How to get an app removed from the app store

Here are some methods to recover the missing App Store Icon on iPhone or iPad, in case you are unable to find the App Store Icon on your iPhone and you are concerned that it may have been accidentally deleted.

How to get an app removed from the app store

Restore Missing App Store Icon On iPhone or iPad

In case you are worried about the possibility of App Store Icon being deleted on your iPhone, the good news is that it is not possible for you or anyone with access to your iPhone to delete the App Store Icon.

Although, it is possible to delete Apps on iPhone or iPad, certain native or permanent Apps and services like Messages, App Store & Others cannot be deleted from your iPhone.

Hence, the most likely possibility is that App Store Icon is misplaced somewhere on your iPhone or your device is preventing you from accessing the App Store.

With this reassurance, let us move ahead and try to recover the Missing App Store Icon on your iPhone or iPad.

1. Look For App Store On Your iPhone

It is quite possible that the App Store Icon is hiding in some mystery folder on your iPhone. Hence, it is a good idea to first ask your iPhone to check for the Missing App Store icon.

1. Swipe down on the screen of your iPhone

2. Next, type App Store in the search field.

How to get an app removed from the app store

Your iPhone should be able to bring up the App Store in the search results.

2. Reset Home Screen

It is possible that the App Store icon is hiding on a different Home screen. Hence, you can try resetting the home screen to make the App icons come back to their default places.

1. Tap on Settings > General.

How to get an app removed from the app store

2. On the next screen, scroll down all the way to the bottom and tap on Reset (See image below)

How to get an app removed from the app store

3. On the Reset Screen, tap on Reset Home Screen Layout option.

How to get an app removed from the app store

This will make the Home Screen Layout on your iPhone come back to its default settings, which should make it easy for you to locate the App store icon in its usual or default location.

3. Disable Restrictions on App Store

In case you cannot find the App store icon after looking everywhere on your iPhone, it is likely that your iPhone is preventing you from accessing the App Store.

This can happen, in case you had accidentally or intentionally placed restrictions on Installing of Apps on your iPhone.

1. Tap on Settings > Screen Time Content & Privacy Restrictions.

How to get an app removed from the app store

2. When Prompted, enter your four digit Screen Time Passcode.

How to get an app removed from the app store

3. Next, tap on iTunes & App Store Purchases > Installing Apps.

How to get an app removed from the app store

5. On Installing Apps screen, tap on Allowed option to enable Installing of Apps on your iPhone.

How to get an app removed from the app store

After this go back to the Home Screen and you should be able to find the missing App Store Icon on your iPhone.

Smartphone app stores are well established at this point, and as much as we love to see new apps become available, that also means the inevitable: sometimes apps go away. Here’s what you can do if your favorites disappear.

Why Do Apps Disappear?

Before we talk about how you can get apps that are no longer available to download from your phone’s respective app store, let’s first talk about why apps get removed in the first place.

Generally, this is a call by the developer; the app gets pulled because they no longer support it. Case in point: Epic Games recently pulled all versions of Infinity Blade from the iOS App Store for that exact reason. The company claimed lack of resources to support the games “at a level that meets [their] current standards.” Makes sense—if you’re going to do something, might as well do it right, after all.

More often than not, this is how it goes. The app becomes more trouble than it’s worth to continue supporting, its features get moved into another app from the same developer (and there’s no need for redundancy), or the developer is dissolved completely.

The good news is that if the app you’re looking for isn’t available for any of those reasons, you should still be able to re-download it if you’ve previously had it downloaded (this is especially true for paid apps).

That said, it’s worth noting that if the app has is removed by the app store company itself—Apple in the case of the iOS App Store or Google for the Play Store—then it’s most likely gone forever. If they pulled it, there’s a good reason for that so you can’t expect to get it back easily.

If the app is no longer in the app store, however, here’s the easiest way to get it back for both Android or iOS devices.

How to Download Apps That Are No Longer in the iOS App Store

If you’re an iOS user, your options are pretty limited—you have to get your apps from the App Store. Fortunately, if you bought or downloaded an app that is no longer available, you can probably still grab it.

First, fire up the App Store, then tap on the account icon in the top right corner.

How to get an app removed from the app store

From there, tap on “Purchased.”

How to get an app removed from the app store

To see all the apps that aren’t already on your phone or iPad (which is the likely scenario if you’re trying to pull something that’s no longer in the App Store), tap on “Not on this iPhone/iPad.”

How to get an app removed from the app store

From there, you can scroll through the list to find the app you want to install, then tap the little cloud icon on the right to download it. Easy peasy.

How to Download Apps That Are No Longer in Google Play

While you only have one option to download deprecated apps on iOS, there are a couple of ways to do this on Android: get it from the Google Play Store or download the APK and sideload the app. While the former is the most straightforward way, the latter offers a way to install apps that have been removed from Google Play completely.

How to Install Removed Apps from Google Play

First, open the Play Store, then open the menu by tapping the three lines in the top left (inside the search box).

How to get an app removed from the app store

From there, choose “My Apps & Games.”

How to get an app removed from the app store

Once this menu opens, choose “Library.” This will list every app you’ve ever downloaded from Google Play.

How to get an app removed from the app store

Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way to search this list, so if you’re looking for an older app, it could take quite a while to find it by scrolling through.

The good news is that you have another option: sideload the APK.

How to Sideload Apps That Are No Longer in Google Play

How to get an app removed from the app store

Sorting through an insane list of apps can be a huge pain, so in that case, it can be easier to sideload the app.

If you’ve never sideloaded an app before you’ll probably want to take a look at our full tutorial. It’s not a complicated process, but how you do it will depend on which version of Android your phone is running.

RELATED: How to Sideload Apps on Android

If you have sideloaded apps before and just need a good place to find something that is no longer in the Play Store, APK Mirror is your answer. It’s the best place on the net to grab Android apps to sideload. It’s a trustworthy source that only features free apps (there are no pirated apps on APK Mirror), and every app is legitimate. It’s also worth mentioning that there are several versions of some apps depending on the model of your phone and the hardware details. If you’re not sure which APK you should install, check out this primer.

So, for example, if let’s say you want to install Skitch (a now-defunct Evernote app). You’d simply grab the APK from APK Mirror and install it on your device using the above instructions. Nothing to it!

What happens if I remove an app from the App Store?

Do you still have it? If you download an application from the App Store, and it is removed from all App Stores on Apple devices, it will be removed from your purchase history within your device (part of Apple’s policy).

How do I install apps that have been removed from Google Play?

While the former is the most straightforward way, the latter offers a way to install apps that have been removed from Google Play completely. First, open the Play Store, then open the menu by tapping the three lines in the top left (inside the search box). From there, choose “My Apps & Games.” Once this menu opens, choose “Library.”

Can I still download an app after it has been removed?

If you downloaded the app on your iOS device, you may still be able to install it. Since the app has been removed from the store, you won't be able to re-download it, though. If you delete the app, it's gone forever—unless you have a friend with the app or you backed it up with an older version of iTunes . Apple removed the ability to sync apps ...

How to permanently delete an app?

For permanently delete your app follow below steps. Step 1 :- GO to My Apps App in iTunes Connect. Here you can see your all app which are currently on Appstore. Step 2 :- Select your app which you want to delete.(click on app-name) Step 3 :- Select Pricing and Availability Tab. Step 4 :- Select Remove from sale option.

How do I get an app that has been removed from the App Store?

How to redownload apps on iPhone or iPad.
Open the App Store app..
Tap the sign-in button or your photo at the top of the screen..
Tap Purchased..
If you use Family Sharing, tap My Purchases or choose a family member's name to see content that they purchased..
Tap "Not on this [device].".

Can an app get deleted from the App Store?

The app can be deleted if it violates the policies of the stores.

Why was my app removed from the App Store?

We are implementing an ongoing process of evaluating apps, removing apps that no longer function as intended, don't follow current review guidelines, or are outdated.

How do I permanently delete apps from my iPhone App Store?

Delete an app from App Library and Home Screen: Touch and hold the app in App Library, tap Delete App, then tap Delete. (See Find your apps in App Library.)