We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Secret for iMessage censored by Apple?
Secret for iMessage is gone from every App Store storefront we test. It was last seen available on Jul 7, 2021.
976 tests on record·last checked 13 days ago
Why it is unavailable
Five things can put an app out of one App Store. Each is weighed below against what can be seen from outside — open a card for the reasoning.
A government or a court demanded it
and Apple complied. Apple publishes a count of these per country each year and never says which apps they were. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- Photo and video apps in the United States are unavailable at 3%, near the 5% for everything there, which cuts neither way.
- 5 other apps left mainland China the same day, Dec 20, 2021.
- Apple reports 1,213 government-ordered removals in Russia for 2025, naming none of them.
Apple applied a rule, unasked
either its own review guidelines, or its own reading of a local law, with nobody having demanded anything. This is the largest category in Apple's own removal figures by a wide margin, and it covers distribution permits as well as content — Apple kept a free Bible app out of mainland China in 2021 for want of one. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- Photo and video apps in the United States are unavailable at 3%, near the 5% for everything there, which cuts neither way.
- 5 other apps left mainland China the same day, Dec 20, 2021.
The developer withheld it
freely, or under legal advice of their own, or because Apple's guidelines require that kind of app to be limited to certain countries. Switching a country off is easy for a developer to do in Apple's own tools: it needs no new version of the app, and it leaves no public trace other than the app being unavailable.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- 5 other apps left mainland China the same day, Dec 20, 2021.
- Gone for 4 years.
A local rule about paying for it
gambling licences, financial rules, tax — the kind of law that governs a transaction. Apple can obey every one of them by refusing the payment, which is why this is the only restriction we would accept and the only one that cannot touch a free app.
- It is free, so Apple sells nothing here.
How this is weighed, and what it cannot tell you
Weighed from the evidence under each card, not from a model. There is no published figure for how Apple's removals divide up, so these are ordered words rather than percentages. For scale on the same-day counts: across the whole record an app leaves a storefront with fewer than two others, so a dozen at once is not a dozen coincidences.
None of this is certain, and a citation does not make it so: Apple naming a Chinese agency tells you what Apple said, not everything that happened. What can be said is that the readings alone cannot separate these five — a developer switching off a country and a government ordering it removed arrive at Apple's catalogue looking identical — and that nobody has ever measured how they divide across the App Store. The one careful study of the question was done on Google's store, using an error message Apple does not emit.
Apple publishes no record of which apps are unavailable in which of its App Stores. For the removals it makes on a government's demand it publishes the agency and the law behind every one — 2,045 of the 166,899 apps it removed during 2025 — and never which app. Where a reason reaches the public at all, it is usually because a developer chose to say so. Apple's App Store Transparency Report
Know of a statement, notice or order we have missed? Tell us →
Secret for iMessage
Developer: Koder, Inc. · Category: Photo & Video · Released: Sep 13, 2016 · Rating: 0.4★
Other Photo and video apps missing from India
Life of this app
- Sep 13, 2016Released on the App Store
- Apr 8, 2019First tested by AppleCensorship
- Jul 7, 2021Last seen available anywhere
- Aug 19, 2022Gone from 124 storefronts
- Sep 5, 2026Most recent test
Testing history
One column per month, every month from the first reading to the last. Height follows how many readings we took that month; red is the share of them that found the app unavailable. An empty month is one nobody tested.
Found availableFound unavailable
Availability by storefront
Every storefront we test, current status first. Data is a measurement, not a promise: each row carries its own date.
| Test now | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlbaniaAL | Unavailable | Jun 12, 2022 | 14 months ago | ||
| AngolaAO | Unavailable | Mar 2, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Unavailable | May 28, 2022 | 6 months ago | ||
| ArgentinaAR | Unavailable | Nov 12, 2025 | 10 months ago | ||
| ArmeniaAM | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| AustraliaAU | Unavailable | Aug 4, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| AzerbaijanAZ | Unavailable | Feb 9, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Unavailable | May 5, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| BahrainBH | Unavailable | Aug 23, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BarbadosBB | Unavailable | Apr 25, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| BelarusBY | Unavailable | Feb 22, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| BelgiumBE | Unavailable | Nov 21, 2025 | 10 months ago | ||
| BermudaBM | Unavailable | Aug 13, 2022 | 13 days ago | ||
| BhutanBT | Unavailable | May 9, 2022 | 7 months ago | ||
| BoliviaBO | Unavailable | Oct 8, 2025 | 4 months ago | ||
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Unavailable | Apr 8, 2024 | 12 months ago | ||
| BotswanaBW | Unavailable | Sep 23, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BrazilBR | Unavailable | Sep 22, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Unavailable | Sep 28, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| BruneiBN | Unavailable | Feb 14, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BulgariaBG | Unavailable | Nov 7, 2024 | 2 months ago | ||
| CameroonCM | Unavailable | Apr 9, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| Cape VerdeCV | Unavailable | Feb 9, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| Cayman IslandsKY | Unavailable | Aug 19, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| ChileCL | Unavailable | Aug 5, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 7 months ago | ||
| CyprusCY | Unavailable | Mar 17, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| CzechiaCZ | Unavailable | Aug 4, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| DenmarkDK | Unavailable | Aug 1, 2026 | 2 months ago | ||
| DominicaDM | Unavailable | Feb 4, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| Dominican RepublicDO | Unavailable | Aug 6, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| DR CongoCD | Unavailable | Jun 22, 2022 | 1 year ago | ||
| El SalvadorSV | Unavailable | Jun 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| EstoniaEE | Unavailable | Jun 13, 2022 | 7 months ago | ||
| EswatiniSZ | Unavailable | Feb 9, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| FranceFR | Unavailable | Mar 7, 2025 | 2 years ago | ||
| GabonGA | Unavailable | Aug 2, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| GambiaGM | Unavailable | Nov 22, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| GeorgiaGE | Unavailable | Nov 18, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| GuatemalaGT | Unavailable | Mar 24, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| Guinea-BissauGW | Unavailable | Aug 11, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Unavailable | May 18, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| HondurasHN | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 4 months ago | ||
| Hong KongHK | Unavailable | Jan 2, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| HungaryHU | Unavailable | Aug 21, 2022 | 15 months ago | ||
| IndiaIN | Unavailable | Jun 14, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| IndonesiaID | Unavailable | Oct 18, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| IsraelIL | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 months ago | ||
| ItalyIT | Unavailable | Oct 9, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| JamaicaJM | Unavailable | Oct 22, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| JapanJP | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 1 year ago | ||
| JordanJO | Unavailable | Jun 10, 2022 | 15 months ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Unavailable | Oct 14, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| KenyaKE | Unavailable | Apr 25, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| KosovoXK | Unavailable | Nov 4, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| LaosLA | Unavailable | Aug 11, 2023 | 1 year ago | ||
| LatviaLV | Unavailable | Jan 15, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| LiberiaLR | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| LibyaLY | Unavailable | Oct 2, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| LuxembourgLU | Unavailable | Jun 13, 2024 | 5 months ago | ||
| MacaoMO | Unavailable | Mar 23, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| MadagascarMG | Unavailable | Mar 6, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| MalawiMW | Unavailable | Aug 2, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| MalaysiaMY | Unavailable | Oct 22, 2024 | 9 months ago | ||
| MaliML | Unavailable | Feb 19, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| MaltaMT | Unavailable | Aug 3, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| MauritaniaMR | Unavailable | Feb 15, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| MicronesiaFM | Unavailable | Apr 16, 2023 | 13 months ago | ||
| MoldovaMD | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| MongoliaMN | Unavailable | Apr 25, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MontenegroME | Unavailable | Nov 24, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| MontserratMS | Unavailable | Jun 12, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MoroccoMA | Unavailable | Aug 3, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MozambiqueMZ | Unavailable | May 19, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NamibiaNA | Unavailable | Sep 8, 2025 | 12 months ago | ||
| NauruNR | Unavailable | Dec 6, 2022 | 13 days ago | ||
| NepalNP | Unavailable | Dec 6, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NetherlandsNL | Unavailable | May 19, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| New ZealandNZ | Unavailable | Feb 14, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| NicaraguaNI | Unavailable | May 19, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NigerNE | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| NigeriaNG | Unavailable | Dec 29, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| OmanOM | Unavailable | Aug 29, 2025 | 13 months ago | ||
| PalauPW | Unavailable | Apr 29, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| PanamaPA | Unavailable | Feb 9, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| Papua New GuineaPG | Unavailable | Jun 22, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| PhilippinesPH | Unavailable | Mar 4, 2025 | 3 months ago | ||
| QatarQA | Unavailable | May 18, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| RomaniaRO | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 13 days ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Unavailable | Mar 21, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| RwandaRW | Unavailable | Aug 6, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| SenegalSN | Unavailable | Jun 21, 2025 | 15 months ago | ||
| SerbiaRS | Unavailable | Feb 11, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| SeychellesSC | Unavailable | Sep 19, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Sierra LeoneSL | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 4 months ago | ||
| SingaporeSG | Unavailable | Jun 5, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| SloveniaSI | Unavailable | Mar 21, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| Solomon IslandsSB | Unavailable | Jan 8, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| South AfricaZA | Unavailable | Feb 15, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| South KoreaKR | Unavailable | Jun 3, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| Sri LankaLK | Unavailable | Feb 23, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| St. LuciaLC | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| SurinameSR | Unavailable | Jan 7, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| SwedenSE | Unavailable | Jul 31, 2025 | 14 months ago | ||
| SwitzerlandCH | Unavailable | Jan 15, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| TanzaniaTZ | Unavailable | Sep 16, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| ThailandTH | Unavailable | Apr 12, 2024 | 3 months ago | ||
| TongaTO | Unavailable | Aug 19, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Unavailable | Oct 26, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| TunisiaTN | Unavailable | Mar 26, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| TürkiyeTR | Unavailable | Mar 31, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| TurkmenistanTM | Unavailable | Jul 4, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Unavailable | Mar 23, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| UgandaUG | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 5 months ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Unavailable | Mar 21, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Unavailable | Dec 6, 2022 | 13 days ago | ||
| United KingdomGB | Unavailable | Jun 10, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 13 days ago | ||
| UruguayUY | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| VanuatuVU | Unavailable | Nov 17, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| VenezuelaVE | Unavailable | Mar 24, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| VietnamVN | Unavailable | Dec 18, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| YemenYE | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2021 | 3 months ago | ||
| ZimbabweZW | Unavailable | Sep 21, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| AfghanistanAF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AlgeriaDZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AnguillaAI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AustriaAT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelizeBZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BeninBJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Burkina FasoBF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CambodiaKH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CanadaCA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ChadTD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ColombiaCO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Costa RicaCR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CroatiaHR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EcuadorEC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EgyptEG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| FijiFJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| FinlandFI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GermanyDE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GhanaGH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GreeceGR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GrenadaGD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IcelandIS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IraqIQ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IrelandIE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KuwaitKW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KyrgyzstanKG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LebanonLB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LithuaniaLT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaldivesMV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MauritiusMU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MexicoMX | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| North MacedoniaMK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NorwayNO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PakistanPK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ParaguayPY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PeruPE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PolandPL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PortugalPT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Republic of the CongoCG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SlovakiaSK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SpainES | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TaiwanTW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TajikistanTJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UzbekistanUZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZambiaZM | Not tested | — | — | 0 |
Testing asks Apple whether it will sell this app in that storefront, right now, by the same method the crawler has used since 2019. Your browser asks Apple directly, so the answer describes what Apple serves your connection — and if your browser cannot reach Apple at all, we ask on your behalf and say so. The result is a link: open it to see Apple's own answer and check ours. Readings are added to the record above; roughly a quarter of the readings taken each day come from people testing.
How we test
Availability is checked against Apple's own catalog servers for every storefront, the same way the App Store app asks. "Unavailable" means Apple's servers say the app cannot be offered in that country — it does not say who asked for the removal. Removals initiated by the developer and removals demanded by governments look the same from outside; the history and context on this page are how we tell them apart.