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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteApple approved Epic Games Sweden AB’s Epic Games Store marketplace app for alternative distribution on iPhone and iPad in the European Union on July 5, 2024. The approval was a major test of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), but it was not an App Store approval, did not restore Fortnite to Apple’s App Store, and did not make alternative iOS marketplaces available worldwide.
Epic launched the mobile store on August 16, 2024. As of August 12, 2026, Epic lists the store as available on iPhone and iPad in the EU and on iPhone in Japan, with Brazil planned for later in 2026.
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What Apple approved
Apple approved the Epic Games Store marketplace application through the EU’s alternative-distribution and notarization system. A marketplace app is different from an ordinary app: it can distribute other apps, including games, outside Apple’s App Store.
In the EU, marketplace operators must use Apple’s alternative-distribution framework and meet requirements involving authorization, notarization, security, fraud prevention, user protection, content moderation, refunds, payment disputes, and data practices. Apple therefore still retains a role in reviewing and authorizing marketplace software, even when that software is distributed outside the App Store.
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The July 5 approval did not mean that:
- Epic Games Store had been accepted as a normal listing in Apple’s App Store;
- Fortnite had returned to Apple’s App Store;
- all iPhone and iPad users worldwide could install Epic’s store;
- Apple had abandoned notarization or other safety requirements for alternative marketplaces.
The ordinary App Store review process and the notarization process used for alternative distribution are separate pathways. Epic’s store was approved for the latter in the EU.
When did Epic Games Store launch on iOS?
The approval happened on July 5, 2024, but consumers had to wait until August 16, 2024 for the mobile store to launch. At launch, Epic Games Store was available on iPhones in the EU and on Android devices worldwide.
The initial mobile catalog included:
- Fortnite
- Rocket League Sideswipe
- Fall Guys
Epic later expanded the store to include third-party games and introduced a mobile free-games program. The first games featured in that program included Bloons TD 6 and Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee.
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Where is Epic Games Store available on iPhone and iPad?
Availability remains dependent on both region and device. According to Epic’s availability information as of August 12, 2026:
| Region | iPhone | iPad | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | Available | Available on supported devices | Current availability |
| Japan | Available | Third-party stores remain blocked on iPad | Current iPhone availability |
| Brazil | Not yet available | Not yet available | Planned for later in 2026 |
| United States and other regions | Not generally available through iOS | Not generally available through iPadOS | No broad worldwide iOS rollout announced |
That means a user in the United States should not expect to download Epic Games Store through the normal iPhone App Store or through Epic’s EU installation process. The approval created a regional route required by European regulation; it did not change iOS distribution rules everywhere.
What iPhone and iPad users need to install it
Epic’s installation guidance identifies the following software requirements:
- EU users: iOS 17.6 or later on iPhone;
- Japan users: iOS 26.2 or later on iPhone;
- Supported iPads: iPadOS 18 or later.
Installation begins from Epic’s website rather than Apple’s App Store. Users must use Safari and approve the relevant alternative-marketplace installation permissions shown by iOS or iPadOS.
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In practical terms, an eligible user needs all three of the following:
- To be physically located in a region where Epic Games Store is supported;
- A compatible iPhone or iPad running the required operating-system version;
- To complete the additional installation confirmations required for an alternative marketplace.
Those extra steps are one of the clearest differences from downloading a game through the App Store. Installation is permitted by Apple’s EU-specific distribution system, but it is not designed to look exactly like a standard App Store download.
Why the approval followed a public dispute
Epic said on July 5 that Apple had rejected its marketplace submission twice. According to Epic, the objections involved similarities between interface elements in Epic Games Store and controls used by Apple’s App Store, including the appearance or placement of buttons and labels.
Epic accused Apple of obstructing or delaying the launch. Apple subsequently said that it had approved the marketplace app after Epic raised the dispute publicly. Reporting at the time indicated that Apple still expected changes or fixes before the final launch.
Those accounts should be kept separate. The established outcome is that Apple approved the marketplace application on July 5. The claims about obstruction, the reasons for the earlier rejections, and the significance of the design similarities were disputed by the companies and should not be presented as an independent finding.
How the DMA made the launch possible
The immediate legal mechanism was the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The DMA requires designated large digital platforms to change certain business and distribution practices. For Apple, the EU rules led to changes involving iOS, Safari, the App Store, and alternative app marketplaces.
The alternative-marketplace provisions give developers a route to distribute apps through stores other than Apple’s App Store and to direct users toward alternative purchasing channels. Epic’s marketplace approval showed that this route could be used by one of Apple’s most prominent commercial competitors.
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However, the DMA did not turn iOS into an unrestricted platform. Apple’s framework still includes:
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- notarization requirements for software distributed through the alternative system;
- authorization and continuing compliance obligations;
- security and anti-fraud controls;
- requirements for moderation, refunds, payment disputes, and user-facing disclosures.
This is why the event is best described as regulated alternative distribution, not a complete opening of iOS.
Epic’s dispute with Apple began with Fortnite
The 2024 marketplace approval was part of a much older conflict. In August 2020, Epic introduced a direct-payment option in Fortnite that bypassed Apple’s in-app payment rules. Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, and the companies entered litigation over Apple’s App Store policies, payment restrictions, fees, and control over iOS distribution.
The EU regulatory framework created a separate opportunity for Epic. Rather than asking Apple to place Epic Games Store in the App Store, Epic could seek authorization to distribute the marketplace through the EU’s alternative-distribution system.
Another important moment came in March 2024, when Apple terminated Epic Games Sweden’s developer account, according to contemporaneous reporting. Apple later reversed that decision after intervention and scrutiny connected to European regulation. Epic Sweden was subsequently the entity whose marketplace application received approval.
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For eligible users, the biggest change was that an iPhone or iPad could obtain games through a marketplace other than Apple’s App Store. That gave Epic a direct route to distribute Fortnite and its other mobile titles on iOS in the EU.
Players should still expect meaningful differences from the App Store experience:
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- The store is installed from Epic’s website, not searched for and downloaded in the App Store.
- Availability depends on the user’s region and device.
- Users must approve additional operating-system permissions.
- Epic, rather than Apple’s App Store, becomes the marketplace operator responsible for its catalog and many store functions.
- Apple’s alternative-distribution safeguards and compliance requirements remain in place.
The arrangement also does not guarantee that every game available on Android or through Epic’s PC store will appear on iPhone or iPad. Mobile catalogs, operating-system support, regional rules, and developer participation can differ.
Japan expanded the story—but only for iPhone
On April 30, 2026, Epic announced iPhone availability in Japan under the country’s Mobile Software Competition Act. This was a later regulatory development rather than part of the original EU launch.
Epic’s Japan announcement continued to criticize Apple’s distribution rules, alleging that Apple imposed excessive friction and fees and that third-party stores remained blocked on iPads. Those are Epic’s claims, not neutral findings. The practical limitation is clear: Epic Games Store became available on iPhone in Japan, while Apple continued to block third-party stores on iPads there.
Epic’s official installation information, current as of August 12, 2026, lists Brazil as planned for later in 2026. Planned availability should not be confused with a completed launch.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Apple’s position versus Epic’s position
| Issue | Apple’s framework | Epic’s criticism |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Alternative marketplaces must meet notarization, authorization, security, and anti-fraud requirements. | Epic argues that Apple’s requirements create unnecessary friction for competing stores. |
| Distribution | Alternative distribution is available in jurisdictions where the relevant rules require it, subject to conditions. | Epic argues that Apple continues to limit meaningful competition through operating requirements and fees. |
| Store approval | Apple said it approved Epic’s marketplace after the public dispute. | Epic said earlier submissions were rejected over interface similarities and accused Apple of delaying the launch. |
| Device coverage | Availability follows the applicable regulatory and platform framework. | Epic’s Japan announcement criticized the continued lack of third-party stores on iPad. |
The approval therefore represented progress for Epic, but not a resolution of the broader Apple-Epic disagreement. The companies continued to disagree over fees, installation friction, platform control, and the scope of competition on Apple devices.
The key distinction: approval versus availability
There are three separate events that are easy to collapse into one:
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- July 5, 2024: Apple approved Epic’s marketplace application for EU alternative distribution.
- August 16, 2024: Epic Games Store launched on iPhone in the EU and on Android worldwide.
- Later expansion: Epic added third-party games, launched its mobile free-games program, and later brought iPhone availability to Japan.
So the accurate headline is that Apple approved Epic Games Store’s marketplace app for EU distribution. It is inaccurate to say that Apple approved Fortnite for the App Store in July 2024 or that the Epic Games Store became available to all iPhone users worldwide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Apple approve Fortnite for the iPhone App Store?
No. Apple approved Epic Games Store as an alternative marketplace for distribution under the EU’s regulatory framework. Fortnite was later made available through Epic Games Store after the mobile marketplace launched on August 16, 2024. Fortnite was not restored to Apple’s App Store by the July approval.
Can iPhone users in the United States install Epic Games Store?
Not through the EU alternative-distribution process. As of August 12, 2026, Epic’s official availability information identifies the EU and Japan as iPhone regions, with Brazil planned for later in 2026. The store is not generally available through iOS in the United States.
Is Epic Games Store available on iPad in Japan?
No. Epic announced iPhone availability in Japan, but said Apple continued to block third-party stores on iPads there.
Where do EU users download Epic Games Store?
Eligible EU users begin the installation from Epic’s website using Safari, then approve the alternative-marketplace permissions requested by iOS or iPadOS.
What iOS version is required?
Epic’s installation guidance identifies iOS 17.6 or later for EU users and iOS 26.2 or later for Japan users. Supported iPads require iPadOS 18 or later.
The Bottom Line
Apple’s July 5, 2024 decision was a landmark approval for regulated alternative app distribution—not a return of Fortnite to the App Store and not a worldwide opening of iOS. Epic Games Store launched in the EU on August 16, 2024, later expanded its mobile catalog, and by August 2026 was available on iPhone in Japan as well. Region, device, operating-system, and regulatory restrictions still determine who can install it.
