How do i own the software to enable me to update and download all free updates?

Some suggestions and a contact link in this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4070831?answerId=18793860022#18793860022

Also check that you are indeed signing into iTunes with the account you used to obtain the original programs you are tryhing to update, and that you have the correct password for that account. You may have a different Apple ID in use for iCloud or these forums, and sometimes people with multiple IDs get them confused.

i'm here because i have a question about software update, but your question intrigues me. from what i understand, you're talking about two different things. i'm on the same version of osx and i have an application that is called App Store. I have placed it in my dock. do you have this? I believe it is part of the os. when you open the app there are columns on the top, just like the ios app store, the one on the far right being updates. when you click on this it offers you the option to update all of your "purchased" apps for Mac, with "purchased" including free apps. Unfortunately, unlike the ios app store, you still need to sign into itunes/icloud to get the updates. i'm sure they will change this in a future update because it's simply silly.i believe that your Apple ID and password are the same between itunes and the icloud, since they synch with each other -- they are for me, so the different IDs and passwords referenced above refer to this community forum vs itunes/icloud.

i hope this helps. good luck...

Before you can download and install an update you have to own the complete program. The update isn't available as a copy of the program in itself (even though it may in fact contain the entire program) but can only be used to update an existing copy. This is obviously necessary because when programs are paid for, updates are often free so quite apart from any technical limitations the authors don't want people installing from the updaters. The mechanism used for downloading and updating is the same for free programs; and in any case even free programs will be limited to your own login to prevent you distributing them.

If you don't own the original program you won't be able to download the updater; and if you do own it but are now signed in with a different ID than the one used originally to purchase it then the result is the same.

Hmmm. Interesting. Are you running the latest version of ITunes-- 11.0.1(12)?

I'm also Unclear what you mean when you say you enter the program and you go to the apps "in my apple." In ITunes When I go to the library to the apps the apps listed are either in my iPhone my iPad or my iPod. I do not see do not see the apps on my Mac the app. The apps on my Mac are listed in the app store application I mentioned before under purchases. I'm sorry. I guess I'm really not sure what it is that you're trying to update. Again, sorry to repeat myself, but if you're trying to update your apps on a mobile device you can do that in the app store on the device. If you're trying to update your apps on your Mac you can do that in the app store on your Mac Sorry I can't be more helpful.

can you give an example of an itunes app you are trying to update?

Okay. So, again to clarify, what exactly do you mean by apps on your MacBook Pro? Do you simply mean the applications that r like standard software like safari or iChat? Those are taken care of thru software update. And as I said, u can check for updates on the actual apps on your macbook (like I have some utilities and games and stuff) in the Mac App Store. This is connected to iTunes but different. Have u gone there? It should b in your finder menu and i keep it in my dock.

Am I still misunderstanding? How do you back up and/or synch your iPhone?

Are these applications which you originally bought from the Mac App Store, or did you buy them by some other method? You can only get updates for applications in the App Store for programs you actually bought from it in the first place.

If you open the App Store and click the 'Purchased' tab do your applications show there?

I'm going to check out now because I don't think I'm being very helpful. i must say though, that I think you could do a much better job in explaining what your actual problem is. You stated previously that your apps are being updated on your iPhone. Now you just said that you purchased the apps on your iPhone. So it doesn't seem like you actually have a problem. Just my two cents. Good luck.

jackchild wrote:

I purchased the apps on my iphone via the apple app store.

Apps you bought to use on the iPhone have nothing to do with apps you buy on the Mac App Store to use on your Mac. For example, if you have bought Pages on your iPhone, and you want to have it on your Mac, you have to buy it separately in the Mac App Store because the operating systems on Macs and iPhones are totally different, and so the program itself is totally different.

This is why you are getting into confusion. If you want to use the apps on your Mac you will have to purchase them first, only then will you be able to update them.

If you mean you downloaded updates to transfer to the apps on the iPhone, I'm afraid I don't know why that wouldn't be working.