Rearranging apps in iTunes 12.7

As far as rearranging apps on the device screen, you can do it directly on your device the "old fashioned way" (which is actually the newer way) by pressing on the icon until it starts to wiggle and then move it (or delete it by tapping the x in the corner). When finished, tap the home button

How to move apps and create folders on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

As far as downloading apps goes, it looks like you do indeed have to that for each device.

lloyd1981 wrote:

Oh please! I have too much equipment I use for work, and I help set up devices for others with groups of apps for specific tasks...

And Apple's response to that demand is given in Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support. Install iTunes 12.6.3 and carry on managing apps through iTunes it that is what you want. Since they've already provided a workaround for this why would anyone expect them to restore app management to the main release? 😕

tt2

CFLBob wrote:

I get an "update to 12.7.2" offer every couple of days and dismiss it. You can turn that off, but I'm keeping an eye out for the updates and see if they ever put app control back in iTunes.

Install iTunes 12.6.3.6 as provided at Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support. It is functionally identical to 12.6.2.20, but should prevent the upgrade prompts. If needed Windows users can also adjust ASU settings.

tt2

Looks like Apple are listening after all. Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support has been updated with links to version 12.6.4.3 of iTunes which should install over 12.6.3.6 and, one assumes, allow iTunes to both update devices to iOS 11.3 and restore to them when required, as well as retaining the other app management features that some users want.

tt2

See Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support for access to iTunes 12.6.3 if you want to revert to a build with app management features. Windows users need to uninstall the current copy of the iTunes application first. See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash for steps to revert to a pre-iTunes 12.7 version of your iTunes database.

tt2

You can't honestly expect an immediate volte-face? The app store and related features have been removed from iTunes starting with iTunes 12.7. They don't exist in 12.7.1 and they won't be in whatever comes next. SeeManaging apps with iTunes 12.7 or later. You can install iTunes 12.6.3 if you want the familiar app management tools of iTunes.

tt2

lloyd1981 wrote:

"Removing bloat from iTunes"

A key feature, such as the ability to set up the desk tops of pages and create effective set-structures for effective access is hardly bloat.

It is bloat for a music app, which is what iTunes started out as. If you want to use an app that's designed for configuring your iOS devices, Apple makes one. It's called Configurator 2 and it's available in the Mac App Store.

See this discussion there:

Re: iTunes 12.7 app sync/backup confusion

Rollback your iTunes version to 12.6.2 and your good! Remember to turn of autoupdate!

Install iTunes 12.6.3. It works with iOS 11 and the new iPhones, and you won't get prompted to install iTunes 12.7. 😉

tt2

If you hold an app against the edge of the screen then the next page in that direction will show up. If you hold the app in the same place then you'll get another page, and another, until you reach the page you want. Move or let go, then choose a final position. Use folders to gather and move apps from one page to another.

tt2

I run my iPhone X on my Windows 7 computer and the iTunes 12.6.3 so I can manage apps on the computer. I have no issues with iTunes, updates run fine, and I don't get prompted to update it any longer.

jakehawkes42 wrote:

Fair enough. My personal preference is to be able to arrange apps. Downgrading to a previous version is a solution, albeit a short term one at best.

Despite the numbering, iTunes 12.6.3 was released after 12.7, specifically to meet the needs of people (and businesses) that wanted to handle apps the way you do.

jakehawkes42 wrote:

Its B.S because managing a phone with 30+ apps, using touch-hold-wiggle-move method is just not workable.

That's a matter of personal opinion. I have 737 apps on my iPhone. I can't remember the last time I tried to arrange them with iTunes. I found it incredibly cumbersome. I hook my iPhone up to my computer about twice a year to do a back up to my computer.

I have just gone through this exact thing, and have 5 screens of unorganized apps. I started to arrange them, but soon gave up after 30 minutes. I've given up, and just use springboard search now.

So use iTunes 12.6.3. as has been recommended several times in this thread.

Fair enough. My personal preference is to be able to arrange apps. Downgrading to a previous version is a solution, albeit a short term one at best.

I downloaded Apple Configurator 2, and it is way more than I need, but achieved the task quite nicely.