Apple has added a new feature for app developers that should be useful for internal tools and other kinds of apps that target a specific set of users but not the entire world: unregistered apps.
Developers must submit a request to receive a link that can point to their application. Apple’s documentation on this feature goes a little deeper for each of the possible cases:
If your app has not yet been submitted for review or is already approved for public download on the App Store, simply fill out the request form. If your app has already been approved for private download in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager, you’ll need to create a new app entry in App Store Connect, upload the binary, and set the distribution method to public before completing the request form.
It’s worth noting that this process won’t replace TestFlight, as Apple will reject requests related to apps that are “in beta or pre-release.”
In addition, the company did not go into details about what requests or applications will or will not be rejected. It states that this delisting and linking process is ideal for applications for certain organizations, special events, or research. But it doesn’t say whether Apple will deny requests for apps used for purposes other than the beta/pre-release example.
Your app may qualify for unlisted distribution in the App Store if it is intended for a limited audience. Examples include employee apps, event specific apps, sales apps, or research apps. Unlisted apps are distributed using a direct link to the app’s product page in the App Store, but they don’t appear in App Store categories, search results, or other App Store listings.
For more information and links to forms and process steps, visit Apple’s developer documentation on this topic.