Beware: Your apps aren't backed up.

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Level 1

18 points

Beware: Your apps aren't backed up.

I figured I was doing the right thing by backing up my 4th gen iPod every other day or so. I had to reset my iPod due to an issue, but figured I'd be ok as long as I had a good backup. I was very wrong. My personal info: music, pics, notes, etc were restored fine. Not so with my apps. about 60% of them were gone. Those 60% were the ones I used most often.

The problem is that iTunes isn't really backing up your apps, it's only making a note of what apps were on there. That's a BIG difference. Since apple is done updating the IOS on these things, it's only @ 6.1.6. Rather than restoring MY apps, it tries to reinstall those same apps. The problem is that the current version of the apps aren't compatible with the older IOS, so they don't reinstall. I can't get most of them back.

So, a word of warning: if you have one of these older devices (that still works great), you'll lose app functionality if you ever need to restore. Only do that as a truly last resort.......knowing the consequences.

The thread with my original problem and answers from the forum: Re: Apps missing after restore of iPod Touch 4th gen.

Thanks.

iPod touch, Windows 7, 32gb gen 4

Posted on Aug 1, 2015 5:36 AM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Aug 1, 2015 6:20 AM in response to JMC911

That has always been the case and is clearly identified here:

About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support

. An iTunes backup doesn't include:

Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to iBooks (You can back up this content using Transfer Purchases in iTunes.)

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Answer 2

JMC911 Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 1, 2015 7:01 AM in response to lllaass

It's not that clear if you have to follow an obscure url and your device isn't really backed up when you perform a backup.

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Answer 3

bobjbkln

Level 6

9,925 points

Aug 1, 2015 8:56 PM in response to JMC911

See: Install the latest compatible version of an app on an earlier version of iOS or OS X - Apple Support

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Answer 4

JMC911 Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 2, 2015 3:53 PM in response to bobjbkln

Thanks Bob. I tried that in the App Store, and my purchases came up blank. Maybe because I had mostly free apps? Thanks for trying. Maybe that link can help out someone else.

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Answer 5

bobjbkln

Level 6

9,925 points

Aug 2, 2015 7:22 PM in response to JMC911

Are these apps not listed in iTunes? If they are they should appear under purchased apps on your iPod after a sync. If they are not in iTunes download the current versions again from the App Store under iTunes (not directly on the iPod), sync again and they should show up on your iPod under purchased apps.

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Answer 6

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,299 points

Aug 2, 2015 7:27 PM in response to JMC911

If you were syncing the device as well as backing it up to iTunes, then the apps you had on the device were transferred to your iTunes library, and could be synced again to the device. When you restore an iOS device, the backup restores all of the backup, including any app specific information while any iTunes content, such as iBooks, music or apps are synced back via iTunes. It is not necessary to backup content that is contained in the iTunes library. If you made those purchases on the iOS device, when you connected it to iTunes it would have prompted you to transfer those purchases to the iTunes library, unless you intentionally disabled that.

Are you sure your apps are not contained in your iTunes library?

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Answer 7

JMC911 Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 3, 2015 2:55 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

TThanks for the additional hints guys. My apps are listed in iTunes, and yes, I can tell that something is being backed up app-wise when I sync/backup. I think the problem may. Be that I also have an iPad Air 2 which also backs up with iTunes.

i can see all the apps I. iTunes, and when I connect my ipod, I flip the missing ones to "will install" then apply. It looks like it's doing something, but nothing reinstalls. I'm wondering if it only keeps 1 copy for all devices and my iPad's copies are the newer ones, so they win. Since they're newer, they aren't compatible with the old iOS on the iPod and won't reinstall?

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Answer 8

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Aug 3, 2015 3:05 PM in response to JMC911

Go to Your user>Music>iTunes>Mobile Applications and see if multiple versions are listed. I looked and for some apps there is more than one version listed.

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Answer 9

JMC911 Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 4, 2015 5:16 AM in response to lllaass

lllaass, I gave that a shot, and found 1 version of each app in that directory. There WAS a folder that had some promise, but it turns out to be empty (no hidden nor system files either).

Directory of C:\Users\ME\Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications\Previous Mobile Applications

File Not Found

Thanks again for trying.

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Answer 10

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Aug 4, 2015 8:48 AM in response to JMC911

I do not have a Previous Mobile Applications folder but in the Mobile Applications folder some apps are just listed twice by they are different versions. It is east to to tell since mine are sorted alphabetically

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