If a friend or family member has an old Apple ID that did download the app years ago, you can log into their account on your phone temporarily, go to Purchased, and download the old version. Then switch back to your ID.
If you never downloaded the app before, you are out of luck on iOS (unless you jailbreak, which we do not recommend for security reasons).
Apple makes this tricky, but not impossible. There is no "store" for old IPAs (iOS app files). However, Apple has a built-in loophole: . app store old version
Apple legally cannot force developers to support ancient operating systems. So if you are on iOS 14, Apple gives you the last build that ran on iOS 14.
This is the "Soft Brick." The app opens, but it is an empty husk. This reality check is what separates a "legacy app" (which works) from "digital trash" (which looks like an app but functions as a glitch). If a friend or family member has an
Search for your app on APKMirror. Look for the version number you want (e.g., "Spotify 8.8.88"). Make sure the "Upload date" is old and the "Minimum Android version" matches your phone.
Apps rarely get smaller. As developers chase new demographics, features are added that the original core audience never asked for. A minimalist note-taking app becomes a collaborative workspace; a lightweight music player becomes a social network. The old version represents a time when the software had a singular, focused identity. Apple makes this tricky, but not impossible
Older hardware (like an iPhone 6 or an iPad Air 1) cannot run the latest iOS versions. When an app updates its minimum requirements, users on older firmware are often locked out.
By downloading the app via a computer, you "link" it to your Apple ID, which then triggers the "Purchased" workaround mentioned in Method 2.