Why does itunes want to delete all my apps when I sync?

[ric275]

Yeah, this is dumb. I have never sync'd for this reason. I simply connect to iTunes and back up my apps using "transfer purchases". I don't see the whole point of having to have a computer "mother ship" for an iPad in the first place. I suppose I could do the recommended Apple procedure but I'm just too darn busy. If you're interested, you should switch ON sync apps to AVOID DELETING THEM. Intuitive isn't it? But wait, there's more. If you have multiple iThings, to avoid having all your apps forcefed to your iPad, you have to spend some low quality time in iTunes checking little boxes for which apps will stay on your iPad and which will not. Lame. Lame. Lame. But if you want to sync, you will have to either cross this bridge or scream at AppleCare until they come up with a less idiotic way to manage apps.

I appreciate your opinion, however you should sync your iPad. It's your loss. Plus checking 'sync apps' is just common sense. And it isn't really that hard to select individual apps, in fact its a very easy user interface! However, we are all entitled to our opinion. :|

 

[shan673]

Hope This Applies

I recently reformatted my laptop and when I plugged my Ipad2 into Itunes it told me that my Ipad was synced with a different account and I had to choose to either Erase and Sync with this Itunes library or transfer purchases so I transferred purchases and it deleted all my apps, books, music, everything. Why is this happening?

I also started getting this popup telling my that certain apps could not be purchased and they are apps that I have never even tried to purchase or download, I don't understand any of this

 

[PracticalMac]

Really good info here!

Seems that iTunes should list the accounts on the iDevice and on iTunes clearly, instead of saying: "I'm gonna delete everything on your iPod."

 

[eaf7s]

I've always thought that the default setting to sync everything was garbage. I mean some users are 60+ and don't understand anything but hotmail but I feel like a significant proportion of users are sentient enough to be able to decide what they want on each device on the fly. It would be fine if I only had an iPhone but I've also got an iPad, classic and a nano. Frankly I procrastinate upgrading software because it is such a nightmare trying to get the sync to NOT destroy my device. And I am pretty tech savvy. I really hope that Apple improves this in the future. I do, however, think that iCloud restorations etc. are a SMALL step in the right direction.

 

[wayner]

I also find this behaviour annoying as it is stupid to have a "do not sync" preference to cause iTunes to want to wipe your iPad.

Part of the problem may be caused by having multiple Apple IDs. I have four Apple IDs - I live in Canada but travel to both the US and UK several times a year so I have IDs for the US & UK iTunes stores - you can't get streaming video apps unelss you are in the right country's iTunes store. I also have a corporate iTunes Apple ID linked to my iPad for apps that I wanted charged to my coorporate credit card that are for my corporate iPad.

Apple sure doesn't make it easy to work with multiple Apple IDs.