If you have never synced apps on your iPhone or iPod Touch, you will experience an aggravating message the first time you try it.
The solution to keeping your apps intact is simple.
While the the iPhone/iPod Touch is very user-friendly, it does not come with instructions. Every once in a while, the user will be confronted with a confusing situation like this.
The Problem
Regardless of what you do, whenever you check the box to Sync Apps in iTunes, you will see the message:
“Are you sure you want to sync apps? All existing apps and their data on the iphone will be replaced with apps from this iTunes library”.
If you continue, and you have never moved your apps from your device to your computer, you will indeed delete everything off of your device!
The Solution
In iTunes, under File, select Transfer purchases from "Your Device Name". That’s it!
iTunes will now pull off all the apps from your device onto your computer. Now if you Sync Apps, you don’t have to worry about losing your apps (the message will still pop up though).
This scenario is most common when people download apps through the App Store on their computer and then want to add them to their device.
If this helped clear up any confusion for you, leave a comment!
This scenario is most common when people download apps through the App Store on their computer and then want to add them to their device.
Funny, I run into this every damn time I set up Itunes on a new computer — I’ve yet to buy an app on the computer. By default, Itunes doesn’t back up apps (I mean the apps, not just their data), which is misleading enough on its own — but then, there’s this damned “Nuke your Device” land mine they’ve programmed into the software.
It’s an insanely stupid default, given the high likelihood of failures during firmware upgrades for PC users (and why’s that, Apple? Trying to induce me to get a Mac?), and I have to wonder how many people get screwed after every update because they thought they backed up their apps, and they haven’t. Instead of this stupid “This will nuke your apps” warning, why not simply direct the user to Transfer the apps first?
Good call. For having the most user-friendly interfaces around, this is a glaring hole.
Hi, I have tried this but I keep getting the 13019 error. I have searched for answers on the 13019 error, but they all involve resynching which for some reason wants to remove my apps.
Please help me!
To solve that, you might try unchecking all your sync items (music,movies,etc) 1 at a time and then attempting to resync.
I try the solution but I keep getting same message
it say “your computer don’t authorized to sync app”. I authorize my computer but it still pop up the same.
why does it won’t work as the solution say.
I’m sorry I can’t help you with that problem
But what if you are halfway through a game that you don’t want to have to start over? Is there a way to add Apps from your library to your ipod touch without the data getting lost in the process? BEcause it seems like the app is erased from your ipod then put back on again, and the data is lost in the process. It’s not the apps themselves I’m worried about. Any ideas?
Hi Jensen- yes you can.
Right click your device in iTunes and select “Back Up.” This will move your save games and other app data to your computer. Afterwards, when you sync your apps, it will erase the data from new apps that have never been synced before.
Right click the device again and select “Restore From Backup…” and it will bring the iPhone back to its previous state. From here on, when you sync your apps, they will not be erased since iTunes thinks it has been synced before.
To be sure, I just tested this again with a brand new iTunes install and a new app I downloaded. It erased my save info the first time I synced the app and kept the saved info after syncing that second time.
Thank you SO MUCH! I dropped my iphone into the tub awhile back and it hasn’t been picking up wi-fi ever since. I wanted to download large apps using my computer but I figured I would have all of my apps deleted. Once again, THANK YOU! 😀
Glad it helped!
yes! This is the info I should have received directly from Apple! Instead I had to google it. Thanks.
This is how it is every time I need to do something administrative with iOS. It is googling for hours and getting courage to ignore warning messages after getting initially legitimate warnings even after they are no longer relevant.
iOS is the least user friendly system I have encountered in my 35 years as a computer software professional. Shame on Apple.
One very important note that took me a while to figure out… you need to be signed into iTunes when you do this. In iTunes, under Store, click Sign In.
This tip is AWESOME!!!.. since this is well hidden in the itunes interface.. just beats me why they wouldn’t just include that ‘file->transfer..’ option (and/or auto enable thata behavior before ‘sync’/nuking the device) in the apps screen interface on top of the ‘sync’ checkbox instead of giving a dumb warning that users can inadvertently click on, only to nuke their device apps completely
Glad I could help
Hi,
I have a similar problem but need further guidance.
I have 2 iphones (I should say “I had” because one of them just got stolen.
Now I want to add all the data from the stolen iPhone (which is backed up to my iTunes) to the second I phone and still keep the data on the second one. I need help 🙁
By the way, when I say data; I mean contacts, photos etc.. not only apps.
Thanks this was extremely helpful, it was actually cus i set up itunes on a new pc, was getting really confused because i hadnt done it before