iPad App no longer on the App Store - how to sideload it ?

[DrCC]

Hello everyone,

For the last 5 years I have used iPads in the office to present treatment plans and anything that is relevant for the patient. All this is specialized medical software and the iPads connect to the main office server (where all the patient data is stored) via a specific app that I had installed an all iPads. One iPad had to be erased and everything had to be reinstalled, but surprise surprise: the specialized App I use is not available on the App Store anymore. Everything still works on the other iPads where I have the specialized App still installed, but how do I transfer the app over to the iPad that had to be erased? This App issue is a big issue, the whole iPad infrastructure and iPad use was built around that specialized App. If there is a way to retrieve the app from the other working iPads, please help. Thank you.

 

[iStorm]

Apps can be removed/hidden from the App Store, but you should still be able to download them from your purchase history as long as your device is compatible with the app.

Have you gone into your purchase history to download it from there?

 

[DrCC]

The App was free not paid, it came with the main PC software that is paid for.

I have checked the purchase history on the iPads in 2 different ways and I am still stuck:

1. If I go to the App Store > Account > Purchased > I can see the other apps there but not the one I am looking for. Maybe because it was free to begin with?

2. If I go to Settings > Name > Media & Purchases > Account Settings > Purchase History > Nothing shows up for the last 90 days because I haven't bought anything. However, if I click on the "Showing: last 90 days, Paid" to get the whole purchase history from a few years ago, then I get a "Cannon Connect / Retry" if I . I have tried multiple times, nothing shows up here. What am I doing wrong here, how can I get the whole purchase history to show starting from 2019?

 

[iStorm]

Free apps go into your purchase history too (App Store > Account > Purchased). It wouldn't show in the purchase history under Settings though, but there is a "Hidden Purchases" section in case you hid it earlier and can unhide it from there.

Are you able to share the name of the app?

 

[NoBoMac]

The All tab in App Store should show all that are still available: my history shows back to 2008 when I got my first iPhone, but there are apps missing because...

Apple and developers do pull apps off the store. For example:

Apple Seemingly Removing 'Outdated' Apps From the App Store

Apple appears to be removing a large number of apps from the App Store that have not been updated for "a significant amount of time" (via The...

www.macrumors.com

In the past, could back up a device and get to a copy of the app, but the way backups have worked for a number of years now, apps are no longer backed up. So that is not an option.

Something to try: setup the wiped iPad using a backup from the good one. If the app is still downloadable, that could/should trigger a download during restore.

But guessing will be out of luck as most likely pulled from App Store.

 

[DrCC]

Free apps go into your purchase history too (App Store > Account > Purchased). It wouldn't show in the purchase history under Settings though, but there is a "Hidden Purchases" section in case you hid it earlier and can unhide it from there.

Are you able to share the name of the app?

The App is called Dexis Go 2.0. Dexis is a X-Ray software suite that I use in the office and the iPad app was a small portion of Dexis.

The All tab in App Store should show all that are still available: my history shows back to 2008 when I got my first iPhone, but there are apps missing because...

Apple and developers do pull apps off the store. For example:

Apple Seemingly Removing 'Outdated' Apps From the App Store

Apple appears to be removing a large number of apps from the App Store that have not been updated for "a significant amount of time" (via The...

www.macrumors.com

In the past, could back up a device and get to a copy of the app, but the way backups have worked for a number of years now, apps are no longer backed up. So that is not an option.

Something to try: setup the wiped iPad using a backup from the good one. If the app is still downloadable, that could/should trigger a download during restore.

But guessing will be out of luck as most likely pulled from App Store.

I restored from a working iPad with the app still on and working. I see the Dexis app on the new iPad but when I click on it, it wants to download it from the App store and it doesn't work. It is very frustrating, without this Dexis app, tens of thousands of dollars worth of infrastructure is basically worth nothing because I can't use it chair side without the app. I miss the old days where a hardware purchase could be used for years without being tied up to a silly little app.

 

[hg.wells]

Have you tried contacting Dexis support?

 

[pacorob]

Have you tried contacting Dexis support?

Indeed do contact Dexis. I can't find them as developer in the App Store in general anymore.

Isn't there a way to use your current hardware with the competitive apps such as:
- DUERR DENTAL by developer Durr Dental SE
- Dental CT View by developer Image Diagnostic Technology Ltd
- iDO Viewer by developer EBM Technologies, Incorporated
- SIDEXIS iX by Michael Reinke (Dentsply Sirona)

 

[bogdanw]

The Windows version of iTunes 12.6.5.3 can still download ipa files.

PC (32-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87820-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A5/iTunesSetup.exe

PC (64-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87819-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A6/iTunes64Setup.exe

It can be used on macOS in CrossOver. Free trial https://www.codeweavers.com/crossover/download

 

[iStorm]

The Windows version of iTunes 12.6.5.3 can still download ipa files.

PC (32-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87820-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A5/iTunesSetup.exe

PC (64-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87819-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A6/iTunes64Setup.exe

It can be used on macOS in CrossOver. Free trial https://www.codeweavers.com/crossover/download

I thought about this too (or using iMazing), but the app isn’t in the App Store at all…so I don’t think iTunes will be able to download it either.

The OP even restored a backup. The app icon is there after the restore, but it won’t download.

 

[bogdanw]

I thought about this too (or using iMazing), but the app isn’t in the App Store at all…so I don’t think iTunes will be able to download it either.

I clicked on “Download all” and it started with IBM Think, that is no longer available in the App Store.

https://apps.apple.com/developer/ibm/id367353856?see-all=i-phonei-pad-apps
https://apps.apple.com/app/ibm-think/id546222093

 

[NoBoMac]

I can't find them as developer in the App Store in general anymore.

Get the feeling as well that they no longer do iOS apps.

Some quick Googling points to that the Go app was last updated in 2018, originally released in 2015. No mention of it on their website. Has been through some M&A activity. Replacement software appears to be DTX Studio that has a cloud component to allow mobile and desktops to access images.

Not going at the OP, but this type of thing is part of the pain that small businesses face when dealing with IT: big investment that might be short lived due lack of long term support. Particularly medical practices: not too long ago saw an office still using Windows XP due to the gear/drivers never got updated for anything newer. Saw that at a large company I worked for in the past as well: had to keep an old machine on 98 running for one piece of equipment (Front end software for it would not run on anything after 98).

 

[DrCC]

Have you tried contacting Dexis support?

Yeap. They retired the app a few years ago. I had no clue because my setup worked fine until now. Everyone is going mobile, iPads, etc. Dexis retires the iPad app and leaves only the Windows app as the only option just like before the mobile revolution 😵.

Indeed do contact Dexis. I can't find them as developer in the App Store in general anymore.

Isn't there a way to use your current hardware with the competitive apps such as:
- DUERR DENTAL by developer Durr Dental SE
- Dental CT View by developer Image Diagnostic Technology Ltd
- iDO Viewer by developer EBM Technologies, Incorporated
- SIDEXIS iX by Michael Reinke (Dentsply Sirona)

Maybe but not sure. Dexis has their own X-Ray sensors (about $10,000 each and I have a few) and they make their own management software. The sensor calibrations are also in the Dexis software. Going with a competitor software suite but using Dexis sensors is not going to result in an optimal result. Plus there are a ton of possible X-Ray safety issues on the side. Not really worth it.

The Windows version of iTunes 12.6.5.3 can still download ipa files.

PC (32-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87820-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A5/iTunesSetup.exe

PC (64-bit)

https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/itunes12/091-87819-20180912-69177170-B085-11E8-B6AB-C1D03409AD2A6/iTunes64Setup.exe

It can be used on macOS in CrossOver. Free trial https://www.codeweavers.com/crossover/download

So if I install this iTunes version on a PC and hook up an iPad with the Dexis Go 2 app running, will it download the .ipa file from the iPad and a can copy it on another one?

 

[bogdanw]

So if I install this iTunes version on a PC and hook up an iPad with the Dexis Go 2 app running, will it download the .ipa file from the iPad and a can copy it on another one?

I don’t remember what iOS version stopped allowing transfers of purchases from the device to Mac.
I was talking about installing iTunes, login into the account and Authorize this computer from the Account menu, then App Store – Purchased (link on the right side or at the bottom) search for Dexis or click Download all and Pause all from the Activity window (View menu) and download only the Dexis Go ipa.

 

[ZebraDude]

could the old app be a 32 bit app?

 

[NoBoMac]

No, as the app was updated in 2018: 64 bit happened in Sep 2017.

OP mentioned that app was simply retired.

 

[DrCC]

Since there is no "official" way to retrieve the App, I have to think of unconventional methods.

1. If the App is installed on an iPad, would the .IPA file be on the iPad somewhere? If yes, then there has to be a way to retrieve it. Not all my iPads with the working Dexis app have the latest macOS installed, maybe jailbreaking is an option and extract the .IPA file.

2. Is there an "app repository" for retired apps hidden somewhere in a dark corner of the internet?

 

[bogdanw]

Since there is no "official" way to retrieve the App, I have to think of unconventional methods.

Have you tried iTunes and it didn't work? What happened?

 

[AZhappyjack]

It's dead, Jim.

 

[DrCC]

Have you tried iTunes and it didn't work? What happened?

Yes. I tried to work with Windows iTunes 12.6.5.3 as posted above. I backed all 3 working iPads (they have different macOS versions, some older) and I tried to restore on the non working iPad. In iTunes I checked to Automatically Back Up on the computer, not on iCloud. It didn't work 😢. All the Apps transfered except Dexis (can not download). So somehow the iPad tried to download from the App Store on restore, not from the computer. I don't get it why, this version of iTunes is supposed to store the .IPA files locally.

Up until 2 years ago when I switch to all Apple, I only used Windows for decades, I don't have any prior experience with iTunes for Windows, I had an Android phone before. The backup/restore with iTunes 12.6.5.3 should have worked but it doesn't and I don't know what I am doing wrong.

In all seriousness, if anyone is available to help me out with this one, I am more than OK to compensate you for your time. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but as long as I have 3 working iPads with the Dexis app installed and working, there has to be a way. Please send me a private message if you can help, we can attempt to get the job done via screen sharing and Facetime.

 

[bogdanw]

Video: Downloading Cortana ipa, that is no longer available in the App Store, using iTunes 12.6.5.3 (x64) in a Windows 10 (22H2) virtual machine, with an US Apple ID.

 

[Jason B]

I got a new iphone and one of the apps I had is no longer on app store, but it's on my home screen on the new phone but when I click it it tried to download and can't since it's not there. If I can get it to open I think it would still work on the new iphone. THe app still works on my old phone. Is there a way I can get this to work? The app is called X10 commander.

I reached out to the developer who originally made the program and he doesn't have any interest in putting in back into the app store. He says it would take hours and hours to do. I could probably ask him for the source code, would that be of any interest???

I really wanted to use this app that I paid for years ago from the app store, and now something I cannot use on this new iphone, which sucks. It ones of the reasons I kept my iphone XS this long, BUT, more and more apps started breaking on the old firmware I was on and I couldn't update them on that old ios. The phone ran great but I didn't want to slow it down with updating the ios on such an old phone. I was scared to update that old phone XS as I was told ios 17 would cripple it. I finally broke down and got a Iphone 15 pro with 17.4 ios on it. And as expected, x10 commander, even though its on my home screen on the new phone from the backup, it tried to connect to apple to verify or whatever and I can't run the app! Yes, I still have my old phone which runs the app perfectly.

I want it back on my new device. Any ideas? OR is there something else that works well?

 

[NoBoMac]

Pretty much out of luck. Since iOS 7(?), .ipa files (aka the actual app) are no longer backed up, so unless you have an old iTunes backup with the app in it, can't restore it to a new device.

Might look into this thread.

Old iTunes Version to back up .ipa app files

Given how poisoned by LLM content farms search has become, does anyone happen to know which version of iTunes was the last version to let you back up an iOS device, and would actually copy the .ipa files to the Mac as a part of the backup? I have the control app for a piece of hardware, the...

forums.macrumors.com

Also look under Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Mobile Applications

on your computer to see if it exists and if anything under it (that's were apps used to be backed up). If so, iMazing has ability to install apps from their copy. Have not looked into that in quite a while so not sure what the steps would be to pull from Mobile Applications.

 

[Jason B]

I DO have the original IPA file on my one computer from one of my older backups. It's there. So, there may be a way to do this!?

 

[bogdanw]

If you have the .ipa file, you can add it to your new iPhone with Apple Configurator https://apps.apple.com/app/id1037126344
Add > Apps > Click “Choose from my Mac.”
Add apps to a device in Apple Configurator
https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-configurator-mac/cad4cd08c03/mac