How to install an iOS app using iTunes

Meantime I've figure it out how to do it.

I copied the .ipa file from PC, went to iTunes, right-clicked on Devices name in the left side bar and selected "Paste". And that's it. The app was installed on my phone.

You are a genius.

iTunes version - 12.10.7.3
I had to drag the ipa file and drop it in the left pane under "On My Device". Then itunes header/ player bar started syncing the file and the app was installed after it finished syncing

it works ! thank you so much @powerman ! i was thinking installing the older version of itunes would solve my problem

This is unbelievable. I cannot believe I found this forum. I have had an app for - I don't know - 7 years..? 'TWiT'. It plays all programs that have been recorded on the TWiT network. It has them archived and you can either listen to audio, or watch videos of the shows.

Well, it hasn't been in the App Store for quite some time now. When I switched from a 6s to a 7, I used iMazing to move the TWiT.ipa app from the 6s to the 7 using the iMazing GUI. It worked.

But now - I just got an iPhone 12 and iMazing doesn't work. None of those solutions were working and I was getting very frustrated, because I really like listening to those shows. The TWiT app that's now available on the App Store is nowhere near as good. It only allows for watching the shows in real time.

So I saw the suggestion above thinking there's no way this is going to work. With all the shenanigans I've gone through to try to get this old app on this swanky new 12 - well... I just couldn't believe it was going to work. But dang sure enough... I slid the left side of my iTunes window to the right so I could see the TWiT 1180.ipa in Windows explorer (I use a Lenovo for my main iTunes), grabbed the app - and dragged it right onto the left panel of iTunes, under my phone's name under 'Devices', like right on to where 'Music' and 'Movies', 'TV', etc. are listed - and BOOM! I saw it being copied over up in the status bar!

Couldn't believe it. Checked my phone's desktop and sure enough - there it was!

I have to thank profusely alexfromhome and powerman.
Genius...

I've tried this out but it doesn't work. It tells me to authorize my computer, I authorize it, try it again but then still get this message. So can anyone help me??

I tried both right clicking and drag the ipa but nothing work. And then i try to copy the ipa, open itunes - edit (on the menu bar) and paste. Voila the app is now on my phone.

I try to copy the .ipa and drag it but it just doesn't appear? When I copy the file, click on the edit button in the menu bar, all the options are greyed out even though I had copied the .ipa? Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

UPDATE: sorry, I'm not the brightest, I hadn't even connected my phone to my laptop with the cable, that's why it didn't show up. oops.

This no longer works in iOS15 and the latest itunes. Although it will copy your app over, on your iphone it starts installing then says "must be installed from app store." If the app is no longer there in the store, it will not install and the app will be useless (Showing with the cloud download button, which won't work).

Any new solution in 2021?

this did not work now, I tried it on Ituens 12.10.11.2, it indeed was showing sync the app, but after this it completed, there was nothing happen.

@shackrock Its a bit of a 50/50 but if you have the .ipa files installed you can use 3utools to sign it and transfer on your phone. As long as if its an unaltered file it seems to work.

I installed an iOS app (.ipa file) on my iPad using iTunes for PC (with Windows 10 21H2). The iPad's UDID is listed in Apple Developer Console list of devices. So it is a Developer test ipa for a test device. I've connected the iPad to the PC after iTunes was started and was able to install the ipa by dragging it to iTunes and dropping it on the left lower "On my Device" pane. I started iTunes after the iPad was connected to the PC and was able to install the ipa by dragging it to iTunes and dropping it on the left lower "Devices" pane.

iTunes 12.11.3.17 (64-bit) iOS 15.4.1 iPad Pro 3th generation

This no longer works in iOS15 and the latest itunes. Although it will copy your app over, on your iphone it starts installing then says "must be installed from app store." If the app is no longer there in the store, it will not install and the app will be useless (Showing with the cloud download button, which won't work).

Any new solution in 2021?

This no longer works in iOS15 and the latest itunes. Although it will copy your app over, on your iphone it starts installing. it will not install and the app will be useless (Showing with the cloud download button, which won't work).

Any new solution in 2022?

You can transfer an ipa file from a Mac to an iPhone via AirDrop. You right-clicked on an ipa file name in Finder and click Share>AirDrop in popup menu. It's working on me.