How can I know if I downloaded an App that is no longer available in the App Store?

It's very important that I am able find out if, in the past, I had downloaded a particular app to my iPhone. The problem is that this app is no longer available on through the App Store, so, to my understanding, it will not show up under my phone's App Store > Updates > Purchased > Not On This iPhone list. Is there any way at all to go about this?

AJP24 said:

It's very important that I am able find out if, in the past, I had downloaded a particular app to my iPhone. The problem is that this app is no longer available on through the App Store, so, to my understanding, it will not show up under my phone's App Store > Updates > Purchased > Not On This iPhone list. Is there any way at all to go about this?

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Well, you're being somewhat mysterious - what is the name of the app? Also, let us know what iPhone model you own and what iOS version is installed - Dave

Dave -- I have an iPhone 5 (model NE486LL/A) running 10.2.1. The app shall remain nameless.

Yes, once the App is no longer in the "App Store", you will not be able to get it. It happened with the Mac-Forums App, I had it, but deleted it and now I can't get it anymore. It also seems to be the same thing with the "Mac App Store" and "iBooks Store". As Apple routinely says, we/you are responsible for backing up your purchases. If you had downloaded the App into iTunes, and kept it up to date, it would still be there. If you have it in your Time Machine backup, or other backup, you could restore it from there.

On another note. I would like to try to add an app from one of my iTunes accounts into my other iTunes account to see if it is still useable. I assume, if I purchased the "app", then I add it from another source, it should still work, but I haven't tried it yet.

ferrarr said:

Yes, once the App is no longer in the "App Store", you will not be able to get it. It happened with the Mac-Forums App, I had it, but deleted it and now I can't get it anymore. It also seems to be the same thing with the "Mac App Store" and "iBooks Store". As Apple routinely says, we/you are responsible for backing up your purchases. If you had downloaded the App into iTunes, and kept it up to date, it would still be there. If you have it in your Time Machine backup, or other backup, you could restore it from there.

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I am quite diligent with backups; I back my phone up to iCloud and my computer to both Time Machine and an external cloud service. Pardon my lack of knowledge, but where would I check in either iTunes or Time Machine for a deleted app purchase? I do not actually need to restore it on my phone, but prove that I did in fact have it on my phone at one point in time.

@AJP24

No worries or apologies about "your lack of knowledge" - that goes for all of us in one way or another.

You could try this:

First find out where your iTunes Media Folder is located. To do this, open iTunes > Preferences > Advanced - and there you will see "location of iTunes Media Folder". Make a note of the location. In most cases this will be something like Mac HD > Users > Your Name > Music, but could be different.

Now close out of iTunes.

Open Finder - and follow the path to your iTunes Media Folder. Click on it to highlight it. Then you will see a list. Click on Mobile Applications. This will list all your current iDevice(s) apps.

Now, keeping that window open, Click on the Time Machine (TM) icon in the Top Menu Bar of your Mac (do NOT try to enter TM by any other means). From the Drop Down > Enter Time Machine.

On your right will be a Timeline extending back as far as you have backed up. Try to think of a time when you were reasonably sure you had this app. Choose that time from the Timeline. Be patient. It will settle on that time, with the Mobile Applications window showing.

Scroll down the list - the app will be listed alphabetically. Found it? Okay, cancel out of TM as you don't want to Restore it (you said). Not there. Choose another date. Do the same. Then another date if need be. When finished, cancel out of TM.

Don't do anything else or mess with TM.

Please post back.

Ian

It will only show if you downloaded the app in question from your iPhone to your computer, or if you downloaded it through iTunes itself. Your Apps do not back up to iCloud, only some of their information does.

ferrarr said:

It will only show if you downloaded the app in question from your iPhone to your computer, or if you downloaded it through iTunes itself. Your Apps do not back up to iCloud, only some of their information does.

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That's absolutely true, of course. Worth a try, though.

ian

IWT said:

That's absolutely true, of course. Worth a try, though.

ian

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Definitely worth a try; I checked even though I would have downloaded it directly to my phone and not through iTunes or transferred it to my computer. Sounds like we're almost out of options...I was just wondering if, when you say "...only some of their information does..." if there is any way to check this "backed up information." Even a snippet of code, auxiliary files, etc. If I did download this app (actually a friend would have been the one to download it to my phone, which is why I'm not 100% if it was actually ever downloaded...although I know the month and year it would have been), it's REALLY important that I can prove it was on my phone for even a short period of time. So...I'm willing to go ANY lengths to check if it was.

Maybe you can check your email receipts from the iTunes Store?

@Bob:

It happened with the Mac-Forums App, I had it, but deleted it and now I can't get it anymore.

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Send me a good email address in a PM and I'll attach the Mac-Forums app to you using Apple Mail drop. I have the archived *.ipa file. That is if you still want it.

chscag said:

@Bob:



Send me a good email address in a PM and I'll attach the Mac-Forums app to you using Apple Mail drop. I have the archived *.ipa file. That is if you still want it.

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Thanks chscag, I'm good. I use Safari on my iPad. And, I don't even think about visiting the forums using my iPhone.