Publish for pre-order
Before releasing your app on the App Store for the first time, you can choose to offer it for pre-order. Customers can view your product page and order your app before it's released for download. Once your app is released, customers are notified and your app automatically downloads on the device on which they made the pre-order. It will also download on their other devices if they turn on automatic downloads. For paid apps, customers are charged before download.
Free and paid apps on all Apple platforms are eligible to use this feature. In-app purchases aren’t eligible for pre-order, but you can set up your in-app purchases, including promotional metadata, in App Store Connect before and during the pre-order period so that everything is ready once your app is released for download. Promoted in-app purchases don’t display on your App Store product page until your app is released for download.
To make your app available for pre-order, select the appropriate setting and submit your app, build, and metadata to App Review. After your app is approved, you can publish it as a pre-order on the App Store in all territories where your app is available.
While your app is available for pre-order, you can update your app by creating and submitting a new version. The new version must be approved before it can be published for pre-order on the App Store, so be sure to follow the App Review Guidelines. If you submit a version update during the pre-order period, customers will receive the latest version published to the App Store once your app is released for download.
You may also adjust the price of your app during the pre-order period, but keep in mind that if you change pricing, customers will be charged the price that is lower — either the price they accepted for pre-order or the price on the day of release.
Keep in mind that app bundles cannot be made available for pre-order and cannot include apps that are available for pre-order. Apps that are offered for pre-order will not be made available in new app bundles.
Learn how to manage pre-orders with the App Store Connect API.
Required role: Account Holder, Admin, or App Manager. View role permissions.
Publish for pre-order
-
From My Apps, select your app. The page opens with the App Store tab selected.
-
In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability.
If your app has never been published on the App Store, a Pre-Orders section displays.
-
Select Make available for pre-order, choose a date to release your app for download, then click Save on the top right.
The release date must be at least two days in the future, but no more than 180 days in the future.
Making your app available for pre-order removes other Version Release options from the platform version information page.
-
Once your app is approved and you're ready to make it available for pre-order, return to Pricing and Availability. Confirm the date your app will be released for download, and click Release as Pre-Order on the top right.
You may edit the release date during the pre-order period, but it must be within 180 days from when the app was first available for pre-order on the App Store.
Release your app to customers immediately
While your app is available for pre-order, you have the option to release your app to customers immediately.
-
From My Apps, select your app. The page opens with the App Store tab selected.
-
In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability.
-
On the top right, click Release App Now.
-
In the dialog that appears, select Release.
Your app will be released to the App Store. Customers who pre-ordered your app will be notified and your app will automatically download to their device. For paid apps, customers will be charged before download.
Remove your pre-order offer from the App Store
Select “Remove from Sale” in the Pricing and Availability section, then click Save. Learn about editing your app's availability.
If you remove your pre-order offer from the App Store, customers who already pre-ordered your app won’t receive the app and won’t be charged unless you make it available for pre-order again before the release date. Additionally, once the release date passes, you will no longer be able to republish your app as a pre-order.