Universal How to retrieve app data from iPhone backup if the app is no longer supported on current iOS?

[subjonas]

I’ve been using the Music Memos app on borrowed time for the last however many years. Apple notified users awhile back that the app was going to be discontinued and to export all recordings to the Voice Memos app library. I did this, but I also kept using Music Memos because I needed its functionality and there was no better substitute, and it was still usable all this time. I exported any recordings that I liked to Garageband, but I’m not 100% sure I got all of them. I recently updated my phone from iOS 17 to 18 and the app finally no longer opens, so I’m unable to double check if there were any recordings I missed. I did back up my phone to my Mac before I updated, but even if I restore my phone to the old iOS 17 backup, I don’t think it will actually let me downgrade iOS, right? So I would still be on iOS 18 and the Music Memos app still wouldn’t be able to open, right? I was thinking maybe I could find an old iPhone that can’t update past iOS 17 and try restoring to that, but then the next question is would the Music Memos app be restored or does it need to re-download from the App Store? Would it be able to re-download since it was discontinued?
Appreciate any help!

 

[User #07242024]

Music Memos is still available in my Purchased list of apps so you can download it on old iPhones.

Perhaps iMazing can help you with backup and app data

Manage and Download Apps (.ipa) without iTunes

imazing.com

 

[subjonas]

Music Memos is still available in my Purchased list of apps so you can download it on old iPhones.

Perhaps iMazing can help you with backup and app data

Manage and Download Apps (.ipa) without iTunes

imazing.com

Awesome, I’ll see if my old iPhone will turn on and try it out, thanks!

I’m still using iTunes on Mac. I was planning to just use that to restore my last iPhone backup to the old iPhone, then use the old iPhone to open the Music Memos app and export any recordings via either a cloud service or AirDrop to my current iPhone. Will that not work or do you know if iMazing would make it easier?

 

[subjonas]

Music Memos is still available in my Purchased list of apps so you can download it on old iPhones.

Perhaps iMazing can help you with backup and app data

Manage and Download Apps (.ipa) without iTunes

imazing.com

So I just tried to restore my backup to my old SE1 but the phone was too old so the backup wasn't compatible. The SE1 only went up to iOS 15 but the backup was on iOS 17 (I thought when the backup restores it would just use the latest iOS compatible with the phone, but no). Upon researching which iPhone I have to use in order to be able to restore, I found out that iOS 17 was a skip year--meaning iOS 18 didn't drop support for any phones. So any phone that is compatible with iOS 17 will be forced to update to iOS 18 when I restore it, which means it won't be able to open the Music Memos app. So it looks like are zero options to retrieve the data. Lol it's pretty hilarious actually--thwarted at every turn 😂😭

Do you know if maybe iMazing has any function that can work around this situation? Maybe extract app data from a backup without having to restore it to a phone? If not, then I think I was destined to lose whatever recordings were in there...

 

[Slartibart]

you won’t be forced to update from iOS 17 to 18.

 

[User #07242024]

So I just tried to restore my backup to my old SE1 but the phone was too old so the backup wasn't compatible. The SE1 only went up to iOS 15 but the backup was on iOS 17 (I thought when the backup restores it would just use the latest iOS compatible with the phone, but no). Upon researching which iPhone I have to use in order to be able to restore, I found out that iOS 17 was a skip year--meaning iOS 18 didn't drop support for any phones. So any phone that is compatible with iOS 17 will be forced to update to iOS 18 when I restore it, which means it won't be able to open the Music Memos app. So it looks like are zero options to retrieve the data. Lol it's pretty hilarious actually--thwarted at every turn 😂😭

Do you know if maybe iMazing has any function that can work around this situation? Maybe extract app data from a backup without having to restore it to a phone? If not, then I think I was destined to lose whatever recordings were in there...

I don’t use iMazing but perhaps this can help: https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-export-backup-and-transfer-ios-apps-data-and-settings

 

[subjonas]

you won’t be forced to update from iOS 17 to 18.

Oh really? I could have sworn. Maybe it only forces when you restore from iCloud. Anyway, that would be great! Now if only I had an iPhone compatible with 17 that isn’t already on 18… Ugh I wish there was Time Machine for iOS, and/or some simpler way to access data.

 

[subjonas]

I don’t use iMazing but perhaps this can help: https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-export-backup-and-transfer-ios-apps-data-and-settings

Awesome thanks, I’ll check that out