Howto move my iPhone apps to my new MacBook Pro iTunes library?

[aurichie]

Up until now I have been syncing music and iPhone applications on a Windows PC. I have decided today I would prefer to do this on my new MacBook Pro that I have started using as my primary machine.

Question is, how can I get the applications I have purchased for my iPhone to the iTunes library on my new MacBook? I want to sync and manage the updates on this machine going forward.

Please help!

[AiralynRose]

First of all. Remember that when you first sync with the new computer, the iPhone will be completely erased. So make sure you have everything important transferred over before you do.

You should be able to copy over your entire iTunes folder (this is where all your apps would be along with music and any other iTunes media). You'll then have to log in to iTunes and authorize that computer for your account. If you don't have all the applications on your PC, then you can try Transfer Purchases and Check for Available Downloads to transfer items from the phone onto the PC.

You MIGHT be able to use your current iPhone backup. It should be at C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR_USER_NAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\SyncServices\Local and needs to go in /Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup on the mac. I think it is called data.syncdb, but it is probably best to just copy over everything in that folder.

Make sure you transfer your contacts and calendar information if you havent already and aren't syncing with an exchange server of some sort.

[aurichie]

Thanks for the information. I'll give this is a shot now. Doesn't seem too difficult.

Luckily I'm on an exchange server so that part is easy to deal with. It's just the apps and managing my music I need to address.

[appleguy123]

Take My Documents\My Music\iTunes\Mobile Applications from one computer, copy it to the other one over the network, through an external drive. Put it in the iTunes directory on the mac it is at itunes/mobile applications

[-aggie-]

First of all. Remember that when you first sync with the new computer, the iPhone will be completely erased. So make sure you have everything important transferred over before you do.

You should be able to copy over your entire iTunes folder (this is where all your apps would be along with music and any other iTunes media). You'll then have to log in to iTunes and authorize that computer for your account. If you don't have all the applications on your PC, then you can try Transfer Purchases and Check for Available Downloads to transfer items from the phone onto the PC.

You MIGHT be able to use your current iPhone backup. It should be at C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR_USER_NAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\SyncServices\Local and needs to go in /Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup on the mac. I think it is called data.syncdb, but it is probably best to just copy over everything in that folder.

Make sure you transfer your contacts and calendar information if you havent already and aren't syncing with an exchange server of some sort.

It's actually located here:

On Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup

On Windows Vista:
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\AppleComputer\MobileSync\Backup

[aurichie]

Thanks everyone got this done successfully with your help. Much appreciated!

[AbjectEvolution]

I transfered the mobilesync folder over with the backup folder. I also transfered over the iTunes media folder. I just bought a MBP and hooked up my iPhone after doing the transfer. I restored the phone, but it didn't give me the choice to restore from backup. I right click on the phone and the option is not there. All of my notes and photos, apps and saved games are gone unless I can figure out how to properly restore from the backup I made on my PC before selling it. Help?

[Masamunexiii]

Maybe i'm mistaken but I thought the question was how to move a iPhone backup. So far the majority of the responses (albeit most are pretty old) all focus on transferring apps and music or simply copying back the info from the existing iphone.

My issue is the fact that my iPhone took a swim in the ocean and so I subsequently had to purchase a new one. My only issue is that I am also in the middle of a new PC build and can no longer sync up the new phone with the old backup. So does anyone know of a way to transfer an entire backup between PCs?

[WantStuff]

I know this thread is fairly old but it helped me, so though I'd update it with my experiences.


I wanted to move everything from Windows XP to Windows 7. I have all my music on a network drive so this did not need to be copied, but I didn't want to loose my preferences, backups or synch settings.

So here's what I did:-

Installed iTunes on the Windows 7 machine and fired it up to complete the install using the default settings (these are unimportant and will get overwritten).

I copied the contents from the following XP folders into the respective Win7 folders:-
[XP] C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Apple Computer\
[W7] C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\

[XP] C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\
[W7] C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Apple Computer\iTunes\

[XP] C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\My Music\iTunes\
[W7] C:\Users\{username}\Documents\My Music\iTunes\
Then fired up iTunes on the Windows 7 PC and it was all there; iTunes preferences, device synch settings, Outlook calendars, Outlook contacts, device backups, etc.

Tested the install by synchronising my iPhone and iTouch. Nothing was deleted so all was good.

De-authorised my Win XP machine and packed it away for good!


Hope this helps someone.

[Bigkid715]

I figure the easiest way to do this would be to take an external hard drive and copy all the 5,000 pictures, the contacts, etc. and install them into the new macbook pro. My problem is logic would dictate that without the same programs i may run into issues. All all my pictures are on adobe. All the the other stuff i believe is on microsoft outlook. I cant lose my contacts and pictures most importantly and i also have work related crap on my phone. i need to know if i putting this information on an external hard drive and then installing it on my new macbook then syncing the phone and i'm all good. The PC I have has a virus and its gonna die any day i can feel it. Id appreciate any help or suggestions that can help me with this situation. thanks a lot.

[Hand-E-Food]

I wanted to move everything from Windows XP to Windows 7. I have all my music on a network drive so this did not need to be copied, but I didn't want to loose my preferences, backups or synch settings.

So here's what I did:-

...
Thank you! I will be trying that tomorrow night. I'll let you know how it goes.


EDIT: I didn't end up following the above advice. I examined the folders WantStuff suggested and found little to nothing that affected the iPhone. What I did:

1. I installed a fresh copy of iTunes in Windows 7.
2. Under the Store menu, I selected Authorize This Computer... and provided my details.
3. I set all of iTunes preferences, particularly the iTunes Media folder location settings in the Advanced tab, which I set to M:\iTunes, a network drive where all of my iTunes media already resided.
4. I brought up the M:\iTunes folder in an Explorer window.
5. I dragged the folder into the iTunes library. iTunes imported all of the files. Because the files were already in the correct location, iTunes didn't waste time copying everything, it just read the library information.
6. I plugged in my iPhone. I right-clicked my iPhone under Devices and pressed Back Up, just in case. You can restore from backup by right-clicking your iPhone, and selecting Restore from Backup....
7. I told iTunes to Sync Apps. It threatened to erase everything on my iPhone. I crossed my fingers and pressed OK.
8. Since all of the apps on my iPhone were now in iTunes and authorized, it did not remove them or wipe any data.

So I'm a happy man with my iPhone successfully transferred to a new computer. :) The key things to ensure are: iTunes is authorized for the correct account; and all media you want to keep on your iPhone is present in your iTunes library.

[ImHaloMaster]

umm..... i have windows 7 & i had my 3Gs backed up on iTunes 10. i was trying to downgrade my iphone from 4.1 to 4.0.1, but i had to change my hosts file first. i did then my phone wouldnt connect to the computer. i clicked RESTART & when it restarted my computer loaded normally until the login screen. it froze there. i reinstalled windows 7 & it made the folder windows.old. can someone help me how to transfer my iphone's apps without deleting anything?:D:D:D:):):)

[WantStuff]

Well done Hand-E-Food, I'm glad you are sorted.
The only difference between the results of our two methods is that my method will also copy the iTunes settings. So then readers, you now have two methods!


ImHaloMaster, you could try Hand-E-Food's method or you could also use mine - assuming you didn't wipe the HDD before you reinstalled. Hand-E-Food's method will put your iTunes back to an 'un-hacked' version which may not be a bad thing.
If you do choose my method you must first backup the mentioned W7 folders BEFORE you start as your iTunes settings and apps are in there and you'll use these backups instead of the mentioned XP folders.

You may even find that when you reinstall iTunes it will use the existing settings anyway!
And don't forget that if all else fails and you have to reset and loose everything you can re-download all your apps for free from the iTunes store.

Good luck

[Dragic Col]

Log-in in to your iTunes account on your new Mac and then sync as normal. You'll be asked if you want to copy stuff from your iPhone to Mac (which you probably want to do) and then you should be able to continue as normal. Remember to authorize your new Mac with your iTunes account as well.
Besides there is a step by step instruction on how to transfer or backup iPhone contents to Mac (http://www.softwarebbs.com/wiki/How_to_backup_iPhone_to_Mac).
Hope it can do you a favor.

[rambleonfreddy]

Log-in in to your iTunes account on your new Mac and then sync as normal. You'll be asked if you want to copy stuff from your iPhone to Mac (which you probably want to do) and then you should be able to continue as normal. Remember to authorize your new Mac with your iTunes account as well.

So if I want to make my MBPro my primary computer I just plug in and hit sync? I'm coming from a windows laptop.
Also, my MBpro I got from a friend, so their music is still on their itunes. If I hit sync won't that remove my info and put it and replace it with that's currently on the computers itunes?

[-aggie-]

So if I want to make my MBPro my primary computer I just plug in and hit sync? I'm coming from a windows laptop.
Also, my MBpro I got from a friend, so their music is still on their itunes. If I hit sync won't that remove my info and put it and replace it with that's currently on the computers itunes?

You have to set the settings in iTunes to tell the iPhone where to sync, before you just hit sync. You should also transfer purchases and backup the iPhone before syncing (also authorize the Mac).

Before you do any of this use Senuti (paid) or expod (free) to copy the music off the phone.

[rambleonfreddy]

Thanks. i'll give this a shot tonight

[-aggie-]

Thanks. i'll give this a shot tonight

You may have not caught my edit. It's expod not xpod.