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).

Solution 1

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.

Solution 2

You can remove the app from the store temporarily.

1. Open itunesconnect.apple.com
2. Select My Apps
3. Select the app you need to remove
4. Select Pricing and Availability > Availability
5. Remove from Sale > Save

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

Repeat steps 1-4, select which countries you want to restore, then save.

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. A new binary will trigger a new app review.

Solution 3

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