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I followed these step to remove my app from the App Store but I don't see any "remove" option.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/jj193601.aspx

Does anyone have the same issue?

enter image description here

Kara
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Carolina Bauque
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5 Answers5

11

It seems the portal has changed since this was last answered. In August 2015 it appears the approach is to create a new submission and change the visibility in the submission to 'hidden' or 'link only' to remove an app from the appstore.

To add it back later you have to create another submission again and simply change it's visibility back by the looks of things.

sradforth
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  • do you know how this would work if you just want to make a windows 8/8.1 build unavailable but not the windows 10 build? – Joris Weimar Mar 07 '17 at 17:56
5

The instructions you found are for the Windows Store (ie. Windows 8.1 apps), but your screenshot shows the Dev Center for Windows Phone.

To update, hide or unpublish an app from the Windows Phone Dev Center...

  1. Login to the Dev Center
  2. Click on Apps on the left
  3. Select the app from the list shown
  4. Choose your desired action...

Windows Phone Dev Center

Neil Turner
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  • You're right, the link refers to the Windows Store :) Anyway, I was trying to remove it since I need to publish it under a different Microsoft account (from my customer) but I get an error saying that the app name has been reserved. – Carolina Bauque Jan 07 '15 at 21:59
  • as you unfortunately can't delete apps completely from your account you could try renaming it. perhaps that will free up your app name. – Thomas Jan 08 '15 at 11:49
  • @Thomas are you referring to the reports that remain after an app is deleted? – Neil Turner Jan 08 '15 at 15:16
  • @carobauque when you delete an app, I don't know how long it takes before that name is usable again – Neil Turner Jan 08 '15 at 15:17
  • afaik you cant delete apps, just unlist them - or has that changed? – Thomas Jan 08 '15 at 15:24
  • @carobauque you could also try [transferring the app to a new account](http://spasol.wordpress.com/2013/11/24/windows-phone-application-migration-from-one-account-to-another/)? – Neil Turner Jan 08 '15 at 21:02
  • @Thomas: Thanks for your tips. I tried the first thing you've mentioned about renaming the app and that worked immediately. Next time I'll consider your second suggestion. Could you please post your suggestions as an answer so I can accept it? – Carolina Bauque Jan 09 '15 at 19:47
  • Good to hear. I can't post as an answer yet as the topic is on hold. I will do so if/when the question is being moved to SO. – Thomas Jan 10 '15 at 11:43
  • @Thomas you should be able to now :) – Neil Turner Jan 10 '15 at 15:01
  • I cannot find a way to unpublish/delete my phone app (which is currently published in the store). A Microsoft statement here says you can't https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsapps/en-US/2638a6ba-d2f1-47c8-8dc5-e2b62b7605c0/how-to-remove-an-app-from-the-store-and-delete-it-from-my-account?forum=windowsstore – Nick Wright Nov 06 '15 at 10:20
2

Adding to @Thomas's answer there is a post on the MSDN forum stating that

"You can only remove it from the store, deleting apps from your dashboard is not possible once they have published".

The link added to the answer also provides some more information about app visibility in the store (scroll down to Distribution and visibility).

Update

As of now there seems to be a new option when you go to your developer dashboard and click on your app in question (on the left hand side). On the next page there is now a new link at the top right corner named Make app unavailable which you can click. After confirming the popup message

Making this app unavailable will prevent anyone from finding it in the 
Store, and no new customers will be able to get it. This will override any 
availability settings in your submissions. To undo this later, click Make 
app available from the app's overview page. Learn more 

Are you sure you want to make this app unavailable?

you will have removed the app from the store.

Gorgsenegger
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1

As it is not possible to completely delete an app from the Dev Center the only way to free up the app name is to rename your original application and then claim the name with your new account.

Thomas
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1

Updated: To make Make app unavailable

Removing-an-app-from-the-app-store

Make Unavailable

Mukesh M
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  • I've been trying for 4 days to remove the app from the store, but no luck. Get the confirmation pop-up, but the app status stays the same. They say in the help file that it can take a couple of hours. – supervan Mar 19 '18 at 09:27