Older Versions of Apps

By Jennifer, 10 August, 2012

Forum
iOS and iPadOS
Pardon me for being newer to the iOS community but it is my understanding you cannot uninstall an app update and restore to an older version of an app which was previously accessible. Can anyone explain why this action is prevented by Apple? I would think if I am not asking for a refund this wouldn't be an issue. I have not yet been able to find an answer via Google thus far on the topic. Thanks in advance!

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Comments

By Shersey on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 - 14:54

You can't do it with iCloud, and you have to have not backed up to your computer after downloading the new app. I always just backup to iTunes before updating my iPhone to the next iOS version now, because iTunes will leave your apps alone and not force you to download the latest version of an app like iCloud will after restoring from a backup there. I hope this makes sense, Shersey

That makes sense. I have been scrolling through the pocasts hoping to find something like that for future boo boos but I assume this won't work if you have not yet backed up your phone to iTunes, correct?

By Shersey on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 - 14:54

I've messed with the iTune's settings since I first installed it, so I'm not entirely sure what a fresh install would look like. I'm also not quite sure what the differences are between "backup" and "transfer purchases," which are two of the options that pop up when you right-click (hit shift-F10 or the applications key) on your iDevice, so I just do both. I'm pretty sure that the "transfer purchases" option is the only way apps that you bought from the app store directly on your iDevice get transferred to iTunes. I believe that the "backup" option just backs up app data, music and audiobook play-counts and stuff like that, not the apps themselves. I could be wrong, of course, and if I am, please correct me. I wouldn't want to give anyone incorrect information. I'm not sure if iTunes automatically performs these two actions upon plugging an iDevice into a computer. I just do both on a regular basis to avoid lost data. I'd rather not be sorry later on if it turns out that iTunes didn't backup/transfer purchases, so I just do it myself to be safe. By the way, the podcast is called App Roll-Backs: How to Reinstall the Previous Version of an iOS App It can be found here: http://www.applevis.com/podcasts/episodes/app-roll-backs-how-reinstall-previous-version-ios-app I hope this has helped somewhat, Shersey