We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Color Text Messages for WeChat censored by Apple?
Color Text Messages for WeChat is gone from every App Store storefront we test. It was last seen available on Jun 25, 2021.
888 tests on record·last checked 3 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
- 34% of Entertainment apps are unavailable in Morocco — 129 of 378 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 7 other apps left mainland China the same day, Apr 5, 2022.
- 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
- 34% of Entertainment apps are unavailable in Morocco — 129 of 378 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 7 other apps left mainland China the same day, Apr 5, 2022.
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.
- 34% of Entertainment apps are unavailable in Morocco — 129 of 378 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 7 other apps left mainland China the same day, Apr 5, 2022.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- 34% of Entertainment apps are unavailable in Morocco — 129 of 378 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 7 other apps left mainland China the same day, Apr 5, 2022.
- 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 →
Color Text Messages for WeChat
Developer: Wang Qi · Category: Entertainment · Released: Sep 12, 2013 · Rating: 1.2★
Other Entertainment apps missing from India
Life of this app
- Sep 12, 2013Released on the App Store
- Feb 22, 2019First tested by AppleCensorship
- Jun 25, 2021Last seen available anywhere
- Dec 19, 2022Gone from 106 storefronts
- Sep 16, 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 | Apr 5, 2022 | 4 months ago | ||
| AnguillaAI | Unavailable | Jan 19, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Unavailable | Jul 26, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| AustraliaAU | Unavailable | Nov 7, 2022 | 15 months ago | ||
| AustriaAT | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 6 months ago | ||
| AzerbaijanAZ | Unavailable | Jun 21, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Unavailable | May 10, 2026 | 4 months ago | ||
| BahrainBH | Unavailable | Nov 9, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BarbadosBB | Unavailable | Aug 18, 2026 | 32 days ago | ||
| BelarusBY | Unavailable | Mar 9, 2023 | 2 months ago | ||
| BelgiumBE | Unavailable | Oct 9, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BhutanBT | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 7 months ago | ||
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Unavailable | Aug 9, 2026 | 40 days ago | ||
| BotswanaBW | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 9 months ago | ||
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Unavailable | Apr 7, 2025 | 16 months ago | ||
| BruneiBN | Unavailable | May 7, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BulgariaBG | Unavailable | Dec 13, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| CambodiaKH | Unavailable | Mar 2, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| CameroonCM | Unavailable | Oct 29, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Cape VerdeCV | Unavailable | Jun 3, 2022 | 5 months ago | ||
| ChadTD | Unavailable | Aug 16, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 2 months ago | ||
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Unavailable | Oct 28, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| CroatiaHR | Unavailable | Feb 1, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| CyprusCY | Unavailable | Jul 16, 2025 | 14 months ago | ||
| CzechiaCZ | Unavailable | Jun 5, 2025 | 15 months ago | ||
| DenmarkDK | Unavailable | Apr 19, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| Dominican RepublicDO | Unavailable | Nov 19, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| DR CongoCD | Unavailable | Jun 25, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| EcuadorEC | Unavailable | Jul 25, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| EswatiniSZ | Unavailable | Oct 29, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| FijiFJ | Unavailable | Jun 16, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| FinlandFI | Unavailable | Jan 2, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| FranceFR | Unavailable | Aug 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| GabonGA | Unavailable | Dec 8, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| GambiaGM | Unavailable | Apr 7, 2022 | 8 months ago | ||
| GeorgiaGE | Unavailable | Nov 19, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| GhanaGH | Unavailable | Jan 29, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| GreeceGR | Unavailable | Nov 30, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| GrenadaGD | Unavailable | Mar 23, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| Guinea-BissauGW | Unavailable | Jun 18, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Unavailable | Jul 10, 2025 | 10 months ago | ||
| HungaryHU | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 35 days ago | ||
| IcelandIS | Unavailable | Jul 29, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| IndiaIN | Unavailable | Mar 22, 2024 | 3 days ago | ||
| IrelandIE | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 6 months ago | ||
| IsraelIL | Unavailable | Oct 11, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| JamaicaJM | Unavailable | Jun 18, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Unavailable | Sep 8, 2025 | 12 months ago | ||
| KenyaKE | Unavailable | Mar 14, 2023 | 1 year ago | ||
| KosovoXK | Unavailable | Feb 3, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| LaosLA | Unavailable | Jun 12, 2022 | 35 days ago | ||
| LithuaniaLT | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 3 days ago | ||
| LuxembourgLU | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| MacaoMO | Unavailable | Sep 24, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| MadagascarMG | Unavailable | Jun 24, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MalawiMW | Unavailable | Apr 7, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MalaysiaMY | Unavailable | Mar 11, 2023 | 8 months ago | ||
| MaldivesMV | Unavailable | Dec 29, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MaltaMT | Unavailable | Jan 27, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| MauritaniaMR | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 32 days ago | ||
| MauritiusMU | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MoldovaMD | Unavailable | Jul 21, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MongoliaMN | Unavailable | Aug 4, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MoroccoMA | Unavailable | Aug 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Unavailable | Aug 14, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| NauruNR | Unavailable | Jun 24, 2024 | 3 days ago | ||
| NepalNP | Unavailable | Dec 19, 2022 | 11 months ago | ||
| New ZealandNZ | Unavailable | Jul 15, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| NigerNE | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 5 months ago | ||
| NigeriaNG | Unavailable | Mar 29, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| NorwayNO | Unavailable | Jul 26, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| PalauPW | Unavailable | Mar 12, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| PanamaPA | Unavailable | Jul 16, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| Papua New GuineaPG | Unavailable | Apr 18, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| PortugalPT | Unavailable | Mar 15, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| QatarQA | Unavailable | Mar 20, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Republic of the CongoCG | Unavailable | Sep 12, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| RomaniaRO | Unavailable | Feb 12, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| RwandaRW | Unavailable | Jul 15, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Unavailable | Apr 13, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Unavailable | Oct 28, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| SerbiaRS | Unavailable | Aug 20, 2025 | 13 months ago | ||
| Sierra LeoneSL | Unavailable | Apr 7, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| SlovakiaSK | Unavailable | Sep 9, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| SloveniaSI | Unavailable | Apr 6, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| Solomon IslandsSB | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| South AfricaZA | Unavailable | Feb 12, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| South KoreaKR | Unavailable | May 12, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Sri LankaLK | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Unavailable | Sep 3, 2025 | 12 months ago | ||
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Unavailable | Nov 1, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| SurinameSR | Unavailable | Apr 29, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| SwedenSE | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| SwitzerlandCH | Unavailable | Apr 4, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| TajikistanTJ | Unavailable | Sep 1, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| TanzaniaTZ | Unavailable | Jun 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| TongaTO | Unavailable | Jul 21, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| TunisiaTN | Unavailable | Sep 8, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Unavailable | Jun 25, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 11 months ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Unavailable | Dec 19, 2022 | 3 days ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 3 days ago | ||
| VietnamVN | Unavailable | Apr 5, 2022 | 8 months ago | ||
| YemenYE | Unavailable | Jun 13, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| AfghanistanAF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AlgeriaDZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AngolaAO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ArgentinaAR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ArmeniaAM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelizeBZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BeninBJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BermudaBM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BoliviaBO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BrazilBR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Burkina FasoBF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CanadaCA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Cayman IslandsKY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ChileCL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ColombiaCO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Costa RicaCR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DominicaDM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EgyptEG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| El SalvadorSV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EstoniaEE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GermanyDE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GuatemalaGT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| HondurasHN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Hong KongHK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IndonesiaID | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IraqIQ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ItalyIT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JapanJP | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JordanJO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KuwaitKW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KyrgyzstanKG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LatviaLV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LebanonLB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LiberiaLR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LibyaLY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaliML | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MexicoMX | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MicronesiaFM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MontenegroME | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MontserratMS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MozambiqueMZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NamibiaNA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NetherlandsNL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NicaraguaNI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| North MacedoniaMK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| OmanOM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PakistanPK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ParaguayPY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PeruPE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PhilippinesPH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PolandPL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SenegalSN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SeychellesSC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SingaporeSG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SpainES | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. LuciaLC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TaiwanTW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ThailandTH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TürkiyeTR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TurkmenistanTM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UgandaUG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| United KingdomGB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UruguayUY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UzbekistanUZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VanuatuVU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VenezuelaVE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZambiaZM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZimbabweZW | 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.