How can I remove my app temporarily from the Apple App Store?

Question

I want to remove app temporarily from Apple app store. In the App Store (formerly iTunes) Connect dashboard under pricing and availability there is an option "Remove from sale". Will this remove the app completely ?

I want just to unpublish it for couple of weeks then return it back. If it does so, when I return it back available for sale, will it go again under review ? (same version no new binary).

Answer 1

You can remove the app from the store temporarily.

1. Open https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/apps
2. Select the app you need to remove
3. Select Pricing and Availability > Availability
4. Click Remove App From Sale at the bottom of the page

This will remove the app temporarily from the store. It may take a bit of time to be not available on the App Store. You will have a red dot specifying the developer remove the app from the store.

How to restore to App Store

You can restore the app by country under the App Availability heading.

Reviews and Ratings History

By doing the steps above, your reviews and ratings will be intact as long as you don't do anything else. I just restored an app today and everything was as I left it before.

App Review Afterwards

You do not need to go through app review again as long as you don't change the binary. It takes about 1 hour to get back on to the App Store if you're using a previously approved binary.

A new binary will trigger a new app review.

Answer 2

In my case, I have not published the app yet but you want to remove it then I did it in this way:

1. Login to https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/
2. Select the app that you want to remove
3. General -> App Information -> Scroll to bottom -> Remove App
4. Click Yes in the confirmation dialog. (This app name will be released for other developers to use, and the app will be moved to your Removed Apps list.)

If you want to see that again:

1. Click on all Apps
2. Select All Statuses dropdown at top right
3. Choose Removed Apps

Answer 3

In the iTunes Connect's > Pricing and Availability section you can easily switch between

• Available in all territories or Availability regions (0 of 175 countries or regions)
• Remove from sale

After selecting the right one you can just hit the Save button. It will not be removed or added immediately, it takes some time to change state in the AppStore.

Answer 4

Refer to this answer

• Open itunesconnect.apple.com

• Go to Manage Your Applications and select the app.

• Click Rights and Pricing (blue button at the top right.

• Below the availability date and price tier section, you should see a grid of checkboxes for the various countries your app is available in. Click the blue Deselect All button.

• Click Save Changes at the bottom.

Your app's state will then be Developer Removed From Sale, and it will no longer be available on the App Store in any country.

Example