How to I manually sync an app now?

hnhowell29 wrote:

This is critical business functionality for testing apps prior to release.

Why? If you are a developer, then you use Xcode to deploy your apps to a connected device. You do not use iTunes at all.

If you are sending the ipa file to others for testing, and they need to use iTunes, as said you can drag the file onto the device in iTunes and it will be installed on the connected device.

https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/AppDis tributionGuide/TestingYouriOSApp/Testing…

You can't sync apps anymore, you can drag an app from the iTunes media folder on your computer onto the device as described in the sup article above.

Manually manage content on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iTunes - Apple Support

This works for apps that are already in your iTunes library. I'm not sure what you mean by this is critical for testing apps prior to release.

I tried deleting the app now, and hereafter I was able to drag the app on my iPhone. So it seems it simply doesn’t work yet if the app is offloaded.

This is a bit weird since upgrading to a new iPhone will automatically offload the apps which are not in the App Store anymore.

One would assume that Apple has tested this, but I have recently found two contradictory statements in the iOS 11 syncing requirements.

The iPhone 8 specs state that iTunes 12.7 and Windows 7 or Mac OS X 10.9.5 are required to sync an iOS 11 device. The iTunes 12.7 download website states that a Mac needs to be running OS X 10.10.5.

In any event, back to your point, this is what the website says.

If you have media on your computer that you can't redownload from the App Store or iTunes Store directly on your iOS device, such as custom ringtones or iOS apps, you can drag and drop the media from your computer to your iOS device using iTunes.

Are you sure that the apps that you want to sync are compatible with iOS 11? 32 bit apps no longer work.

Purf wrote:

I tried deleting the app now, and hereafter I was able to drag the app on my iPhone. So it seems it simply doesn’t work yet if the app is offloaded.

This is a bit weird since upgrading to a new iPhone will automatically offload the apps which are not in the App Store anymore.

That’s interesting to know. I’m still chugging long with my iPhone 5s (not updated yet) but I updated my iPad Air 2 and I decided to backup and sync with iTunes last night. Everything seemed to go OK, but I was wondering how syncing would affect apps already on my device without being able to make sure that syncing apps was selected.

Full disclosure, Before I updated, I dumped all of the apps off of my iPad that were no longer available in the App Store since they were all 32 bit apps.

Has this been tested as well?

While upgrading to my iPhone 8, some apps were not synced because they are no longer in the App Store.

However, dragging them from iTunes/Mobile Applications does not work

Work in progress?

I don't think the version numbers would be an issues since I'm using OS X 10.12.6 and iTunes 12.7.0.166

The app still works on my iPad which is also using iOS 11, so it should be 64 bit. It wasn't marked as incompatible on my previous iPhone either.

When dragging the app, I can see it highlights the iPhone, but just doesn't seem to be dropping it.

Would it be possible there's a bug because the app is displayed as offloaded on my iPhone?

You are fine with regard to requirements. If it works on the iPad it will work on the phone. I was just trying to point out inconsistencies that I have seen regarding Apple support statements since you asked if the drag and drop feature had been tested.

When dragging the app, I can see it highlights the iPhone, but just doesn't seem to be dropping it.

Would it be possible there's a bug because the app is displayed as offloaded on my iPhone?

This is something that I have not set or enabled yet. I have not updated my iPhone yet but I am running iOS 11 on my iPad Air 2. I just looked at the storage settings where this feature is. If the phone offloaded the app due to the setting did you try disabling Offloading apps? I don’t know anything about that yet since I haven’t used it.