iTunes keeps adding deleted apps to iPhone

Question

Level 2

361 points

iTunes keeps adding deleted apps to iPhone

I originally posted this is a different thread, but believe this is the best community.

OS 10.8.2, iTunes 11.0.1, iPhone 4s 6.0.1

Automatically sync new apps is OFF. iTunes keeps trying to install every app in my library when I sync.

via the iPhone, I have deleted the apps by holding the home button on the iPhone and pressing the x. When I sync, they all come back.

via the computer, with the phone connected, I have deleted the apps by choosing 'remove' from within iTunes and syncing. The next time I sync, every app once again has 'remove' listed next to it and iTunes trys to load them on my iPhone.

I have deleted all back-ups from iTunes for this phone. I have restarted the iPhone. I have restarted iTunes. Yet everytime I sync, iTunes trys to place every app back on the phone, and the progress bar shows 'over capacity' because there is not enough room for them all.

This is happening on multiple iPhones.

I have searched the forums, but have not been able to find an answer. Thank you in advance to anyone that can help.

Posted on Jan 26, 2013 8:49 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 29, 2013 11:47 AM in response to Peter Thomson

Hopefully someone will have some insight into this problem. I've had the same problem for the last few weeks (it only started in January). I've deleted the apps in a couple different ways (on the phone, via the organizer in iTunes) and nothing seems to work. It'll sync fine a few times, but then all of a sudden it'll start to load every app I have in iTunes. It's really annoying and a resolution for this problem would be really appreciated!

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Answer 2

Courcoul

Level 6

18,558 points

Jan 29, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Bud Inski

I think I have a workaround. After reading your woes, decided to hunt around in my Mac using the name of any non-default app I've installed on the i5.

In ~/Music/ITunes/Mobile Applications I am finding every one of them. They all end with the .ipa suffix.

What if you delete them manually on the phone, and trash all the corresponding files on the Mac, then connect and sync? Hopefully it won't try and reacquire the app from the Store after it was deleted from the backup store.

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Answer 3

Jan 29, 2013 12:12 PM in response to Courcoul

Hi, thanks for looking into this. Unfortunately, these are the instances of the app software itself and I can't delete these as they are used on my iPad. The problem arises when iTunes tries to install the apps I've downloaded for my iPad onto my phone.

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Answer 4

Dartiesdad

Level 4

1,112 points

Jan 29, 2013 12:25 PM in response to Peter Thomson

Peter

A couple of things come to mind

1. Are you signed into the iTunes store with the Apple ID for that device?

2. Under iTunes> Preferences> Device Preferences do you have the "Prevent" box clicked?

When this is place you can do all the app adjustments you want for your device in your device App tab and then sync.

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Answer 5

Courcoul

Level 6

18,558 points

Jan 29, 2013 12:28 PM in response to Bud Inski

Bud Inski wrote:

Unfortunately, these are the instances of the app software itself and I can't delete these as they are used on my iPad.

Lucky you, I am as yet unable to reach such an appealing conundrum....

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Answer 6

wjosten

Level 10

95,321 points

Jan 29, 2013 12:35 PM in response to Peter Thomson

On your phone, check: Settings>iTunes/App Store...is Automatic Downloads for Apps on or off?

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Answer 7

Peter Thomson Author

Level 2

361 points

Jan 29, 2013 4:20 PM in response to Peter Thomson

Here's an update. For now, the problem seems to be fixed, but I have no idea why it started in the first place, and I have no idea if this will last.

1. I let iTunes try and load all the apps onto my phone. When it finished syncing, I got an error message on my phone stating that iTunes was unable to sync 80+ apps.

2. In iTunes, under the app tab, I deleted all the relaoded apps by mousing over and choosing the X. For apps that failed to load because of over capacity, I left them. Synced.

3. iTunes then loaded all the apps it could not the first time because of over capacity. Once again, I deleted apps that were successfully loaded.

4. I repeated this until all apps were successfully loaded and then removed, and now the phones are syncing correctly.

5. Apple, I would like the three hours of my life back that it took to figure this out.

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Answer 8

Peter Thomson Author

Level 2

361 points

Feb 11, 2013 4:47 PM in response to Peter Thomson

And now it is back to trying to load all the apps again... 😠😠😠

I have done nothing differently.

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Answer 9

Feb 11, 2013 4:57 PM in response to Peter Thomson

Yup. It's done that to me four times. I go and delete all the unwanted apps, everything is fine for a few backups/syncs, then all of a sudden it's telling me I don't have room to sync all my apps and sure enough, my phone is full of apps I didn't want to sync.

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Answer 10

Peter Thomson Author

Level 2

361 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:53 AM in response to Peter Thomson

I just realized that it does this if I restart iTunes. If I leave iTunes open, it is fine. But if I quit iTunes, the next time I start it and sync, iTunes tries to put all the apps on. 😠

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Answer 11

Courcoul

Level 6

18,558 points

Feb 20, 2013 8:33 AM in response to Peter Thomson

Even though I have the "auto sync apps" option checked, if I uninstall one either on the phone itself or while plugged to iTunes and on its Apps pane, they stay uninstalled thru all syncs. And, of course, iTunes keeps a local backup copy of the .ipa file, in case I change my mind later on.

If you are absolutely, totally sure that you will never, ever want an app again (or don't mind the PITA of having to wait for the download again), click on the Apps entry iTunes' left column (not the one in the phone's info page). There you will see the complete list of locally stored apps that iTunes keeps for your iGadgets. Click on the offender and press Delete, to get rid of the thing for good. You'll later find its corpse in the trashcan.

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Answer 12

keekGC

Level 1

0 points

Oct 8, 2014 8:36 AM in response to Courcoul

I had this issue recently on iPad Mini Retina Display with iOS 8.0.2.

Fixed it by removing all files in the C:\Users\XXXXX\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Mobile Applications

to a new folder.

Unwanted apps no longer gets installed in iPad in subsequent syncs.

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