This article says I should use the "File Menu" on my PC's iTunes application. Unfortunately, no one revised these instructions after someone else redesigned the interface.
Windows 8, iTunes Application
I think Store> "check for available downloads" is the new equivalent.
Thanks for your response, but I'm not finding any option like that, either.
Here's a little more detail on the context of my specific problem:
This morning, for no apparent reason, my 4 month old iPad Air decided it would not turn on. I plugged it into my PC and iTunes was able to access its contents, or at least some of it; it's not really clear.
One of the options for dealing with this situation, according to the Apple support page I read, is to have iTunes reset the iPad, which is misleadingly called "Restore iPad ...". (Evidently, this condition is common enough that there is a separate page for dealing with it.)
After backing up the iPad to my computer using iTunes, I started the so-called "Restore" process, only to be told that "There are purchased items on the iPad ... that have not been transferred to your iTunes library. If you restore this iPad, these items will be erased and you will have to purchase them again. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Naturally, this message does not give me an option button to "transfer" the purchased items to my "iTunes library"; in fact, the message does not even give the slightest hint as to how such as "transfer" might be accomplished. It also does not give any clue as to what has not been "transferred to [my] iTunes library."
So far as I can tell, the only thing that I have purchased that has not been downloaded to my computer are my iPad apps. Do I have to download those to my computer? That seems idiotic, but, then again, I am new to the Appleverse and am not familiar with its arcane and recondite ways. All that I had ever heard was that Apple stuff was supposed to be intuitive and easy to use. This seems to be the exact opposite.
Within iTunes go to View>Show menu bar. You should then be able to see this (you might first have to click on the little two toned square in the upper left corner to even get to View):
In any case if that does not work you will not have to purchase anything again if you have items on your iPad that are not yet on your PC--you will simply have to download them again from the iTunes store (to your computer this time, I advise), at no added expense. This is annoying, but not tragic. The main issue here is that the Help files for iTunes are not keeping up with the actual iTunes interface.
What I told you was incorrect about "Check for Available Downloads." I did a little more research (Google is my BFF) and learned something new that answers your question about transferring purchases.
With iPad plugged into PC, go to File>Devices as shown below, then choose "Transfer Purchases":
Also, you should always do a full backup (Summary> Backups> Back Up Now) before you do a full restore, and when you click on Back Up Now you are given the option to transfer all purchases from your device to your PC.
Thanks again. Although my iTunes app does not usually display the menu bar in your screenshot, I discovered that I could make it visible by pressing the "Alt" key on my PC keyboard. After selecting Transfer Purchases, the iTunes app is now "Waiting for changes to be applied." It has been doing this for several minutes now. Any idea how long this process should take?
I am not sure. It probably depends on how many apps you have on your iPad that need to be transferred.
Where is the "transfer purchases" option in iTunes for Windows 8.1 (desktop)?
