Set distribution methods

Required role: Account Holder, Admin or App Manager. View role permissions.

All apps listed on the App Store are automatically available for volume purchase for the same price in Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager, which is where businesses and educational institutions download apps for volume distribution.

1. From Apps, select your app. The page opens with the Distribution tab selected.

2. In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability.

3. Under App Distribution Methods, select Public.

4. If you'd like to offer educational institutions a discount, check the box next to “Offer a reduced price on Apple School Manager for volume purchases.” Your app will be available for 50% of its listed price for educational institutions purchasing quantities of 20 or more.

5. On the top right, click Save.

   Once your app is approved, it will be available on the App Store in the countries or regions you selected, and in the Apps and Books section of Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager.

Required role: Account Holder, Admin or App Manager. View role permissions.

If you don’t want individual users to be able to download your app from the App Store, you can restrict the availability of your app to only specific businesses or organizations. This includes the ability to distribute proprietary apps for internal use within your organization.

You can specify one or more organizations that can view and download the app in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager. They can then distribute it through Mobile Device Management or redemption codes.

1. From Apps, select your app. The page opens with the Distribution tab selected.

2. In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability.

3. Under App Distribution Methods, select Private.

   

4. Under Type, choose either Organization ID or Apple Account, and enter the required information. Enter the Organization ID to make the app visible in the organization's Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager account. For businesses still using the legacy Volume Purchase Program, you can assign an app to their volume purchasing account.

5. In the top right, click Save.

Required role: Account Holder. View role permissions.

Apps that aren’t suited for public distribution can be made discoverable as unlisted on the App Store with a direct link that anyone can use. Unlisted apps don’t appear in any App Store categories, recommendations, charts, search results, or other listings. The direct link can also be used in Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager.

1. From Apps, select your app.

2. In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability.

3. Under App Distribution methods, make sure your app’s availability is set to Public. If your app was already approved for private download on Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager, you’ll need to create a new app record in App Store Connect, upload your binary, and set the distribution method to Public before completing the next step.

4. Submit your app for review, if you haven’t already.

   Note: Once your app is approved, the distribution method can't be changed. The only exception to this is to change your publicly available app to an unlisted app. To switch from private to public, or vice versa, you’ll need to create a new app record and resubmit your binary.

5. Submit a request to receive an unlisted link. If your request is approved, your app’s distribution method will change to Unlisted in the Pricing and Availability section of the app information page. Future versions of your app will remain unlisted.