Every modern iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch has access to a feature called Automatic Downloads, which can be used a bit differently than intended as a means to remotely install apps onto iOS devices from a computer. All you need is iTunes on OS X or Windows logged into the same Apple ID as what’s used on the iOS device, and the rest is easier than you’d probably expect.
A quick overview for the unfamiliar: Automatic App Downloads is aimed at simplifying app management for users who own multiple iOS devices. The basic idea behind Automatic Downloads is that if you choose to download an app on an iPhone, it will also download over on your iPad, without the user having to go find it again on the App Store. This is certainly convenient, but using it as a remote installer from a computer is perhaps even more useful for many of us.
Download and install iTunes 12.6.3 onto the computer, you can install it over iTunes 12.7 or a prior.
- iTunes installed in Mac OS X or for Windows PC (11+ is recommended)
Download iTunes for Mac or PC and discover a world of endless entertainment. Music, movies, TV shows, and more all come together here. Note that if you have Automatic App Downloads enabled on multiple iOS devices, each download begun from the iTunes App Store on a Mac/PC will go to all iOS devices with that feature enabled on them. For now, there’s no fine-tuned control in iTunes over what app goes to where, so if you don’t want those universal installs you will need to.
The new iTunes give no explanation at all about what happened to your library of apps or where to find it. There are articles showing up explaining simply that Apple removed all iOS apps from iTunes and that you are supposed to now manage your apps on your iOS device. However, your library of purchased iOS apps is not visible on your iOS device. Download macOS Catalina for an all‑new entertainment experience. Your music, TV shows, movies, podcasts, and audiobooks will transfer automatically to the Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books apps where you’ll still have access to your favorite iTunes features, including purchases, rentals, and imports. Download mac os for windows 7 32 bit.
- iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with an iOS version that supports Automatic Downloads (7.0+ is recommended)
- Same Apple ID / iCloud account logged into iTunes as the iOS device
The requirements are generic enough that just about every iPhone/iPad owner will be able to use this. Now all you need to do is enable the feature and learn to use it for remote app installations.
In iOS: Turn on Automatic App Downloads
Grab the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and enable Automatic App Downloads:
1. Open the “Settings” app and choose “iTunes & App Store”
2. Look under “Automatic Downloads” and toggle “Apps” to be ON
3. Optional and data plan dependent: decide whether to “Use Cellular Data” or not
You do not need to enable the Automatic Updates feature for this to work. Because Automatic Updates can significantly drain battery by running and updating your apps on it’s own, it’s often a good idea to keep that turned off and selectively manage your own app updating, particularly for users with many apps installed.
Whether or not to use cellular data really depends on your individual cellular plan. If you have unlimited data, keeping it on is not a big deal, but for those with bandwidth caps (which is most iPhone users) you’ll probably want to keep cellular usage off.
That’s it for the iOS side of things, now you can remotely install apps from iTunes on a desktop computer, which we’ll cover next.
In iTunes on the Desktop: Start a Download / Remote App Installation
Triggering the remote download/install from a Mac OS X or Windows PC running iTunes is now possible, just be sure to log into the same Apple ID that is used on the iOS device:
1. Open iTunes and head to the “iTunes Store”, then choose the “App Store” tab to browse iOS apps
2. Select any app (free or paid, doesn’t matter) and choose to either Buy or Download by selecting the appropriate button under the app icon
You’ll (usually) need to confirm the iTunes / Apple ID login to initiate the first download. Once authenticated, the iTunes play bar will note that an app is downloading and show a progress bar, indicating that the remote app install has started as well.
The screenshot example below uses the currently trendy Splashy Fish game to demonstrate this:
Meanwhile, on the iOS device (an iPhone shown in example screen shot), that very same Splashy Fish game is downloading as well. In a few moments, it will be done installing and the iOS device is good to go.
Apps installed remotely through Automatic Download load the same way as if installed directly from the App Store within iOS, when they’re finished the app name will change from “Loading…” and have a blue dot next to it.
Congratulations, you just installed your first iOS app remotely, triggered entirely from your computer with iTunes! Yes, this works when re-downloading apps too.
You’ll find this is really useful for loading up games and apps on home-based iOS devices while you’re away from them. Perhaps you’re at work and talking about an app but you left your iPad at home on the coffee table? No big deal, use this trick to install the app while you’re at the office and miles away from home, that app will be installed and waiting for you when you return to the iPad. Or maybe you’re upstairs on your Mac while your iPhone is charging downstairs, but you want to install a game while it’s temporarily available for free? No sweat, launch iTunes on the computer, head to the App Store, and get started downloading it to the iOS device remotely.
Note that if you have Automatic App Downloads enabled on multiple iOS devices, each download begun from the iTunes App Store on a Mac/PC will go to all iOS devices with that feature enabled on them. For now, there’s no fine-tuned control in iTunes over what app goes to where, so if you don’t want those universal installs you will need to turn off the feature on those extra device(s).
Source:osxdaily.com
The latest version of iTunes now comes installed with macOS Mojave.
You can always download iTunes 12.8 for previous versions of macOS, as well as the application for Windows.
To play 720p HD video, an iTunes LP, or iTunes Extras, a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor is required
To play 1080p HD video, a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor and 2GB of RAM is required
Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater; 1280x800 or greater is required to play an iTunes LP or iTunes Extras
Internet connection to use Apple Music, the iTunes Store, and iTunes Extras
Apple combo drive or SuperDrive to create audio, MP3, or backup CDs; some non-Apple CD-RW recorders may also work. Songs from the Apple Music catalog cannot be burned to a CD.
Software:
OS X version 10.10.5 or later
400MB of available disk space
Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
Apple Music trial requires sign-up and is available for new subscribers only. Plan automatically renews after trial.
PC with a 1GHz Intel or AMD processor with support for SSE2 and 512MB of RAM
To play standard-definition video from the iTunes Store, an Intel Pentium D or faster processor, 512MB of RAM, and a DirectX 9.0–compatible video card is required
To play 720p HD video, an iTunes LP, or iTunes Extras, a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 1GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X3000, ATI Radeon X1300, or NVIDIA GeForce 6150 or better is required
To play 1080p HD video, a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 2GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X4500HD, ATI Radeon HD 2400, or NVIDIA GeForce 8300 GS or better is required
Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater; 1280x800 or greater is required to play an iTunes LP or iTunes Extras
16-bit sound card and speakers
Internet connection to use the iTunes Store and iTunes Extras
iTunes-compatible CD or DVD recorder to create audio CDs, MP3 CDs, or backup CDs or DVDs.
Software:
Windows 7 or later
64-bit editions of Windows require the iTunes 64-bit installer
400MB of available disk space
Some third-party visualizers may no longer be compatible with this version of iTunes. Please contact the developer for an updated visualizer that is compatible with iTunes 12.1 or later.
Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
Looking for other versions?
Looking for iTunes for Mac or PC?
How To Download Apps From Itunes On Pc
Return to this page on your Mac or PC for the free download of iTunes