How to Restore iPhone Apps from iTunes Backup? [2023]

“How do I restore my iPhone apps from iTunes?”

Hello! I have just backuped my iPhone with iTunes and I noticed that there is about 5GB data in the backup file. I wonder whether iTunes backs up the apps in my iPhone. If it did so, why just 5GB data? Thanks a lot.

- Question from Zhengrong Zhao (iMore)

Like the user in the case, some users want to make it clear whether iTunes back up apps. So many users suffered from app data loss and are eager to get their apps back after reset or accidental deletion, or want to recover specific apps.

So, will iTunes backup restore apps? The answer is “NO”. But to restore iPhone apps from iTunes backup is feasible because iTunes won’t back up apps actually, but the app data instead. So the size of the backup will not be too large to occupy your storage space.

When a user tries to restore from iTunes backup, the user can get almost all contents and settings back, including the Home screen and app organization, but the apps need to be downloaded manually.

Now users could follow the tutorial below to restore iPhone apps from iTunes backup.

How to restore iPhone apps from iTunes backup?

iTunes can back up nearly the whole device, only excluding stuff like Face ID, Touch ID, Apple Pay info, and data that has already been covered in iCloud. Using iTunes enables users to restore app data from iTunes backup.

Notes:   

Since restoring from backups will wipe the device, it is suggested to make a backup of your current data beforehand. 

It is a better bet to archive your previous backups to avoid overwriting. Start iTunes, go to “Edit” > “Preferences” > “Devices” > right-click on your backup > “Archive”.

Using a lightning charging cable is recommended. 

If you have toggled on "Encrypt Local Backup", you could use this backup to restore Health data on iPhone.

Step 1. Run the latest version of iTunes. Connect your iPhone.

Step 2. Click the “iPhone” icon.

Step 3. Go to “Summary” > “Restore Backup”. Check if you have chosen the right backup you need.

Step 4. Then all contents will be restored from iTunes backup, and you will find all apps on your screen grey. Tap on each one to reinstall. It may take some time, please wait patiently.

Further Reading: how to restore WeChat app data?

If you are in need of WeChat app data, you don’t have to restore a whole backup from iTunes.

To restore WeChat app data and avoid labor-consuming operations, you could utilize MyRecover for iOS, a professional third-party iPhone data recovery tool.

It enables users to recover selected data to iPhone: deleted photos, videos, notes, voice memos, contacts, etc., including WeChat app data.

Notes: 

When you see “Trust This Computer?”, tap “Trust” on your device. 

Please keep the connection between your device and computer firm in the process.

Step 1. Install MyRecover for iOS on your PC, then connect your iPhone.

Step 2. Click “Scan Now”.

Step 3. All the recoverable data will be listed. Go to “WeChat” and select the data you need, then click “Recover”.

In just 3 steps, you could recover WeChat app data with the help of this tool.

Related suggestions

In this article, the method about how to restore iPhone apps from iTunes backup has been given pretty in detail. To prevent a future loss, there are some related suggestions.

• ✍ Update your apps in time.
• ✍ Back up data from time to time.
• ✍ Smartly manage your data storage schemes. Use more than one method to store your data.

Backups serve users as a data protector. With a backup, users could easily recover deleted data from iPhone.

But to create a more flexible backup but not a copy of your whole device, it is recommended to take advantage of FoneTool, which enables users to store their data selectively.

“Photos Backup” and “Full Backup” could securely save users’ data flexibly.