With the recent removal of a popular gaming app from the App Store, many people are wondering how to transfer an app that is no longer available on the App Store from an old device to a new device.
Some people have resorted to buying used iPhones and iPads on the internet that contain the app they want. This is a bit extreme considering that once you own an app, you can transfer it to your other devices, even if it’s no longer available on the App Store.
If an app is still available on the App Store, you can download it directly to your new device. Once you purchase an app, there shouldn’t be an additional fee to re-download it, assuming you’re using the same Apple ID you originally purchased the app with. However, if the app was removed from the App Store, there are other options available to transfer an app.
Transfer an app using iTunes
Start by connecting your old iOS device to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device. Make sure the latest version of iTunes is installed on your computer and open iTunes. Select your device in iTunes to display the Device Summary screen.
Click the Back Up Now button to back up your device to your computer. This copies data from the iOS device, including apps, to the computer. Once the backup is complete, you can disconnect your old device from the computer.
Setting up a new device
If you’re setting up a new device and want it to contain all the data from your old device, turn it on, connect it to your computer, and begin the setup process by following the on-screen instructions. When prompted, select Restore from iTunes backup. Make sure to select the backup you just created from the list. The data from this backup will be copied to your new device.
Transfer an app to an existing device
If an iPhone or iPad has already been set up, you may not want to install a full backup of your old device. This would erase all data currently on the device and replace it with data from the backup. This is probably not desirable if you just want to transfer an app from your old device.
Connect the device to your computer and open iTunes. Select the device to display the Device Summary screen. Select the Applications tab near the top of the window to display all applications on the computer. The apps that were backed up from your old device should appear in the list. Select the app you want to transfer to your device and click Install.
iCloud backups
If you normally back up your device to iCloud instead of using iTunes on your computer, it’s important to understand that apps aren’t included in iCloud backup. The iCloud backup will contain data used by apps, such as documents or user settings, but apps typically reside in the App Store and are therefore not saved to iCloud. When you restore a device from iCloud, apps are automatically downloaded from the App Store. If the app was removed from the App Store, it will not be installed on your device during the restore.