Dear Aunt TUAW: Why is iTunes deleting my apps?
Dear Auntie TUAW,
Thought I'd send this up to see if y'all can reproduce it too. I'd seen reports on the Apple discussions that when folks were plugging into iTunes, any app they had installed directly on the iPhone was being deleted instead of transferred back. Mine does this as well, which is quite annoying!
Can y'all reproduce it or are only some of us suffering this one? I've checked all the settings, de-authorized and authorized my computer, just did a restore and setup as new a few days back. Updates transfer back just fine, but good luck keeping a new app on there!!!!
Love & huggies,
Your niece Lauren
Lauren darling,
Auntie thinks she may have an answer -- and it doesn't seem to be one that you've already tried. I think the problem lies on the iTunes end, not with the iPhone. What I'd like you to do is hop into your iTunes settings (again!) and go to the Advanced pane. Locate the item called "Reset all dialog warnings" and click the Reset warnings button, and then click OK.
This is what I think is happening: at some point you may have been asked "Transfer purchases back to your computer" (or something like that, but I'm sure you get the idea) and that you may have answered "No". Choosing No rather than Yes means that the purchases are going to get deleted on your device rather than synced back. I'm guessing that you also checked that little box that says "Don't ask me again".
Checking the "Don't ask me again" box sets your preferences not just once but for always, or at least until you reset your dialog warnings. Only then will your system ask you again about your choices.
So give this solution a try and here's hoping that it works for you...
Send my love to the family,
Auntie T.
