The Case of the Disappearing iPhone Apps

Since I’m working on a new computer, I have been wrapping up some loose ends like consolidating my music library, etc.

Yesterday afternoon, just before dashing out the door to see Jared Spool give a presentation, I updated my iTunes library file. Once my iPhone has synced, I yanked it off the cable and hit the road. Once I arrived in DC, I pulled out my phone to verify the address of the presentation only to find that about 2/3 of my phone’s apps had disappeared.

It dawned on me that using an old iTunes library file (from an old backup) was probably to blame for the missing apps,since many of them were many of them were purchased more recently.

Here’s how I fixed it. I can’t guarantee your success if this happens to you, but this might be worth a shot.

1. Open iTunes.
2. Meanwhile, in a Finder window, locate the apps in ../Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/. You should see a bunch of .ipa files. These are your iPhone apps.
3. Highlight all the apps in the /Mobile Applications folder.
4. Drag the apps to the open iTunes window, where your music is listed.
5. If it isn’t selected automatically, select “Apps” from the left-hand iTunes menu. You may want to take the opportunity to download any updates.
6. Some of the apps may have a warning icon next to them, which looks like an exclamation mark in a circle. Delete these guys–they represent the vestiges of your iTunes Library’s old listings.
7. Now, click on your iPhone in iTunes. The missing apps should now reappear in the iPhone screens (the thumbnails in iTunes).
8. Sync your phone and your apps will be back on your phone. They will now appear in alphabetical order, rather than the order you had them in originally, but hey, they’re back.

Let me know if this worked for you.

I’m sorry I couldn’t include visuals–I’m still working out some of the kinks with this new computer and Firefox appears to be morally opposed to working on Snow Leopard.