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Apple has introduced the possibility of deleting an app. Quoting the iTunes Connect guide:

If you have created an app in iTunes Connect that you no longer need to see or manage, you can delete it from your iTunes Connect view. Deleting your app will not allow you to re-use your SKU or App Name and you will not be able to restore your app once deleted.

So far so good. Then it gets slightly confusing:

If you are selling your app to another developer for their own distribution and need to remove it from your iTunes Connect account, we recommend that you use App Delete so the App Name will be freed up for their use.

Does this mean that I won't be able to reuse the name in my account, but other accounts will? Has anybody tried this?

hpique
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8 Answers8

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Please see Removing an App From Sale (page 92) section on iTunes Connect Developer Guide 6.3

  1. Click "Rights and Pricing"
  2. Go to the sale territories section. There is a link near the end
  3. Click on the "Deselect all" button to uncheck all App Store territories.
  4. Click on the "Save Changes" button.

After removing all assigned territory checkboxes from your app in the Rights and Pricing section,, the status changes to Developer Removed from Sale and your app will not be seen on the App Store within 24 hours.

pion
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    5. The Delete button is only shown once step 4 is complete --> delete. – Johnny Rockex May 20 '13 at 13:18
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    This isn't the answer. Delete an app is very different than remove for sale. People who came here are following a way to delete the app as the title says. Actually Apple isn't showing the delete button in appropriated statuses as they say. The official documentation says you can delete the app when: - Prepare for Upload - Waiting for Upload - Developer Removed from Sale - Many others I have an app unchecked in all territories and "waiting for upload" and I can't delete it. My client wants to publish in their account, he changed mind after development process, and I can't release the name. – Douglas Fischer Nov 28 '13 at 19:02
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    It is also possible to work around this iTunes Connect bug by getting the appropriate URL from the other buttons for "App actions".            I had one app where the delete button was missing and another one where it was shown. Replacing the very last part of e.g the URL for transferring the app by the part for the delete button worked. In my case, the "Transfer App" URL was `https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/[lots of numbers].15.1`. I then replaced `15.1` by `19.7.1`, entered that URL in the address bar and my app was deleted. – mrueg Dec 03 '13 at 09:46
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    Confimed - mrueg's answer worked for me. App was immediately deleted (be careful, there's no confirmation dialog - it goes instantly) – Nande Dec 04 '13 at 05:10
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    i´m facing this problem right now but @mrueg answer is not working for me :(. My transfer app URL is `https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/[numebers].17.1` and then i replace `17.1` for `19.7.1` and nothing happens... i know they are not the exact same numbers but... any ideas?? – VaroX Apr 23 '14 at 15:40
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    I already have deselect all territories under rights and pricing. But Why my working app still shows "Prepare for Upload", and "Delete" button doesn't show? – S1U May 09 '14 at 12:36
  • @s1u Bcoz apple updated or removed this functionality. We can't delete app anymore. – Gajendra K Chauhan Jul 29 '15 at 14:17
  • I've checked it by "Inspect elements" in Safari browser. I found it "Are you sure you want to delete " " ? This line is disabled by Apple. Delete button is not active. – Gajendra K Chauhan Aug 05 '15 at 06:23
  • The url of that app on appstore still exists when searching on google! Is there a way to remove it since my app no longer exist!? – Christopher Nassar May 14 '16 at 07:36
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It's possible to salvage the situation. I also made a mistake and forgot to type com.XX part when entering the Bundle ID. My app was not live yet, but once you submit BundleID, it's not possible to change it.

What you can change though, is the "App Name". Thus:

  1. Change the app name into something bogus
  2. Add new app, now using correct Bundle ID and type the original name
  3. Re-upload everything
Aleksandar Vacić
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  • I am in the same situation right now - our app is "approved for sale" but the bundle ID is accidentally omitting the com.XX part. Is there any way to salvage the situation now? And - is this really a situation? Is there any downside to having the bundle ID formatted the way we have it? – radven Dec 21 '10 at 00:14
  • I would say no, but you'll have to check with Apple. Trouble is, once you go on sale and people buy with that bundle ID, I'm not sure you will be able to change it ever. It stays forever as such. If iOS does not have a problem with that, then cool :) – Aleksandar Vacić Dec 23 '10 at 12:10
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    +1 for noticing you can just change the name to free it up to use again – Nick Moore Feb 02 '11 at 12:17
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You could reuse the App Name of the app you have deleted if you change the Default Language of the application information.

Full details here: http://hesh.am/2012/01/recovering-a-deleted-app-name-in-itunes-connect/

Hesham
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    this sort of works. you can reuse the app name, but it doesn't appear possible to change the default language. it's not clear to what the downstream effect of this will be. – Greg Apr 19 '12 at 04:59
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    I've noticed that the description in the blog works. However one additional note: When re-creating your app you must select a language, that has not been used by the old app. e.g. app AAA using english/german then the re-created app must use a different language. – leviathan Mar 12 '14 at 06:22
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I just ran into this today trying to submit my app. I used an incorrect bundle ID and nievely assumed that deleting the app from iTunes Connect would release the app name and SKU for me to reuse when I recreated the app. Not so. Now I get these two errors:

  • The SKU number you entered has already been used.
  • The App Name you entered has already been used.

You are correct when you say their documentation is confusing. What the heck is "App Delete," and how is it any different from the "Delete Application" button in iTunes Connect?

I only hope I'm not screwed with regards to my app name being unavailable forever. I've contacted Support so here's hoping...

Nathan Alden
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Simple steps for Deleting/Removing app from iTunes Connect:

iTunesConnect>App>Rights and Pricing>specific stores> Deselect All> Save

Change app status: Developer Removed From Sale

After 24hours app will be removed.

Manoj Chandel
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    This is the same answer as @Pion's and it still does not say whether it solves the OP's problem: does this free up the appName to be reused? – fishinear Jan 17 '14 at 15:35
  • https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/TransferringAndDeletingApps.html -> Important: If you delete your app, you can’t restore it. The SKU or **app name** can’t be reused in the same organization. If you’ve uploaded a build or set up this app for the iAd App Network, your bundle ID can’t be reused. – geo Aug 20 '15 at 09:57
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Follow Below Steps

  1. Login into your iTunes Connect with your developer id: https://itunesconnect.apple.com

  2. Click on App Icon

  3. Click on Rights And Pricing

  4. At the bottom This app will be on sale in all App Stores worldwide. Or, you can select specific stores “here”. Click on here button to open all specific app stores.

  5. Click on the “Deselect All” button to uncheck all App Store territories.

  6. Click on “Save Changes” button.

  7. Now when you save all these and go to back to your App icon home screen. There will be one more button appear “Delete Application” after “Set Up iAd Network”.

  8. Click on Delete button and read instructions.

  9. Your app will disappear from the app store within 24 hours.

Trey Copeland
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Hardik Mamtora
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when you delete an application from iTunes Connect you can't upload with the same App Name and SKU in the same developer Apple id. This resource is for migrate an App for another company or individual developer. Ex. when an App was sold.

Patricia
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Refer to: see Removing an App From Sale (page 92) section on iTunes Connect Developer Guide 6.3

Follow Instructions Below:

Click "Rights and Pricing"

Go to the sale territories section. There is a link near the end.

Click on the "Deselect all" button to uncheck all App Store territories.

Click on the "Save Changes" button.

Now when you save all of these and then go to back to your App icon home screen there will be one more button that will appear called “Delete Application” located after “Set Up iAd Network”

Click on that "Delete Application button" and read instructions

After removing all assigned territory checkboxes from your app in the Rights and Pricing section, and clicking "Delete Application", the status changes to Developer Removed from Sale and your app will not be seen on the App Store within 24 hours. The name you were using for your app will also become freed for other developers' use.

Hope this helps!!!

iOS Developer
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