Apps Disappear After Restore

[Emmert]

After doing an iCloud restore of a backed up iPad, all of the previously installed apps are listed ... for a minute. Then they disappear before completing the installation, as though they've been revoked.

This is happening on old iTunes accounts, new ASM accounts, and iOS 9 and 10 iPads.

Anyone have a suggestion? The backups are essentially worthless now because app data is no longer being preserved.

[cdenesha]

When did it start? What happened just before? Are there any profiles restricting app usage?

[Emmert]

Apparently it's been doing this all year at one of our locations, but we haven't seen it at all in the building we're housed at, so we just found out last week it was going on.

There are profiles restricting app usage, but they shouldn't be scoped to these random students. There is a disable app store profile that everyone has, and an "iPad jail that's scoped to a smart group for apps that are not in the app catalog, but I believe all of the apps this student has are in the app catalog.

So far I've tried updating the JSS to 9.96, renewing the VPP token, and turning off our caching service.

I suspect it's related to VPP somehow and the JSS is revoking the apps as soon as the restore finishes, but I'm not sure where to go next.

[lehmanp00]

We have seen this as well. Very intermittent however so its been hard to troubleshoot. Definitely tied to VPP. Also as we have added more caching servers, it has become less of a problem.

JSS 9.96 with 9.3.x and 10.x iOS devices.

Here are the steps we take to get the apps back on:

In JSS clear all commands from that device

Hard reset the device (hold down power and home button until it reboots)

Inventory update device in JSS.

Re-install apps.

[Emmert]

Yes, getting the apps back on isn't the problem. Sending an inventory update and blank push makes the auto-install apps reappear like they're supposed to and Self Service works fine for the rest.

The problem is that the local data in those apps is lost, effectively making the restore pointless.

[lehmanp00]

Have you tried an iTunes backup Restore? Not sure if that will solve this issue, but it did work much better for us than an iCloud restore.

[Emmert]

Yes, I checked with the team and we tried an iTunes backup/restore with one of the affected students - same results.

[lehmanp00]

We are seeing it even on brand new installs with no restore. The apps come down, then get pulled back but only intermittently. Have not looked any more into than that. I was hoping the iTunes restore would help as that helps with iOS10 setup issues with MDMs but sounds like it doesn't.

[cdenesha]

Is this location using device assigned apps? There may be a window of 2-5 minutes where the app licenses are not yet assigned, but I'm not sure what would happen. Are there removal commands in History?

If this is what is happening we need to get the licenses assigned before the initial Update Inventory. You could try turning off WiFi immediately after enrollment for a couple of minutes.. hoping the backup will continue Restoring. Or perhaps keep it Managed in Casper the entire time - don't send a Wipe command from Casper.

[Emmert]

Yes, these should all be device assigned apps. In the JSS history tab for the device there's a listing for all the auto-install stuff that it eventually gets, but no removal message for the stuff that's disappearing.

We could try an iTunes restore with wifi turned off, I think.

[sdahleen]

This is happening to us too. New devices and after restore. Also the layout won't arrange right. Any good fixes out there?

[Harrie]

same issue here. Apps downloaded from the App Store disappear after a while from the iPhone Anyone a solution?

[RLR]

We've given up on iCloud restores. They're just too flaky and don't work most of the time because the apps get partially restored before the VPP license is applied so they get stuck.

[slpiket]

I don't have a solution, but wanted to mention that I am seeing a similar issue. I am using Jamf School (JS) and several of my 20 or so apps have suddenly disappeared from the iPads running iOS 14. If I try the app reinstall feature in JS and it does nothing. If I remove and reinstall the app it does reinstall and is there until I do a refresh of the managed apps (which I think is similar to an update inventory). Then the apps disappear again. Since I only have a small # of devices I did a wipe and reinstall and so far things are ok.