Comments on: Transfer Applications from iPhone to iTunes

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:11:56 +0000

I had the same problem with authorizing a new macbook with my existing iPhone so I could transfer all my apps from the iPhone to the new macbooks iTunes. You have to authorize your computer by going to the “Store -> Authorize Computer” menu item.

Apple seems to let you authorize up to 5 computers with iTunes - no idea on why the limit. But all that said and done once you have the computer authorized you can go to the “File -> Transfer Purchases from …” menu item to transfer your iPhone to your iTunes.

By: K

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:27:46 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you. May your days be full of sunshine for you being the first search hit on this…I almost went crazy. THANK YOU.

By: camu

camu — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:41:37 +0000

I have downloaded my apps directly to my phone, but they won’t go onto my computer… even when I click transfer purchases. Any recommendations? I want them on my computer in case I lost my phone or something happened to it - thanks

By: Tyberius

Tyberius — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:26:07 +0000

Thanks so much for that, my wife and i just got iPhones and we use 2 computers. It’s good to know little things like this =D

By: rick

rick — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:05:56 +0000

thanks a bunch!

By: IPODGUY

IPODGUY — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:42:06 +0000

thanks for the tip
i was worried there for a second becuase i tunes wouldnt sync my apps

By: nahtass

nahtass — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 05:36:25 +0000

Wow, it worked so thanks. I am helping someone out on the IPhone - so much thanks to your post.

Otherwise my G1 kills the IPhone on usability. Of course it is a lot less dummy proof. There was no dialog to denote file location. So my back up is some where on the PC.

Ouch. Hopefully the restore knows where Itunes put this stuff (I tell ya, it ain’t in the folder with the apps we just backed up). I only found the apps stuff because I was smart enough to watch the file names and search.

Again OUCH.

Viva la open source.

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:39:04 +0000

Heya guys…i found this site via google but it appears i have a slightly different problem…my apps appear on the apps tab but there is no way i can check the little sinc box cuz itunes don’t allow it (the lill box is grey and uncheckable)….any help is soooo very welcome…
thx…:-D

By: opo

opo — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:40:50 +0000

@Derek
Thanks for your finding, it shure did help me.
They say something about Apple quality software and stuf…. This is a very lame error from Apple programers part, aldo iTunes is so slow….

By: the travelling chef

the travelling chef — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:35:19 +0000

Thanks a lot for that great tip!
I spent the whole morning trying to figure this out and getting stressed about buying applications all over again.
This has saved me a lot of worry and time, thanks once again:)

By: stephane

stephane — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:50:37 +0000

ok not sure what happened, I rebooted my computer and some how, my application appeared in my itunes, so cannot explain how, but now syncing my apps, I had to add the new one that i added not long ago, I lost a few, but was easy to put them back, I click on sync app then i saw the app from app store and then added the one I got somwhere else, i got tired ot trying so I took the chance, and it works fine, but of course, make sure you make a list of the apps first, and you can always download diskaid to copy the apps from your iphone to your computer and back to your phone after you synced….good luck to you all..

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 07:21:44 +0000

I have same problem like other did. I can sync address, calendar & music but not application. I even delete itunes application and re-install again but still now working. What can I do?

By: stephane

stephane — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:22:10 +0000

that last comment is what just happened to me, my computer crashed, and I had to reinstall Itunes, and now tells me the same thing, the apps will be deleted since the apps on my iphone were from another itune library……what can I do ?

By: Michael Heimes

Michael Heimes — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:53:11 +0000

So I have a question about one detail.

Lets say my hard drive had errors. I reformat. I select to “Transfer Purchases” from my iPhone. The application I downloaded to my iPhone are now there. The only thing that scares me is this: When i go to sync my apps, it warns me that all applications and data they contain will be deleted and replaced with what is in iTunes. Does that mean that preferences, notes, voice recordings, etc that are in my apps will be gone? Or is that data imbedded in the apps that are in my iTunes?

I thought that maybe if I deleted all the apps from iTunes and tried to sync…maybe it would automatically transfer the apps to iTunes along with the data they contain, but iTunes warns me that if I wipe out the apps in iTunes then sync…it will wipe out my apps on the iPhone.

If someone had similar experience, let me know how it worked out. I basically want to know what happens when you transfer apps from the phone to iTunes, then sync. Does the data get erased? Do you have to re-arrange the apps on the iPhone back to the way they were? THANKS!

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:21:24 +0000

Thanks for the tip, but I returned my new #G model because it was blanking the screen while I was talking to anyone and then I could not turn it off or on until the other person hung up. Anyway the three apps that I bought originally on the edge Iphone showed up with the little circled 3 next to the app store icon on the new flawed 3G, but when they transferred over the phone to the new one I no longer have the icon with the circled three so I do not know how I can get what I paid for back. Any tips on this one.

Thanks

By: Richard Walsh

Richard Walsh — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:35:07 +0000

Thank you so much, I have been trying to do this all night since my hard drive failed last night. I almost thought I was going to have to buy them all again. Thank you!

By: jun

jun — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:49:41 +0000

is it possible to have more than 5 authorized computers?

By: Jessi

Jessi — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:19 +0000

Had to go into iTunes -> Store tab -> Authorize computer, takes 30sec - 1 min to authorize and will confirm with ex.” 2/5 computers were authorized” …then re-synched phone they are now on there. Success.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:14:30 +0000

Every now & again you get a clear and precise answer to a question googled. This was exactly one of those of-so-few occasions.

Many thanks!

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:50:53 +0000

Finally…

After unchecking and checking the sync applications in the applications tab of the iphone and right clicking on the iphone to select the transfer purchases with no luck. I finally double clicked one of the application icons in the applications folder of my library which allowed me to authorize my account. I was then able to check the sync all application and transfer purchases without any problems.

Hope it helps the others that are still having problems and thanks to those who previously posted.

By: caroline

caroline — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:16:17 +0000

i just got an ipod touch 8G i have downloaded apps from the store but have no idea on how to load them on to my ipod. i have tried tons of things like transferring purchases but nothing seems to work! i would really appreciate the help!

By: jeannette

jeannette — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:00:03 +0000

i’ve tried “transfer purchases to itunes,” i’m authorized. this is so frustrating. i’ve finally emailed apple about it, but there’s no telling if i’ll hear back.

anyone know any other tips that haven’t been mentioned here?

By: Lost itouch fan

Lost itouch fan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:14:46 +0000

hi,
im having problems syncing my applications that ive downloaded from itunes on my pc onto itouch. The problem is that there is no “Application tab” for me to click on to transfer purchases from itouch when its synced to the computer….(theres summary, music, movies, tv shows, podcasts, photos and info.. no Videos and Applications)
i need help! any would be nice! thanks.

By: xcvx

xcvx — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:49:17 +0000

store>authorize computer

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:06:55 +0000

WOW, so simple, thanks

By: Johnny Miglino

Johnny Miglino — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:53:58 +0000

When I downloaded the iPhone 2.1 software to my iPhone (and synced for the 1st time), the applications on my phone don’t work. I’m guessing because the applications didn’t transfer/sync to my computer. Now it says “your computer is not authorized to play these applications”.

How do I authorize my computer?

By: Christiannn

Christiannn — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:20:47 +0000

Omg, thank you very much. I would be so pissed if my ipod was to crash or reboot without my bought apps. Thank you thank you.

By: Becki

Becki — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:13:40 +0000

Thank you so much! I just got a new iTouch and MacBook and I was getting so frustrated that I had to keep syncing the iTouch to my husband’s PC. Thank you Thank you Thank you!

By: S. Kwan D'ohlas

S. Kwan D'ohlas — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:40:07 +0000

Thank you for this. I wasn’t sure how to transfer management of my iPod Touch apps to iTunes on our new iMac. This thread came up first on Google. Problem solved.

By: deol

deol — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:55:23 +0000

Worked for me. You’re that kind of fortunate geniuses.

By: Bill B.

Bill B. — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:44:53 +0000

I have the same problem as others. I have two apps I purchased on iTunes and it won’t let me transfer them to my iTunes. I’m not sure what to do about it — if I should download them iTunes or if I should restore the phone and start over (which seems like a pain). I don’t want to pay for them again.

By: downloading dummy

downloading dummy — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:09:45 +0000

I tried getting apps for my iphone. My comp said I had to download the new 7.7 itunes. I did. It still said I needed to download it. I downloaded it 4 times. Help! Is it me or my computer??

By: No Longer Frustrated

No Longer Frustrated — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:16:19 +0000

Thanks so much…it worked after trying all night long!!!

By: lin2log

lin2log — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:27:18 +0000

So basically you’re asking us how you can best STEAL software that you haven’t paid for. That’s clever. Since if you HAD bought it, you would merely need to log into iTunes with your account and you could simply reload everything for free.

And it’s great to see that comment’s here are CENSORED without warning. Hooray… that really speaks highly of this blog.

NOT.

Just lame.

By: siddharth

siddharth — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:08:28 +0000

my problem is when i transfer purchases it says ur computer in not authorized…
how di i authorize it for free….
plzzz help i hav got like 30 games from my friends comp now i wanna add other apps from my laptop