Updated Apps Not Opening? Workaround.

I shared in a previous post the trials we went through using Apple Configurator to update apps on our 30 deployed iPads. This took place Thursday afternoon and we thought we were in the clear Friday.

Friday morning, I started sorting the iPads into their crates for classroom usage and on a whim I tried to open Pages, one of the apps we updated. I desperately wanted this update, because (finally!) it allows Pages to communicate with Dropbox. I tapped the icon, the screen flashed, and then returned to the home screen. The same thing happened with GoodNotes, another app we had updated. I quickly went through the 30 iPads, and found only 12 had this issue.

By all appearances (and a quick google search) the only way to solve the issue was to push out another profile from Apple Configurator with those apps unchecked, then push it out again with the apps added, forcing the apps to reinstall. My problem: lost student data. Yes, we have backups, but I didn't want to deal with the hassle and not everything was completely backed up.

I knew there had to be another way to get these apps functioning without having to reinstall. I guessed at a solution - and it worked!!! Here's what I did:

- On each individual iPad (not using Apple Configurator) I went into our passcoded restrictions and allowed iTunes and the App Store. Then, I updated other apps manually (not Pages - remember, that was fully updated) that needed to be updated. Once I started this process, Pages magically worked again. Strange and weird. After the updates were finished, I set the restrictions again and we were good to go.

Lesson? Problem solving skills and a good amount of luck are needed for successful deployment.