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Transfer Applications from iPhone to iTunes

Written on July 22, 2008 by Jenny Kortina and 47 people have commented

I was having a lot of trouble getting my iPhone applications to sync with iTunes. I tried doing backups and full syncs to no avail. Finally, in a moment of desperation, I righted clicked on my iPhone and chose the option “Transfer Purchases” and to my suprise and glee I successfully moved my applications onto to my computer.

To transfer applictions to iTunes from your iPhone:

  1. Right click on your iPhone in the left hand explorer bar
  2. Select “Transfer Purchases”

  3. You should see a progress bar in iTunes and your phone should read “Sync in Progress”

  4. If everything went as planned, all of your applications that were purchased on your iPhone should now appear in iTunes

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  1. #1 Nick says:

    Marvellous !

    I was getting a bit worried about why mine weren’t getting sync’d either.

    Thanks for this tip !

    N

  2. #2 Sherkaner says:

    Weird, I was just encountering this problem and posting on the Apple discussion forums about it. Unfortunately, although others suggested this over there, it doesn’t work for me and others. Some (notably, more recent ones) applications on my iPhone just won’t transfer to iTunes. Also oddly, the “Applications” section in iTunes tells me I have one “1 update available” for my applications, but when I try to view it, it tells me no updates are available, but the “1″ refuses to go away.

    I’d be tempted to try to restore my iPhone, but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to get back various apps I’ve paid for on my iPhone.

  3. #3 christian says:

    Wonderful! I was just trying to sync my apps last night to no avail.

    Now if only I could stop my iPod Touch from crashing 5-6 times a day.

  4. #4 Jenny Kortina says:

    @ Sherkaner: Even if you do the restore you will be able to re-download all your apps for free…but that may be a pain if you have a lot like me.

  5. #5 LawSchoolGuy says:

    Thanks for this! Very useful after my hard drive crashed on my MacBook (only a week after getting an iPhone) without unfortunately a Time Machine backup.

  6. #6 Imran says:

    Found this when i googled “applications transfer iphone itunes”
    Just wanted to say thanks!

  7. #7 Partners in Grime says:

    Ah, ha. Excellent. Thanks!

  8. #8 svenn says:

    thanks so much!
    i was starting to get irritated myself.

  9. #9 lin2log says:

    I can only second what Sherkaner wrote TO THE T. iTunes merely goes thru the motions (at EVERY sync) but not ONE of the approx. 5 “on-the-phone-only” apps show up on my computer. I also have the “update-button-number” that won’t disappear every so often.

    I’m glad (in a morbid way I guess) that I’m NOT ALONE!! Seems to me, that the whole ecosystem “iPhone” is still VERY MUCH in the making and is only very shaky at best!

    But, nonetheless, my iPhone or rather THEE iPhone is the best damn phone I have ever had or seen, bar none!! I can live with few non-lethal quirks and this still very much fledgling stage. I’m not moronic enough to think things could or will ever be PERFECT. I trust, given maybe another 6 months and a few incremental update’s, Apple will progressively make this into an even more amazing product than it already is…

  10. #10 ChupatriBra says:

    My problem was that the computer was not authorized. As a result of that (I assume), iTunes was removing the apps from my iPhone when I synced. It would warn me with a message about copying the apps from the iPhone to the computer, but I would check the Transfer option and it removed them anyway. Each time, I stopped the syncing, but would lose an app anyway. Since I have them on my home mac, I believe I’ll be able to regain them.

    Once I tried to implement the tip, it gave the more valuable warning about the computer not being authorized. I authorized it, transferred the apps to the computer, and now all is well. Thank you very much.

    By the way, Imram and I think alike. I found this when I googled “transfer iphone applications itunes”

  11. #11 Cagdas says:

    My problem is there is no Applications tab on my itunes :( I’m still using 1.1.4 version of iPhone…

    Can someone help me plz…

  12. #12 siddharth says:

    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

  13. #13 lin2log says:

    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.

  14. #14 No Longer Frustrated says:

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

  15. #15 downloading dummy says:

    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??

  16. #16 Bill B. says:

    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.

  17. #17 deol says:

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

  18. #18 S. Kwan D'ohlas says:

    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.

  19. #19 Becki says:

    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!

  20. #20 Christiannn says:

    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.

  21. #21 Johnny Miglino says:

    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?

  22. #22 Eric says:

    WOW, so simple, thanks

  23. #23 xcvx says:

    store>authorize computer

  24. #24 Lost itouch fan says:

    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.

  25. #25 jeannette says:

    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?

  26. #26 caroline says:

    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!

  27. #27 Derek says:

    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.

  28. #28 Paul says:

    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!

  29. #29 Jessi says:

    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.

  30. #30 jun says:

    is it possible to have more than 5 authorized computers?

  31. #31 Richard Walsh says:

    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!

  32. #32 Joe says:

    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

  33. #33 Michael Heimes says:

    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!

  34. #34 stephane says:

    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 ?

  35. #35 Chris says:

    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?

  36. #36 stephane says:

    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..

  37. #37 the travelling chef says:

    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:)

  38. #38 opo says:

    @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….

  39. #39 Kate says:

    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

  40. #40 nahtass says:

    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.

  41. #41 IPODGUY says:

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

  42. #42 rick says:

    thanks a bunch!

  43. #43 Tyberius says:

    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

  44. #44 camu says:

    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

  45. #45 K says:

    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.

  46. #46 Andy says:

    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.

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