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How to back up iPhone apps no longer in AppStore

I am using iPhone 6S Plus and planning to upgrade to iPhone XS Max. I use an app installed on my phone that contains some imp information about my business. The developer no longer has this app available on app store.


When I back-up and restore on XS Max, I want to make sure I am able port this app over. What can I do to make this happen? I know a friend who lost this app in that process.

Posted on May 22, 2019 1:56 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 22, 2019 3:05 PM

If it is not in the App Store any longer, restoring an iCloud or iTunes backup will not restore that app to your device. App installers are not part of a backup (and never have been). A backup simply contains pointers to download apps from the App Store during the restoration process.


If the app has not been updated to work in iOS 12 it would not run in an iPhone XS anyway.


If you can extract or save the data from the app to some readable format (txt, csv file or some other simple format you can open and read in another app or computer program) then you should do so.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 22, 2019 3:05 PM in response to priyank2101

If it is not in the App Store any longer, restoring an iCloud or iTunes backup will not restore that app to your device. App installers are not part of a backup (and never have been). A backup simply contains pointers to download apps from the App Store during the restoration process.


If the app has not been updated to work in iOS 12 it would not run in an iPhone XS anyway.


If you can extract or save the data from the app to some readable format (txt, csv file or some other simple format you can open and read in another app or computer program) then you should do so.

May 22, 2019 2:53 PM in response to priyank2101

There is no way to guarantee the app will return, however it should from your backup. However, if I was in your shoes, I would make sure that I get all of the information from that app before I try any kind of upgrade. If the app is no longer available in the App Store, then you have no recourse, and the data is only available in the app. This kinds of things are what happen when developers remove apps from the store.

How to back up iPhone apps no longer in AppStore

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