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Backup iPhone Applications using AptBackup & iTunes before iPhone Upgrade

By on September 30, 2008 in Posted In: Apps, iPhone

Some readers wondered whether we can have our iPhone applications, installed via Cydia, backup and restore after iPhone firmware upgrade. You may be one of the readers. Everyone (I think) loves Cydia and Apple’s official AppStore. For me, I have installed over 30 applications on my iPhone via both Cydia and AppStore. Probably you have even more applications on your iPhone. As the number of applications installed grows, you may find it more difficult to persuade yourself to upgrade to newer firmware version. You’ll lose all the applications. Or you’ll have to re-install all the iPhone applications again. Consider the time and effort to search and install the applications again on iPhone, you’ll probably give up the idea of upgrade. But there are always solutions – iTunes & AptBackup – to backup & restore your iPhone application for firmware upgrade.

Backup AppStore-installed applications via iTunes

You should probably know, for application installed through AppStore, you can have them backup by synchronizing iPhone with iTunes. iTunes silently backup your iPhone applications and keep it on your computer. After upgrade, you can then sync them back to iPhone again.

Backup Cydia-installed applications using AptBackup

So, how about Cydia-installed application? iTunes doesn’t take care this kind of iPhone applications. However, AptBackup from Sleepers comes to rescue. AptBackup is a backup & restore solution for Cydia installed applications. What AptBackup does is to make a list of Cydia-installed applications, backup the list via iTunes and restore the list back to your iPhone. AptBackup can then refer to the list and install all the applications automatically.

You can find AptBackup on Cydia under System section (BigBoss source). The interface of AptBackup is very simple. You can only find two buttons after launching AptBackup – Backup or Restore. Say, you’re planning for a iPhone upgrade:

  1. You should first click “Backup” to backup the list of Cydia-installed applications.
  2. Then sync your iPhone with iTunes to backup the list to your computer.
  3. Next, upgrade & jailbreak your iPhone.
  4. Once upgraded, install AptBackup via Cydia.
  5. Sync your iPhone with iTunes to restore the list of Cydia-installed application.
  6. Launch AptBackup and click “Restore” to reinstall all the applications

Note: As AptBackup actually re-install all the applications again, the settings in the applications cannot be kept.

About Simon Ng

Founder, developer and chief blogger of simonblog.com
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  • Steve

    Hi Simon,

    Is there a way to recover calendar entries, notes, etc from a firmware upgrade of iPhone 1.1.4 to 2.0.2? I did not do a sync prior to the upgrade, but i think the upgrade did it’s own backup (silent backup?) prior to the 2.2 upgrade. If so, how do i find that or how do I get back to that point?

    The problem occurred when I tried to install run Jailbreak after the 2.2 upgrade but jailbreak failed and i tried to restore using the general restore in iTunes to factory setting. I thought it would restore my calendar entries and notes, but apparently it did not.

    So any help that you can give would greatly be appreciated. Help!!

    Thanks.
    S.

  • Steve

    Correction, the upgrade was from 1.1.4 to 2.2, NOT 2.0.2.

    Thanks,
    S.

  • Hassan

    What about installer applications. Does AptBackup also backup those applications or just cydias apps

    • Luis

      For InstallOUS apps, you can open Installous, go to Settings and then turn on the “iTunes Sync”, so the next time you sync w/ iTunes, all your cracked apps will download to your computer, saving them

  • http://www.lyricshack.net iTunes Music Blog

    I cannot say how right you are!!! These other people have failed to see your point. I am going to put a link on my blog back to you ok?

  • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

    Sure, iTunes Music Blog. Feel free to share the link with others. :-)

  • http://www.itunessongs.net iTunes Music Blog

    Oh man that\’s great!!! You\’re so right, everyone to date has failed to even see that, kudos!!! I\’m going to link to your blog from my site, ok?

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  • Kenneth

    I attempted to ran AptBackup after installing but the screen just flicker .. I tried reloading the apps, no help. Also, if successful, how about the app setting, do you have experience with a reliable app for iphone4? Thanks

  • Kenneth

    I attempted to ran AptBackup after installing but the screen just flicker .. I tried uninstalling/installing the app, but it does not help.

    Also, how about backing up all those apps’ settings, do you have experience with a reliable app for iphone4? Thanks

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  • Zamon

    He Simon,

    any idea where APTBACKUP stores the list of cydia apps after backup. Trying to retrieve a list and edit it before restoring. Some apps are causing a crash when restoring.

    Tx,

    • Zamon

      btw. great blog :-)

  • http://journeytoprom.tumblr.com Rachel

    Hey!

    Thanks for the informative and straightforward post! This is probably one of the easiest to follow and understand posts on Aptbackup I’ve seen out there.

    I have one question: How do we know if our Cydia apps *have* been synced with iTunes once we sync our device? I’m looking at my Apps list, and obviously Aptbackup isn’t there because it’s a Cydia App… so how can we be sure the list is actually synced and there before we go ahead and upgrade our iOS? You’ve said on a more recent blog post that Aptbackup may not work (at least there have been instances), so how can I be sure the list is synced and there before I jump off this iOS cliff? Do I just have to trust that it’s there (I’d rather not…)

    Many thanks,

    Rachel