Apps not showing up in purchased list

[Diamond Dog]

This is something that has been going on for probably YEARS now, but I've had no real need to fix. Now, it's impacting my ability to actually do something. I'd reach out to Apple first, but I know they're going to ask me to sign out of iCloud and do a bunch of other time-consuming junk to troubleshoot before escalating the case to somebody who might have an answer, so figured I'd ask here first to see if anybody else has experienced this.

In short, not all of my purchased apps show up in the App Store's "Purchased" section for me. I can think of 4-5 apps off the bat that are on my iPhone, iPad, etc-- but they don't show up under purchased. This has persisted through numerous new iPhones and iPads, so it seems like something on my account is broken in that certain apps simply don't get added to my purchase history. I've normally just shrugged this off, because I can always just search for the app and reinstall it if I need.

However, now, I have an M1 Mac, and in order for me to install these apps, and I'd like to install certain iOS/iPadOS apps on the Mac. The easiest way to tell if an app is available to be installed on the M1 Mac is to go to the Mac App Store, go to your purchases, and switch to the iPhone/iPad app section. Given that not all of my apps are tied to my purchased list correctly, I have no idea if an app that doesn't show up is because of this bug or because it's simply not an option to install it on the Mac.

So, now I have a have a reason to fix this issue. Was hoping maybe somebody could save me some time/headache of dealing with Apple Support if this has impacted them before and they've been able to fix it.

 

[NoBoMac]

Maybe hidden?

App Store > Tap your avatar > Tap your name. Scroll down, tap "Hidden Purchases".

Have these apps been getting updates? If not, can see, maybe, that running into a situation where the app is in some sort of abandoned status (eg. not fully pulled from the store) allowing for downloads but dropped from the purchased list. Quick scan of my purchased list shows a few apps that no longer have a cloud icon next to it under "Not on my". And digging into the full purchase history from the early days of App Store (App Store > avatar > name > Purchase History) shows some apps purchased that do not show up in the purchase or hidden list.

Seem to recall a story from a number of years ago where Apple was pulling app listings and pulling those apps from purchased list as well. Think it was tied to Apple's cleanup of the store. Kinda tied into, among other things, abandonware.

 

[Taz Mangus]

Did you happen to use a different Apple ID when you purchased those other iOS apps that are showing up?

 

[Diamond Dog]

Maybe hidden?

App Store > Tap your avatar > Tap your name. Scroll down, tap "Hidden Purchases".

Have these apps been getting updates? If not, can see, maybe, that running into a situation where the app is in some sort of abandoned status (eg. not fully pulled from the store) allowing for downloads but dropped from the purchased list. Quick scan of my purchased list shows a few apps that no longer have a cloud icon next to it under "Not on my". And digging into the full purchase history from the early days of App Store (App Store > avatar > name > Purchase History) shows some apps purchased that do not show up in the purchase or hidden list.

Seem to recall a story from a number of years ago where Apple was pulling app listings and pulling those apps from purchased list as well. Think it was tied to Apple's cleanup of the store. Kinda tied into, among other things, abandonware.

Nope, not hidden unfortunately. I do have a number of hidden apps, but the ones I am speaking of are not hidden (well, they don't show up on the list at all, so I don't even have the option to hide them-- ha).

One example is the Apollo app for Reddit. I have it on my iPhone and iPad, it's not hidden, and I receive regular updates for it. But, if I go into my purchased applications, it isn't listed there.

This has only been a minor inconvenience up until now. Whenever I get a new iPhone or iPad, I set it up as new (no backup) and then manually install my apps. Given many of them aren't on the Purchased list, I have resorted to taking screenshots of my home screen(s) when updating devices.

EDIT: What's odd is that a handful of these impacted apps are are paid apps. If I get a new device and go to install the app, I search for it on the App Store, and it will show the price instead of the cloud download symbol that you'd expect to see. I then have to "Purchase" the app instead-- but when I do, it says I have already purchased it and so it is restoring my purchase. So somewhere in the Apple system, it knows I've purchased these apps.

 

[Diamond Dog]

Did you happen to use a different Apple ID when you purchased those other iOS apps that are showing up?

Nah, same Apple ID for almost 15 years now.

 

[mrochester]

I get this exact issue too from time to time. I’ve no idea how it works or how to fix it.

 

[Diamond Dog]

I get this exact issue too from time to time. I’ve no idea how it works or how to fix it.

I remember Googling it once before when it annoyed me for some other reason and finding that many other people had the issue, but I never found a solution. Now when I Google it, I don't find much of anything.

Guess I'm going to have to dedicate a couple hours to talk to Apple this evening... ):

 

[NoBoMac]

and it will show the price instead of the cloud download symbol

That's how hidden purchases work, why I asked if there was anything in the hidden purchases list.

 

[Diamond Dog]

That's how hidden purchases work, why I asked if there was anything in the hidden purchases list.

I understand that's how they work, and they are not in the hidden purchases list.

 

[frankmail007]

Got exactly the same issue. Any solution?

 

[Ruggy]

It has happened to me and the solution is the same as above: go to purchase the app again and it will tell you that you have already purchased it and allow you to download it again.
Also you can try signing out of your account and signing in again and if you have family set up, make sure someone else hasn't purchased it in which case you have to go in from their account.
If you've ever changed the email or password for your account then that can cause it. But as I say, buy again and it should sort it out.