Making Your App Private

If you would prefer your app to not be made publicly on the app store, we can help you distribute it to your staff privately.

Android Apps

Android apps can be hidden from the Play Store and be easily be made available to your staff by either:

1. Distributing a single URL which gives access to install the app to all users who have the URL.
2. Specifying the email addresses which can access the app.. Please talk to us about the best way to achieve this in your context.

iOS Apps

Apple offers two solutions to manage private iOS apps.

Option One: Hosted by Apple - Accessed via Apple's Volume Purchasing Programme

1. Your app is made available through Apple as a B2B app. To give you access to the app, EzyStream will allocate an email address in your company which manages the internal access of your app.

2. You, or your IT team sign up to the Apple Volume Purchasing Programme. Although your app will be free for you to access, this portal will let you see the app while not being available on the App Store.

   • Visit https://vpp.itunes.apple.com/ to signup for free. 

   • You'll need a DUNS number for your organisation which is also free. Its likely you will already have a DUNS number, but you can Download application form here.

3. Once in the VPP Store, find your B2B app from EzyStream, and purchase (free) the number of links you'd like to distribute to your team. (Only VPP programmes we have authorised access will see your app listing).
4. Once your purchase is complete, Apple will supply you with a CSV file with an unique URL for each copy of the app your requested/purchased.
5. Send the URL/Redeem code to each of your team:

• • If you operate a smaller team, emailing the URL or redemption code to each employee may be appropriate.
  • For a larger team, we suggest making a button on your intranet which allows users to get a URL. You'd then load all the URLs Apple gives you into your intranet, and offer them one-by-one to your team as they are requested.
  • Alternatively, if distributing your unique URLs is a concern, EzyStream can offer you an additional feature which imports the CSV Apple issues you and automatically allocates them to your users as they request them.
    To achieve this, we'll offer you a special URL (yourorganisation.ezystream.com) where if the user has the URL, they can request a link on either the App Store or the Play Store. Learn more about managing this service here.
  • Your organisation may also have Mobile Device Management (MDM) Systems in place to manage devices and the apps installed. 
  • Once redeemed/installed, app updates will appear for your team members in the App Store updates area in the same fashion that Store listed apps do.

Option Two: Hosted by EzyStream - Accessed via a private web service

1. Your app is not published via App's store, rather as a Private Enterprise App.
2. EzyStream will host your app privately, and make a link available for your users to install your app from, it can also be managed through Mobile Device Management Software (MDM).
3. When an update is required to your app, a notification will ask your users to re-visit the specified URL and re-download the app.

Related articles

• Page:
  Step One: Logo and Colours
• Page:
  Apple Custom Apps / Making Your App Private
• Page:
  Connecting Your Google Calendar
• Page:
  Creating Your Developer Accounts
• Page:
  Infoodle Integration