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Once upon a time you could organize/rearrange the apps on your iphone via your computer screen while the phone was plugged in. My phone is currently on 11.0.3, and my itunes is 12.7.0.166, so both up to date, and I no longer see this option available.
Does it no longer exist? If it does can you show me where to find it? Searches in Google and Apple Support only point me to outdated articles.
Management of apps, books, and tones has been removed from iTunes 12.7. See Changes in the new iTunes - Apple Support for details. The intention is clearly that management of these generally takes place on the device.
See the Manually add items from your computer section of Manually manage content on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iTunes - Apple Support for the control that remains. This can be used to copy apps (including apps that have been withdrawn from the store), ePubs, iBooks, PDFs, and tones from your computer to your device. The File Sharing feature for copying data between apps and the computer is still there. You can also use iCloud Drive, or Dropbox to move content to and from the device.
A long time criticism of iTunes, at least from some quarters, is that has been that it has become bloated. Perhaps this is an attempt to address that. I let both my iOS devices update automatically when there is an updated app, and I'm not interested in hanging on to old apps that a developer has withdrawn, nor do I need to rearrange my apps often, so while the change is drastic, I don't think it really affects me much. I'm more irritated by the changes to iTunes U, and iBooks in iTunes for Windows.
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
Tell Apple: https://www.apple.com/feedback/itunes.html
We are just users like yourself, and cannot put it back.
FWIW, with how simple it is to manage Apps directly on the iPhone or iPad, I doubt apple will bring app management back to iTunes.
You can request it at Feedback - iTunes - Apple. I doubt Apple have plans to change the way iTunes behaves in this respect. As noted Apple have provided a version of iTunes that has the app management features and works with iOS 11. Mac users also have an application called Configurator 2 they can use.
tt2
Whargarblicus wrote:
I recently got a smaller SE device and my screens was a mess after the backup. It has been very time consuming to rearrange everything. I hope this feature returns or is brought back in a separate desktop app.
Actually, there are TWO desktop apps that let you manage apps. iTunes 12.6.4 has the app organization function that you love. And it's compatible with 12.7.4, which does not. And Apple also has the Configurator app for businesses, but you don't have to be a business to use it: Apple Configurator 2 on the Mac App Store
BTW, both of these have been mentioned multiple times in this thread. Sometimes it pays to read a thread before posting to it.
Whargarblicus wrote:
Deleting the ITL file worked, though this is a very inelegant solution. Hope Apple can develop a consumer-level IDE to help manage the screen layouts of these devices.
You can restore your last pre-iTunes 12.7 library rather than start over completely. See Empty/corrupt iTunes library after upgrade/crash for details.
tt2
It's really clear you didn't bother to read any of the thread you posted to or the Terms of Use for the forum.. If you had you would know that it is pointless to post a message to Apple in this user-to-user forum where Apple does not participate. The correct place to post is https://apple.com/feedback.
You would also know that you can still use iTunes 12.6.4 or the Apple Configurator (if you have a Mac) to manage apps from your desktop.
JoseL28: You are welcome to use whatever hardware you wish. People responding here do not work for Apple and if you wish to try an Android phone we won't try to stop you. It may be easier to manage apps (I didn't find it any easier, particularly not on a Mac) but I was given an Android phone and it comes with its own set of serious issues, a big one being privacy, plus just about every "free" app is loaded with advertising.
Additionally, since Apple does not read this forum for this kind of feedback you are better responding to: http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
One tip to managing batches of apps are to put them in folders so then you just move the entire folder.
See the Apple Configurator manual: Apple Configurator - Add Apps - Apple Support
Keep n mind the Configurator is meant for managing enterprise and school devices, and while it can be used to manage a single one and install apps, its not meant directly for final users.
Otherwise, management of Apps directly on the iPhone or iPad is in my view a very easy thing to do.
Just open the App Store tap on your picture at the top right corner, and then on Purchased apps. You'll get a list of Apps that are installed, and those that are not but have already been bought / downloaded at least once but are not currently installed.
Other options have been posted several times in this very very long thread already.
Luckily, Apple has a tool called Apple Configurator. Its purpose is to simplify deployments for educational and enterprise institution. Among many tools included in it, you can also find (you guessed it) a home screen layout organizer.
And they do care.
Many, many people complained about how slow and bogged down iTunes was. Many many people offered feedback and clearly the App management was the feature least used by most that complained. Or the one people suggested was less necessary.
If you want Apple to hear you, and what you want, like they heard the people that complained about it, and caused them to remove it, you can use the Feedback form here: Feedback - iTunes - Apple
Feedback is the only way Apple knows what people want. If enough people complain about something, Apple may be compelled to change it as they have.
gregfox wrote:
iTunes, Photos, Safari are all severely hampered relative to say OS10.7, not to mention the ugly, windows inspired interface of El Capitan. I just don't understand *** apple is up to. Seems they change things just for the sake of change. I've yet to see something new and think, "yeah, that is great"
Do you have a question for your fellow users? This is a user to user support site. If you want to let Apple know your feelings you can do so here: Apple - Feedback
GB
Whats WRONG WITH CAPS?... I don't need NEW options, that split my work into more....
I don't see how organizing more than 500+ app, in my case close to 1k -
VS... Get on your Itunes, and get it all done in one sitting.
Come on, that is NOT the same... Who wants to invest products meant for convenience just to dedicate more time on circumventing all 'this progress'?
Indeed. I much prefer organizing my Apps directly on my devices, than the slowness that was iTunes before, to do anything related to Apps.
Also with the new App Store app layout, its quite simple to see what apps are installed, and which are not, and quikcly install or remove Apps from the device.
In all honestly using iTunes was always much more of a pain, than doing it on the device directly has ever been.
lowriskLA wrote:
...Manually moving apps on the phone screens has always been a suboptimal way to organize apps. Is this another downgrade by Apple?
Gee, you don't think that is easier/better? Apple believes it is,
therefore you must learn to believe it is.
In certain situation it was easier to do it in iTunes on the Mac.
For exemple, I got too much app on my iPhone and they disappear because there is a maximum of page of app on the phone. In iTunes, there was no page limit, so I can take an app on the page 17 and bring it back to the page 1.
(Because we only have the possibility of 16 pages of app , not more)
For the app that are hidden on the phone, I was able to reach them only with the research option.
What about putting some in folders? I don't know if that will work -- I only have a page and a half of apps on my iPhone and frankly I rarely even need access to the ones on the second page. Oh, and I only have a page and a half because it's an older iPhone with a smaller screen.
how to organize apps with itunes?
