How to disable sync apps option without deleting app data

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Level 1

9 points

How to disable sync apps option without deleting app data

Through various experimenting, I found a solution to disable 'sync apps' option in iTunes without deleting app-data in the iPhone:

1. Backup the phone to iCloud

2. Plug the phone to iTunes, delete all apps on the computer (in iTunes) and synch the phone (which removes all apps with app data in the phone too)

3. Reset the phone using "delete settings and content" option (in settings on the phone)

4. Setup the phone by restoring from iCloud. After it restores settings and app-data, phone starts downloading apps from iCloud one by one.

5. While downloading of apps is taking place, connect phone to iTunes where you will see the 'sync apps' option set (it got has restored with the phone)

6. Disable 'sync apps' again, and it gives the same warning as before ("this will delete apps and app data"), and proceed. However, this step only deletes the apps that are already downloaded to the phone. In my case, it deleted only two apps (rest weren't downloaded yet).

7. Manually download the deleted apps any

Notes:

1. If you do step 5 & 6 quickly enough, nothing will get deleted

2. Apps are downloaded in the sequence how they appear on the phone. First app to download is top-left app on the home page. So, keep some junk apps there before you backup to iCloud. So, they are the ones to get deleted (in step 6).

I hope this will be useful.

I am using iTunes 10.5.1 on Mac Lion with iPhone 4S with iOS 5.0.1

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Dec 8, 2011 3:13 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 21, 2011 12:44 AM in response to bandu W

Nice, but I have more than 10 GB of perfectly placed apps. I think I'll wait for e method where I don't have to delete and download my apps again. Thanks anyway, I'll surely do your tip if I can't find one soon, since it's the one and only tip I ever saw about the subjet that seems to work, lol. Thanks anyway

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Answer 2

bandu W Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 21, 2011 12:57 AM in response to DavidGourde

Yes David. There is no 'official method' to do this. I have tried searching everywhere, talking to technical support and writing to iTunes support. However, finally happened to discover this method - almost accidently.

I had the same concern you have - didn't want to place all the app all over again. This method doesn't reshuffle the app-placement.

Only downside you will have to face is (I assume), you will have to wait for a very long time until apps are downloaded one by one to your phone. In my case, it took about 3-4 hours but that part is robust (with ability to resume broken downloads, etc.) because it is normal step of restoring from iCloud.

If you are in a hurry to use an app (while downloading is in progress), you can tap on it, and it comes to top of the queue for downloading (without moving the placement in the page)

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Answer 3

Dec 22, 2011 2:52 AM in response to bandu W

Hello - I tried this solution last night, and on the whole it does work, but is not a 100% fix (unless I did something wrong?). I followed the instructions - my iPhone 4 restored everything, and the sync Apps button was now disabled - so far so good. However after the restore had finished, when I then hit 'sync' on iTunes it brought up a message asking if I wanted to transfer purchases from my iphone to my laptop, and that if I didnt they would be removed from my phone. I took the gamble and selected 'Don't Transfer', however iTunes decided to copy them to my laptop anyway!?!

I could then delete them from iTunes without it affecting the phone at all (Sync Apps still unticked), and upon further syncs it did not transfer these a second time. However I did download a few free apps from iTunes that weren't on my phone prior to the restore, and iTunes once again brought up the message, and still transferred the app even when I said 'Don't Transfer'

So the issue is that any new apps appear to still be transferred to iTunes, and then need to be deleted. In the end I decided to reverse everything I have done (yes, I restored my phone a second time and left sync apps ticked) and wait for a proper fix from Apple (if it ever comes)

Unless anyone can think of a reason why it was still transferring my Apps from phone to iTunes, and a way to overcome this?

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Answer 4

bandu W Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 22, 2011 6:34 AM in response to elpedro1978

I too got the same question, "do you want to transfer otherwise it will get deleted". And, I too said Yes (like you did) and also checked "don't ask me again" flag. So, it didn't bother me afterwards. Now I have set music and photos to synch, and working without any issues (so far).

After restoring, I deauthorized the computer because I have no intention of buying apps in the PC again. I am not sure whether that has any effect on this repeatedly asking queston (to transfer apps back to PC).

By the way, all these comments I am making are based on iTunes on Mac (which I mentioned earier). Not sure Windows verson acts differently.

However, there is one more tricky issue, which I later figured out. If any app is deleted during this process of disabling the sync option, and happened to be manually downlaoded again, any in-app purchases will be gone. (No issue with apps came through iCloud restore).

Apprently there are few types of in-app purchases and most of them (feature enabling ones) are redownloadable. However, it is messy becasue you have to know which in-app purchase you did before, and until you hit 'purchase' button and enter password again, system won't tell you whether it is already purchased or not. (You could accidently purchase a new one)

My case, one app got deleted like that, and I had to redownload the in-app purchase.

I definitely agree, probably a good idea to wait for Apple to solve it, but after hearing that "it is not considered a problem but that is how system is intended to work" from technical support person, I decided to solve it my way. 🙂

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Answer 5

Dec 29, 2011 1:00 AM in response to elpedro1978

I have the exact same problem elpedro.

It is very frustrating because now with the cloud I have no need for all the apps being synced to my MacBook. It's completely useless in my case.

I have app sync disabled but still all the apps get transferred from my iPad to my MacBook. The strange thing however is that my iPhone used to do this and somehow I got it to stop. But then my iPad started forcing me to transfer purchases. Very irritating. Still no definite answer from Apple on this.

I even made a seperate topic (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3603290) because I couldn't find this one before.

I say it's time to join all the people who consider this a problem and have Apple fix this. Because this is just ridiculous.

EDIT: I am guessing that the transfer dialogue stopped appearing for my iPhone because I transferred the new purchases once and than deleted the apps from iTunes on the MacBook. So probably the database already identifies them as transferred purchases and doens't transfer them again. Same is happening now with the iPad. I transferred the purchases and deleted the apps and al is fine. Until ofcourse I download new stuff on my iPad and iPhone.

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Answer 6

bandu W Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 29, 2011 1:14 AM in response to W.R.R. Farid

Yes, it is absolutely frustrating, and my frustration overflowed when I heard "that is the intended functionality" from the technical support lady!

By the way, if you are not planning to purchase anything from the store in the computer, you can deauthorize the Macbook (in iTunes). Then, it doesn't attempt to copy purchases back to Macbook.

See if this works for you (works for me).

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