iPhone apps are missing but marked "installed" in App Store?

Question

Level 1

11 points

iPhone apps are missing but marked "installed" in App Store?

Hi --

Over the past 4 months or so a few apps periodically disappear from my iPhone 4 (running iOS 5.1). This has happened with Yelp, Pandora, Trulia, and others. The app is no longer on the phone--I can't see it and the Search functionality doesn't locate it.

If I log in to the app store and search for that app, I find it but the install button is greyed out and marked "installed", so I can't force it to re-insall. Is there a way to clear that "installed" button and let me force the app to re-install?

If not, any suggestions on the best way to diagnose this further?

Thanks,

Ramon

iPhone 4, iOS 5.1

Posted on Apr 17, 2012 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Apr 17, 2012 11:58 AM in response to felciano

If the apps are in your iTunes library, check the box next to them on the Apps tab of your iTunes sync settings and sync your phone to transfer them back. If not, see if you can download them as past purchased using iTunes on your computer (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519), then sync them back to your phone.

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Answer 2

Tzamon1

Level 1

40 points

Apr 17, 2012 12:00 PM in response to felciano

One thing I had to do once, is to uncheck "sync apps" then hit apply, and then checkmark "sync apps", and then hit apply again

This may fix it

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Answer 3

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 19, 2012 2:41 PM in response to randers4

No luck. I also followed Tzamon1's suggestion as well: cleared (deleted) all the apps from the iPhone, then tried adding in just Yelp again. No luck.

The weird thing is that when I'm in the "Sync Apps" tab that shows the thumbnails of the app layouts on the home and other screens on the phone, I see the little red Yelp icon added in. In addition, while it is synching, on the iPhone itself I SEE the app show up, shaded out, with the little blue progress bar underneath.

But a few seconds after the the sync completes, it disappears from those home screen thumbnails and the phone, even though it is still checked in the "Sync Apps" list in iTunes!

I also tried deleting Yelp from my apps on my PC, and re-downloading it fresh (v 5.7.2) from the iTunes Store. It can see it appearin the iTunes > Mobile Applications folder. If I then go to the iPhone "Sync Apps" screen, it ALREADY shows up with a checkmark next to it, even though I had just deleted it and downloaded it fresh!

It is as if iTunes and/or the phone has some sort of cache about app install state that doesn't get wiped if I delete the app. Is that possible??

Ramon

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Answer 4

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Apr 19, 2012 2:59 PM in response to felciano

You don't have Installing Apps turned Off in Settings>General>Restrictions by any chance do you? Also, in iTunes on your computer right-click on one of the problem apps (such as Yelp) and select Get Info. Note what it says on the Summary tab for Account Name. This will be the Apple ID used to purchase the app. See if this is the same ID you are signed into on your phone in Settings>Store>Apple ID. If not, tap the ID shown, sign out and sign back in using this other ID. Also, in iTunes on your computer, sign into the Apple store using this same ID. Now try syncing to see if these apps transfer.

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Answer 5

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 19, 2012 5:45 PM in response to randers4

That was it! Wow! I had turned on Restrictions a few months ago and actually looked at this before but didn't think it was the culprit because even in restricted mode I had "Installing Apps" on but "Deleting Apps" off. As I understand it, this should have allowed installing and re-installing Yelp. In fact I was seeing the opposite: apps were disappearing, but I couldn't seem to re-install them. Have I misunderstood the meaning of the on/off toggles in the Restrictions pane?

Anyway, I turned off all restrictions for now and tried a couple of app re-installs and it seemed to work fine.

Thank you randers4!!

Ramon

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Answer 6

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Apr 19, 2012 5:47 PM in response to felciano

You're welcome.

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Answer 7

Nov 24, 2013 8:14 AM in response to felciano

Thank you.

I was having the same problem with missing apps. I tried a reset, spotlight search, back up and nothing seemed to work. I could see that the app I purchased was on my Purchase history in the istore but I couldn't open it or find the actual app icon anywhere. I wasn't able to open, delete or update it. I then proceeded to disable restrictions in the settings and to my surprise, the app appeared!

I hope this helps!

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