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 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"
   • 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
   • On Mac, hold Command+Shift+G, and paste ~/Library/Application Support/iMazing/Library
   • (Optional) Delete Apps.plist.backup
   
8. Pick the app to replace (e.g. 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"
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 preservation 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.