Downloading Removed Apps.md

Download .ipa files removed from purchased tab.

Due to unknown reasons, apps you had previously purchased can no longer be downloaded from the App Store or iTunes. However, it turns out these applications can still be accessed using iMazing's app downloading feature. This is because iMazing downloads apps using a different endpoint from what iTunes uses.

This app must be purchased on your Apple ID. You cannot just download any app ever made. Apple only lets you download apps you had bought or downloaded in the past.

Requirements for this tutorial:

• iMazing (Windows or Mac)
• Plist editor (ProperTree is free and cross platform, requires Python)
• Any iOS Device (iMazing requires an iOS device to access the application manager)
• Lightning (or 30-pin connector) to connect the iOS device to your computer
• App ID (Number such as 1053533457) of app to download
  • The app you would like to download must have been previously purchased on your Apple ID
  • You must be able to access the Apple ID
• Any app installed on the iOS device.

Finding the App ID

The easiest place to find an App ID is to find the original iTunes link.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/color-switch/id1053533457 (The number after /id is the App ID).

• Search engines such as Google often still have the app's iTunes page as a result
• News articles and Review sites can have a link to view the iTunes page
• Reveal trailers and promotional media will contain a link to the iTunes page

You may also request your personal data from Apple to find the ID.

• Make sure to select "Apple Media Services information" when requesting data
• This can take about a week to get
• Find it in Apple_Media_Services/Stores Activity/Account and Transaction History/Store Transaction History.csv or Apple_Media_Services/Stores Activity/Account and Transaction History/Store Free Transaction History.csv
  • The App ID is listed as an "Item Reference Number"

Downloading the app:

1. Plug your device into your computer
2. Open iMazing. When prompted to back up your device, select 'Later'

3. Select "Manage Apps"

4. If prompted, sign into your Apple ID

5. After a moment, a list of applications installed on your iOS device will appear. Make sure the app you want to replace has a gray checkmark

• Select the Library tab

• If it has a green checkmark, right click and "Delete from Library"
• While you are here, check if the app you would like to install is already listed. If so, download it and skip to step 12

6. Close iMazing. Make sure iMazing Mini is also closed.

7. Open Apps.plist in your .plist editor of choice.

• If using Propertree, double click the .bat (Windows) or .command (Mac) file, and select File > Open in the Menu Bar
• On Windows, paste %appdata%\iMazing\Library into the location bar
  • If this does not work, paste %appdata%\Roaming\iMazing\Library (Some older Windows versions use this location instead)
• On Mac, hold Command+Shift+G, and paste ~/Library/Application Support/iMazing/Library.
• (Optional) Delete Apps.plist.backup.

8. Pick the app to replace (In this case, I chose com.adobe.Adobe-Reader). Modify:

• storeID (Replace with App ID)
• The name of the Dictionary (Optional, change it to something different)
• bundleID (Optional, change it to something different)

9. Save the .plist and close. Re-open iMazing and re-enter "Manage Apps" (Step 3)
10. The app you replaced should sync back, and a duplicate should appear. Download this duplicate.

11. After the duplicate is downloaded, exit the app manager and re-enter it.

• On older versions of iMazing, the download will fail. This is only visual, the download actually did take place in the background.

12. Your app should now appear, but it is missing important information. Click the trash can to delete it, and click the download button again.

13. You have now downloaded the delisted app. Right click and "Export .IPA" to save it to your desktop

What to do with the .ipa file

The .ipa file on your desktop is an "encrypted" .ipa file. Like any other app downloaded from iTunes, it will only be usable on devices with your Apple ID. You may also choose to "decrypt" (or "crack") the app to remove this restriction and make it easier to archive.

Use this tutorial to crack the app on any legacy version of iOS.

Feel free to check out iOS preservestion projects such as iPhoneOS Obscura if you would like to archive old iOS apps.

About this tutorial

This tutorial was tested on OS X El Capitan and Windows 10 with iMazing 2.15.8.

Can I just say THANK YOU SO MUCH for this??? It literally worked flawlessly. I can't thank you enough, I've been looking for this app that was removed from my purchased tab for years now. I wasted countless hours emailing Apple Support and the dev himself but nobody was willing to help me. Who knew it could be THIS easy!? THANK YOU <3

download didn't work for me, but install to device did, then I just used clutch

nvm, it's in imazing after a reboot

a big thank you. so frustrated these many years without my pulled apps (some paid). will definitely upload to obscura!

So easy. Love getting back apps that I paid for and developers removed from my purchase tab. Thanks a bunch buddy, you are a saviour.

Works! But is there any way to downgrade apps via this method?

If you use appspy.com to determine the ID for your app, you have to click the download on the app store button. It will redirect to an iTunes store page with the proper ID that works.

can you make a video on it so I can understand 100%? (I'm using Windows and a downgraded IPod touch 4G.

the tutorial is about as clear as it gets just follow the instructions lol

If you use appspy.com to determine the ID for your app, you have to click the download on the app store button. It will redirect to an iTunes store page with the proper ID that works.

Use AppAdvice as well

does the cracking of the IPA file cause any problems with the OS further into the future? I just want to know if it is safe to use and wont break my phone

does the cracking of the IPA file cause any problems with the OS further into the future? I just want to know if it is safe to use and wont break my phone

Cracking apps should not affect your phone in any way.
In order to crack apps though, you need to be jailbroken, which does have a small risk of losing your data, and can trigger jailbreak detection even after you remove it. I would recommend using a different device if possible. Also, if you are on the latest version of iOS it is very likely you can't jailbreak and crack apps anyways.