Q: Do i need to keep copies of iOS apps in iTunes (on my computer)?
I have a Macbook Air, and would like to free up some space. I noticed there are copies of all my apps (and family's apps) in my iTunes library, and found the setting that was marked for automatic downloads of apps purchases from another device. Can I safely delete these iOS apps from my computer to free up space without affecting my ability to use/update/download them on inidvidual devices? Thanks!
MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011), iOS 7.0.4
Posted on Jan 23, 2014 7:26 AM
Generally speaking yes you do not need to keep local copies of the installer files, as you can re-download purchased content from the iTunes or App stores anyway (an exception is audiobooks, which are not available for re-download).
There is one reason to keep apps or some apps around though. If the developer pulls a particular version of an app and replaces it with another version, the only version available for re-download will be the current one, regardless of which version you originally purchased or want on your device.
So for older devices, like an iPad 1, this may be important. An iPad 1 cannot be updated beyond iOS 5.1.1 and many apps in the stores have been updated and now require iOS 5, 6 or 7. In that situation, an iPad 1's owner may have only their own saved copies of compatible apps for re-installation if necessary.
Or, as the case with QuickOffice Pro, which was recently purchased by Google. Google has removed many useful features in their modified version of QuickOffice, and if someone wants to continue to use the older, pre-Google version, then they need to keep the installer saved locally as it is no longer available.
So there are a few circumstances where you may want to keep some app's installers saved locally for yourself.
Posted on Jan 23, 2014 7:33 AM