Can I still install unpublished apps on dev shops?

[Kris_Doyle]

I just received the partner email stating that shops will no longer be able to install unpublished apps. Does this also apply to dev shops?

I currently have a few versions of the app for production, staging, local development, etc. so will I still be able to use those since I'm only installing on dev shops? Or will I need to have them reviewed? 

[DivinityWebS · Accepted solution]

Login your Shopify partner account, then navigate to App > Select Test App > Find Test your app section > Click on select store button > Select you Dev store.
See this screenshot; 

[Kris_Doyle]

Ok so this limitation only applies to situations where someone tries to install an unpublished app on a non-dev store (or something the dev doesn't control) got it!

Thanks 🙂

K.

[SachinD]

We tried this but still, we are getting this message- https://prnt.sc/0tKst8vIkKv-

Is this any alternate solution for this problem?

[Kris_Doyle]

We've run into a new problem. The screenshot shown in the "Accepted Solution" doesn't seem to work for older apps since the dev store install process is different. For new apps it works, but for older apps that I've had for several years, I'm getting this error when I try to install a dev app into a dev store:

When I click "Test on development store", I get the store list showing my dev shops, and then when I click the dev shop to install into, I get the above error.

Any ideas?

[John_Schulz]

The dev version of our app is, of course, unpublished. I saw messaging from Shopify saying that customers would no longer be able to install unpublished apps but I was certainly not aware this would pertain to our own dev stores.

What is the fix for this?  I have tried installing from my partner account on a listed dev store.  It does not work...I get the same error in the screenshot above.

Please advise!

[Kris_Doyle]

We ended up creating a new app as a "Public" app (even though it will never actually be published since it's a dev app) and then we were able to follow what @DivinityWebS posted above.

[John_Schulz]

Thanks for the quick reply @Kris_Doyle !  By "Public", do you mean you actually published the app to the Shopify marketplace and had to submit for app store approval before you could install on your dev store and test?  Or is public a different status/process?  I'm not familar with this if so...

[John_Schulz]

Ok, so it looks like @Kris_Doyle 's solution does work without having to actually submit for app approval.  I had to create a new app, couldn't use the existing one.  But no code changes are necessary, aside from the new app API key and API secret key.

It was also suggested to me by partner support chat that if we don't need the Billing API or the need to install it on multiple stores, there is a new type of app status:  Custom Apps that are much like the old Private App.  That might work as well.

Hope this helps someone else out there!