iPad Do I really need to keep all my iPad apps saved in iTunes?

kdum8 · Dec 9, 2012

I have a 64 GB iPad 3 running the last version of iOS 5. It is pretty much full of apps, all of which were saved to my iTunes folder when I synced it last. However I now never sync my iPad with my Mac and iTunes, yet I have nearly 64 GB of apps backed up there in iTunes. It is a lot of wasted HD space it seems.

Now that the iPad's apps are backed up in iCloud, is there any need for me to keep all those apps in iTunes on my mac? Can I just go ahead and delete them?

I am not sure if there is some reason for keeping them.

It would save some much needed space on my MB.

Chundles · Dec 9, 2012

You can re-download apps from the App Store, no need to keep them on your computer.

wrkactjob · Dec 9, 2012

Oh OK, I'll PM you my private email address.

Here's a link that seems to suggest you should leave them where they are....."A: Your applications themselves are not stored in iCloud, but only on your device and in your iTunes library"....

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/deleting-unwanted-apps-from-icloud/

And PC memory is cheap and cloudy space is expensive.

x

ChristianVirtual · Dec 9, 2012

if you need to restore your iPad it would be faster from the HD instead of re-download all apps; but lucky enough we don't often need to do that. So you could delete if you need to save space.

darngooddesign · Dec 9, 2012

wrkactjob said:
Here's a link that seems to suggest you should leave them where they are....."A: Your applications themselves are not stored in iCloud, but only on your device and in your iTunes library"...

The article says your apps are backed up in iTunes, so you can delete them from your local drive.

mattopotamus · Dec 9, 2012

wrkactjob said:
Is that you in the pic?!...any more?

creepy mcCreeperson

xraydoc · Dec 9, 2012

You have 64GB worth of apps installed on your iPad? Must be hundreds!

skillwill · Dec 9, 2012

wrkactjob said:
Is that you in the pic?!...any more?

Hahah pathetic. Just answer her question. And no ... You're not in there.

kdum8 · Dec 9, 2012

xraydoc said:
You have 64GB worth of apps installed on your iPad? Must be hundreds!

Yes I have to admit, I went a little overboard. About 5GB is books but the rest is apps. I have 450.

Thanks for all the help guys! I'll go ahead and delete from iTunes.

Arigatou.

errant · Dec 9, 2012

You can throw them on a backup hard drive just in case some disappear from the app store or if there's a really bad update to one of them you want to revert to a previous version that you liked better. That way you can remove them from iTunes.

UNLESS you sync your iPad with your iTunes via cable. Then they have the potential of all being wiped from your iPad with the next sync. I think it'll give you a warning or an option to keep them on the iPad. Maybe only the first time. Or maybe every time. Not sure.

darngooddesign · Dec 9, 2012

errant said:
You can throw them on a backup hard drive just in case some disappear from the App Store...

FYI, your apps are still available to re-download, even if they are no longer for sale in the App Store. The same us true for your music.

kdum8 · Dec 9, 2012

darngooddesign said:
FYI, your apps are still available to re-download, even if they are no longer for sale in the App Store. The same us true for your music.

They are? Apple maintains in iCloud apps that aren't even in the app store anymore?

errant · Dec 9, 2012

That's not true. At least for music. There's a song I bought on iTunes in 2007 that is no longer available on iTunes. Doesn't show up as a purchase that I can re-download any more.

wrkactjob · Dec 9, 2012

skillwill said:
Hahah pathetic. Just answer her question. And no ... You're not in there.

Really?....der.

Remember iCloud storage has a limit, 50gb?

Alith · Dec 9, 2012

kdum8 said:
They are? Apple maintains in iCloud apps that aren't even in the app store anymore?

Nope. I used to use a London transport app daily and it disappeared from the store and my purchased list. I had to purchase a different app that the same developer made for Transport for London, which was practically the same app.

darngooddesign · Dec 9, 2012

errant said:
That's not true. At least for music. There's a song I bought on iTunes in 2007 that is no longer available on iTunes. Doesn't show up as a purchase that I can re-download any more.

In the past month, hard drive blew up, I've redownloaded several albums no longer for sale.

dancj · Dec 9, 2012

darngooddesign said:
FYI, your apps are still available to re-download, even if they are no longer for sale in the App Store. The same us true for your music.

No. I've been shafted by that in the past.

If you only use iCloud for your backups then any apps that are gone from the App Store will not come back when you restore your iPad.

aleni · Dec 9, 2012

becareful, once you delete all apps from the mac, dont ever sync your ipad anymore with that mac, if you do that, you will lose all the apps and its data in the ipad. that's what i hate about itunes.

SWPROX · Dec 9, 2012

If you delete the apps from iTunes and re-sync it with the iPad-I guess it will copy the apps back from the iPad to the iTunes if it is signed in with the same account-my iPad mini did it exactly today.

raccoonboy · Dec 9, 2012

I think for Ipad which have excellent battery life, you dont really need to connect to PC that often like Ipod touch.

I only connected it to back up my game progress or updates from time to time. It is pretty much stand alone unless you are selling and buying new so back up will necessary. Icloud only gives u like 5GB.

iPad Do I really need to keep all my iPad apps saved in iTunes?

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