Restoring my iPhone - is backup nessessary to not have to repurchase apps/music?

[imDanielWood]

The title pretty much says it all, I want to restore my iPhone just as a clean up really, but I'm scared of loosing my paid apps/music as I'm not sure how it all works. Do the purchases save to your Apple ID so I can just redownload the apps and music again for free? I can't see it being that simple though, as if that was true couldn't people just sign in eachothers apple IDs on eachothers iDevices and avoid paying for apps? ...

I'd like to avoid all the backing up stuff too due to the fact my iTunes also needs a huge clean out...

Could somebody please clarify what I need to do to avoid having to pay for my apps and music again? Thanks.

 

[DefBref]

There linked to your account. So no you don't need a backup. You will lose any saved data however without a backup so all the apps will start as a fresh install.

 

[imDanielWood]

There linked to your account. So no you don't need a backup. You will lose any saved data however without a backup so all the apps will start as a fresh install.

Thanks! But wouldn't that make it easy for friends to log into eachothers accounts on eachothers iDevices to download eachothers paid apps for free? Huge flaw...?

 

[DefBref]

If you trust your friends not to go and buy a load of stuff using your account go ahead and share your details!!

Don't see it as a flaw TBH, its useful for families sharing accounts. The above paragraph probably prevents people abusing it. Thats what I do, share with the wife and daughter, we did originally all share the one account, but that became unworkable as the daughter got older and wanted her own stuff.

 

[imDanielWood]

If you trust your friends not to go and buy a load of stuff using your account go ahead and share your details!!

Don't see it as a flaw TBH, its useful for families sharing accounts. The above paragraph probably prevents people abusing it. Thats what I do, share with the wife and daughter, we did originally all share the one account, but that became unworkable as the daughter got older and wanted her own stuff.

I see, so if you buy an app you could technically sign in to your account and download the app on multiple devices?

All in all though I just want to know if I restore my iPhone will the paid apps I've purchased be saved to my Apple ID account for redownload for free after the restore? I don't want to restore the apps from an iTunes backup.

Thanks.