the iTunes Sync, everything gets ruined, exactly like you said!!!! This is a VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM that EXISTS FOR A VERY LONG TIME!!! And no solution is provided by Apple in the iTunes!! This is so frustrating and dissapointing!!!! 😠

Thanks Aspertine!!!! That worked Great! I Had to do it twice but it worked a treat!

Cheers

That is just a work-around that might or might not work. By the way, did this work with last version of iTunes??

I don't think so...

Yes, 5.0.1. The latest update. It worked for my 4GS, 4G and 3GS Phones. I did the other two today. Its a simple to do and a quick fix. once you log back in the apps will be in the same order. sync then back up the phone. It works... But look, you don't have to do anything... if you are a doubter and think it wont work, thats fine.

Good luck rearranging all your apps on your phone. 🙂

I am not a doubter, but it just doesn't work with latest iTunes and latest iOS (5.0.1)!!

Thank you so much, this should get stickied (I know it's not possible, but still 😀).

THX!!!