I tried to download a specific video editing app yesterday. I clicked the link. The App Store opened. And then, the message of death: “This app is currently not available in your country or region.”
It makes you want to throw your phone, doesn’t it? It’s my phone. I paid $1,000 for it. Why is Tim Cook telling me what software I’m allowed to run?
If you are on Android, you are laughing right now. You just download an APK and move on with your life. (We get it, you’re free, stop bragging). But for us iPhone users, the App Store is a Walled Garden. It is beautiful, it is safe, and the walls are 50 feet high.
Whether you are trying to get an app that is banned (like Fortnite used to be), an app that is “Geolocked” to Japan, or an emulator to play GameBoy games, you have probably hit this wall.
But there are cracks in the wall. You don’t need to “Jailbreak” your phone anymore (honestly, don’t do that, it breaks your banking apps). You just need to know the loopholes.
Here is the chaotic guide to getting apps that don’t exist.
METHOD 1: THE “FAKE MOVE” (FOR REGION-LOCKED APPS)
This is the most common fix. Let’s say you want to download a game that is currently only out in Canada or Australia (developers love “soft launching” there).
You can trick the App Store into thinking you moved. But there is a catch: You cannot have any active subscriptions (like Apple Music) or store credit. If you have $0.02 in your account, Apple won’t let you leave.
The Strategy:
Don’t change your main account. It messes up your iCloud Music Library.
Create a “Burner” Apple ID.
Go to
appleid.apple.comin a browser.Create a new account.
Set the region to the country you need (e.g., USA, Japan).
Use a random address generator for the billing address. (Just pick a random hotel in Tokyo or a McDonald’s in New York. Apple doesn’t check if you actually live at the McDonald’s).
Sign Out of the STORE only.
Go to Settings > Your Name > Media & Purchases.
Sign out.
Sign in with the Burner ID.
Download the app.
Sign back into your main ID.
The app stays on your phone. It updates. It works. You just became a digital tourist.
METHOD 2: THE “ALTSTORE” METHOD (THE HACKER WAY)
Okay, what if the app isn’t in any country? What if Apple banned it entirely? (Like an old emulator or a torrent client).
You have to Sideload. For years, this was impossible. Now, we have AltStore (or SideStore).
How it works: It tricks your iPhone. Apple allows “Developers” to install their own test apps on their own phones. AltStore basically tells your iPhone: “Hey, I am a developer, and I made this app myself.” Your iPhone says: “Okay, go ahead.”
The Setup (It’s annoying but worth it):
You need a PC or Mac.
Install “AltServer” on your computer.
Plug your iPhone in via cable.
Install the AltStore app onto your phone.
Now, you can find
.ipafiles (the iPhone version of APKs) online and “install” them through AltStore.
The “7-Day” Curse: Because you aren’t a real developer paying Apple $99/year, your “permit” expires every 7 days. You have to refresh the apps once a week (connect to the same Wi-Fi as your computer and hit “Refresh”). If you forget? The app stops opening. It is a high-maintenance relationship. But if you really want to play Pokemon Emerald on your iPhone, it’s the price you pay.
METHOD 3: TESTFLIGHT (THE BETA LOOPHOLE)
This is the cleanest method, but it relies on luck. Apple has an official app called TestFlight. It’s meant for developers to let users test apps before they release.
Sometimes, developers use this to distribute apps that Apple would never approve.
“Hey, here is our ‘Beta’ app.” (It’s actually a fully working movie streaming app).
How to find them: You have to scour Reddit or Twitter (X) for “TestFlight links.”
Subreddits like
r/TestFlightare gold mines.You click the link. It opens TestFlight. You hit “Accept.”
Boom. The app is on your phone. No computer needed. No 7-day refresh.
The Risk: Beta slots are limited (usually 10,000 users). When they are full, they are full. You have to be fast.
THE TANGENT (THE “EUROPE” ENVY)
(If you are reading this from the European Union, you can stop reading and just laugh at us. In 2024, the EU forced Apple to allow “Third-Party App Stores” like the Epic Games Store. If you live in Paris, you can just download Fortnite directly. If you live in New York or Mumbai, you still have to jump through these burning hoops. It is incredibly unfair. I am genuinely jealous of your GDPR privilege).
METHOD 4: WEB APPS (THE “LAME” BUT SAFE OPTION)
Sometimes, you don’t need the app. Apple doesn’t allow “Cloud Gaming” apps (like Xbox Game Pass) on the store properly. But they can’t ban websites.
Open Safari.
Go to the website (e.g.,
xbox.com/play).Tap the Share button (the square with the arrow).
Scroll down to “Add to Home Screen.”
It creates an icon that looks like an app. When you open it, it removes the Safari address bar, so it feels like an app. It’s not perfect. It’s a little slower. But it bypasses the rules entirely.
THE “SAFETY” WARNING (DON’T BE STUPID)
I have to say this because I care about your bank account.
When you install an app from the App Store, Apple has checked it for malware. When you sideload an app using AltStore or a sketchy “Enterprise Profile” you found on Google… nobody checked it.
The Rule:
If you are downloading an emulator (like Delta or PPSSPP) from the developer’s official GitHub? Safe.
If you are downloading “Spotify++ Free Premium” from a random site called
Hacked-Apps-4-U.net? Unsafe.
Do not log your bank credentials into a sideloaded app. Do not log your main crypto wallet into a sideloaded app. Use common sense. You are tearing down the security wall; don’t be surprised if a wolf walks in.
It is a hassle. Every time I have to plug my phone into my laptop to “Refresh” AltStore, I wonder if it’s worth it. But then I load up a game that Apple banned three years ago, or I use a clipboard manager that actually works, and I remember: It feels good to own my device.
So go ahead. Create that fake Japanese Apple ID. Download that weird beta. Break the rules a little bit. It’s your phone, after all.