App Review

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Understand the technical and content review process for submitting apps to the App Store.

App Review Documentation

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Preventing Copycat and Impersonation Rejections
In this post, we'll share tips to help you submit apps that deliver original ideas to your users. When working on your app, focus on creating interesting, unique experiences that aren't already available. Apps that actively try to copy other apps won't pass review, and accounts that repeatedly submit copycat apps or attempt to impersonate a service will be closed. The rules that prevent copycat and impersonator apps from being distributed on the App Store are described in App Review Guideline 4.1: 4.1 Copycats (a) Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers. (b) Submitting apps which impersonate other apps or services is considered a violation of the Developer Code of Conduct and may result in removal from the Apple Developer Program.(c) You cannot use another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name, without approval from the developer. These requirements help make the App Store both a safe place for people to discover apps and a platform for all developers to be successful. Best Practices Here are three best practices that will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1: 1. Submit apps with unique content and features. People want apps that provide unique experiences. Find areas that aren't currently being served and build compelling apps for those audiences. Do: Create apps that provide a new experience or a unique spin on an existing concept. Design original, delightful interfaces that elegantly meet your user's needs. Don't: Don’t imitate the features and functionality of other apps. Don’t copy the look and feel of other apps, such as using an identical user interface design. 2. Make sure App Store metadata only contains relevant information and content you either own or have permission to use. The metadata provided in App Store Connect is used to populate your app's product page on the App Store. People rely on this metadata to learn about your app and what it has to offer. Leveraging the popularity of another brand or app, either by including irrelevant references or protected content, is misleading and won't help your app succeed. Do: Use engaging, descriptive language to describe your unique app. Create original content that best represents your app, such as screenshots showing the actual app in use. Don't: Don't use protected material you do not have the necessary permission to use, such as app icons that are similar to icons of a popular app. Don’t include irrelevant references, such as popular app names or trademarked terms, in any metadata fields. 3. Provide information that is authentic and verifiable. People want to know the developers behind their favorite apps are who they say they are. It's important to continually review and provide up-to-date information, including the developer or company name listed on your Apple Developer Program account, the Support URL listed on your app's product page, and other helpful information. This will enable your users to contact you when they need help and it will also hinder people who may try to impersonate you, your app, or your service. Do: Make sure all information, resources, and documentation related to your account and apps are current and accurate. Don't: Don’t provide inaccurate information or resources, such as directing people to outdated support pages. Don’t provide fraudulent documentation. Accounts that submit fraudulent documentation will be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Support Incorporating these best practices into your app's development will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1. If you need additional assistance, consider taking advantage of one of the following support options available from App Review: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review Appointment to discuss the results of our review. Appointments are subject to availability, and take place during local business hours in your region on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Resources Learn about foundational design principles from Apple designers and the developer community. Learn how to create engaging App Store product pages. Note that apps that violate intellectual property rights are subject to removal through the App Store Content Dispute process. If you believe an app on the App Store violates your intellectual property rights, you can submit a claim.
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3.3k
Nov ’25
Tips from App Review
Here are some tips from App Review for a smooth review experience. We’ve split them into two categories: Before You Submit and After You Submit. We’ve also made an easy-to-follow Submission Guide you can save and reference at any point on your App Store journey. Before You Submit Tips Enable a complete review. Make sure you’ve provided demo accounts or implemented an account demonstration mode before you submit. We’ll need to review the entire app experience, both with and without an account. Provide up-to-date demo account login credentials in the App Review Information section on the app version page in App Store Connect. If your app has multiple account types (such as admin and general users), use the Notes field to provide additional demo account credentials for each account type. If your app requires an authentication code in addition to the login credentials, provide the code in advance in the Notes field. Otherwise, a call may be required to complete the review. Apps that handle sensitive user information, or operate in highly regulated industries, can implement demonstration modes that exhibit full features and functionality while using demonstration data. Use the Notes field in App Store Connect to provide information to App Review. The App Review Information section of App Store Connect includes a Notes field. Provide any information that could be relevant to your submission’s review: Submitting a new app? Tell us about your app's concept, business model, and if your app is designed to only operate in certain locations. Submitting an update? Tell us about what’s changed and where to locate significant new content or features. Connecting to hardware? Attach a video, not a screen recording, that shows both the hardware and the app running on a physical Apple device as they pair and interact. Test your app on physical devices before submitting for review. Use TestFlight to distribute your app for beta testing. App Review evaluates apps the way your users will use them: installed on real devices and connected to networks with real-world conditions. Make sure your pre-submission testing includes running the app on each device platform where it could be used. Users expect the app to function on all the devices where it’s available. TestFlight will help you do quality assurance and beta testing on real devices. Share your beta app with internal testers on your Apple Developer Program account or to external users via an email invite or public link. Configure In-App Purchases for review in the sandbox environment. App Review assesses In-App Purchases in the same sandbox environment Apple provides for testing them. The sandbox lets us use real product data and server-to-server transactions, without incurring any financial charges. Take these steps to prepare your In-App Purchases for review: Accept the Paid Applications Agreement in App Store Connect. Submit the In-App Purchases in App Store Connect that you’d like reviewed. Follow the steps in TN3186: Troubleshooting In-App Purchases availability in the sandbox if your app fails to display your In-App Purchases. Note: In-App Purchases don’t need prior approval from App Review to function in review. Join a Meet with Apple event if you need assistance before you submit for review. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to chat with an App Review expert about how to prepare for review, ask questions about specific guidelines, and discuss other topics related to the review process. Appointments are subject to availability during your local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After You Submit Tips Contact App Review if you need assistance with an ongoing submission. If your submission doesn’t pass review and you have questions, contact App Review directly by clicking Reply to App Review in App Store Connect. You’ll receive a reply from a review specialist who’s familiar with your app. You can also use the Reply to App Review message window to request a call with an Apple representative. Include your preferred time and language for the call and we’ll do our best to accommodate your requests. Use the Bug Fix Submissions process to quickly deliver bug fixes and resolve other issues on the next submission. If an update includes bug fixes and is rejected, you will be given the option to resolve the issues on your next submission, as long as there are no legal or safety concerns. App Review will let you know if your submission is eligible by including this note at the top of the rejection message: Bug Fix Submissions The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. To accept this offer, simply reply to the rejection message in App Store Connect and let App Review know you’ll resolve the issues on the next submission. Share ideas with Apple about how to improve or clarify the App Review Guidelines by submitting guideline feedback. Just as the App Store is always changing and improving to keep up with the needs of customers, the App Review Guidelines may be revised to provide new and updated guidance. If you have ideas for improving or clarifying our requirements you can suggest guideline changes. If your submission was rejected but you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. If your submission didn’t pass review but you have reason to believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, you can submit an appeal to the App Review Board. You can also file an appeal if you think we misunderstood your app or the review was unfair. The App Review Board will contact you as soon as they complete their investigation.
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6.3k
Dec ’25
Support your app on compatible devices
Apple platforms make it easy to distribute your app to a variety of compatible devices, so it’s important to maximize your app experience on each platform you support. Here are some tips from App Review to help you understand how device compatibility impacts your app’s distribution — and how to make sure your apps shine on every platform they’re on. Understand device compatibility There are many ways an app built for one Apple device can run on other Apple devices: Apps designed for iPhone can run on iPad devices in compatibility mode if there are no dependencies on iPhone device capabilities. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Macs with Apple Silicon. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Apple Vision Pro. Xcode provides options to configure settings for apps on multiple platforms. You can specify which platforms your app’s target supports in the Supported Destination field. However, it’s important to note: People may still be able to run your app on a device even if you remove it or don't include it as a Supported Destination in Xcode. For example, as long as an app designed for iPhone doesn’t depend on a capability that’s only available on iPhone, it can be downloaded from the App Store onto iPad. Adding or removing iPad as a Supported Destination in Xcode won’t change that app’s availability on iPad. To view examples of cases where it's appropriate to restrict availability, see Restrict device distribution below. Follow compatibility best practices 1. Plan and test for compatibility modes so your app works on every device where it can be downloaded. Do: Use Xcode simulators to verify basic functionality across different device types. Leverage TestFlight with external testers who have access to a wide range of Apple devices. Don't: Don’t submit for review without testing your app’s behavior in compatibility modes. Don’t assume removing a supported destination in Xcode prevents distribution to that device type. 2. Build adaptive interfaces that work across device variations. Do: Build interfaces that respond to different screen sizes and orientations. Adapt features based on available hardware, providing alternatives for a consistent experience. Don't: Don’t design rigid interfaces that assume only one type of device or input method. Don’t let your app crash or become unusable when optional hardware is unavailable. Restrict device distribution Wherever possible, it’s best to make your app available on multiple platforms to increase its reach and provide people with a consistent experience across devices. But there are cases where it does makes sense to restrict an app’s availability. For example: iPhone apps that rely on iPhone-specific hardware won’t function as expected on iPad. Use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the information property list file to specify hardware dependencies. Note: Apps should only use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key for genuine hardware dependencies, not to indicate distribution preferences. Navigation- or camera-based apps are not well suited for visionOS. Learn more about managing availability of iPhone and iPad apps on Apple Vision Pro. Apps that rely heavily on touch inputs that can’t be replicated on a keyboard are not well suited for macOS. Learn more about restricting distribution to Apple Silicon devices. Learn more about how to configure multiplatform apps in Xcode. Support If you need more assistance, explore these support options: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple. Appointments are available during local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board.
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2.5k
Feb ’26
Escalation Request – Extended “Waiting for Review” Status
Hello, I would like to request an escalation regarding my app review status. My app (Apple ID: 6758756966) was submitted for review on February 24 and has been in “Waiting for Review” status for an extended period, with no progress so far. I have contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times (Case IDs: 102840237455, 102840079647, 102846664998, 102841727941) starting from March 9, but unfortunately, I have not received any response to any of these requests. I have also submitted three expedited review requests, but none of them have been acknowledged. Could you please: • confirm whether the submission is still active in the queue • check if there are any issues preventing it from moving forward • and assist in escalating the review if possible If any additional information is required from my side, I am ready to provide it immediately. Thank you very much for your time and support.
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App update showing status as "In review" for 17 days
Hello, Our application has been stuck in the "In Review" status for 17 days now, and we are looking for guidance on whether this is a known technical stall or an extended policy audit. The Issue: The app moved from "Waiting for Review" to "In Review" on March 25th. Since then, there has been no change in status and no messages in the Resolution Center. App ID: 6753868146 Thanks
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Lookify: AI Virtual Try-On — Stuck in "Waiting for Review" | 2 Months
Hello Apple Developer Community and App Review Team, I'm writing to seek guidance regarding my app Lookify: AI Virtual Try-On (App ID: 6757718224), which has been caught in an ongoing review cycle since February 15, 2026 — nearly two months ago. Submission History: Date Version Status Feb 15 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Feb 19 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Feb 21 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 3 (2:21 AM) iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 3 (1:17 PM) iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 6 (current) iOS 1.1.0 Waiting for Review Each submission was either self-removed after extended waiting periods with no reviewer feedback, or removed to address potential issues — only to re-enter the queue with the same outcome. The current submission has now been in "Waiting for Review" status since April 6 with no activity, no messages, and no indication of progress. What I've done to comply: Updated the Privacy Policy to be fully GDPR and KVKK compliant Provided clear demo account credentials and usage instructions for the AI try-on feature Ensured all metadata, screenshots, and descriptions accurately reflect the app's functionality Reviewed Apple's App Review Guidelines thoroughly before each resubmission I understand that AI-powered apps — especially those involving visual try-on technology — may require closer scrutiny, and I fully respect that process. I'm not asking to bypass any review step. I simply ask for transparency: if there is an issue with the app, a rejection with specific feedback would allow me to address it immediately. This app represents months of development work. As a small independent developer, prolonged uncertainty without communication makes it very difficult to plan or improve. My request: Could anyone from the App Review team or community provide insight into: Whether there is an active flag or concern on this submission What the expected timeline might be for accounts with this submission history Whether an Expedited Review would be appropriate given this timeline I have also submitted a contact request through the official App Review contact form. I am fully committed to making any necessary changes — I just need to know what they are. Thank you sincerely for your time and assistance. Mustafa Bilgiç Developer, PlayTools
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Appeal pending for 4 days
So I submitted my app review and it got rejected for a tiny meta-data fix and i fixed immediately and also resubmitted for safety. But it has been 4 days and no response. This approval is urgent as it contained some really important bug fixes. And also we are not been able to start our app marketing because we wanted to start after the more stable version was in store. application-identifier: K384JX9LGQ.com.zynclo.pledgeproof
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Need Advice: Family Controls Fully Removed but App Review Still Detects Unapproved API Use
Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on a repeated App Store rejection under Guideline 2.5.1. Background: We initially explored using Family Controls for a planned feature. That feature has now been fully removed from the app. We no longer provide any Screen Time related functionality. What we already cleaned up: Removed all FamilyControls / ManagedSettings / DeviceActivity code usage. Removed commented-out code and all related references from the project. Removed related capabilities and entitlements from targets. Removed related frameworks/dependencies. Performed a clean rebuild and submitted a new archive. However, App Review still says the app includes ScreenTime API in an unapproved manner and suggests removing those APIs. Questions: What are the most common hidden places where Screen Time / Family Controls traces remain? Has anyone seen this triggered by transitive dependencies or stale build artifacts? What evidence/details should I provide in App Review Notes to help the reviewer verify cleanup? Is there a recommended way to ask App Review to share the specific symbol/framework/target they detected? Any practical checklist or experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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is there a tool to check compliance before submitting the App?
We recently ran into an issue where our submission was rejected due to references to an API that we are not using but that was present in the code. Guideline 2.5.1 - Performance - Software Requirements Issue Description The app uses the Clinical Health Records API but the app does not appear to include any primary features that require the Clinical Health Records API. Next Steps To resolve this issue, please remove the Clinical Health Records API from the app, as well as any references to this app’s interactivity with Clinical Health Records from the app or its metadata. And as it turns out, we actually did have references to that API that we had missed and did have to remove them. Usually, I would recommend to just resubmit the new build and see if it gets accepted, then hold it until the powers that be approve it for publication. For this client, though, their QA team forces us into more of a waterfall-ish approach, where we are not allowed to submit production builds ahead of time (i.e. until after all manual testing has concluded, test evidence has been filed and the required documents have been updated and approved). And if after resubmission we find something else that needs to be fixed, we get to restart the process all over again. That's ... slower. We do have a workaround in place where we submit a development build for review and check whether that would get accepted, then retract that version and submit the production build once we are allowed to. But that means more work for Apple (the App has to be reviewed twice) and more risk for us (if the submission team accidentally publishes a development build, the consequences would be severe). Is there a tool that allows us to check for guideline violations without having to submit a build to the App Store Connect? I'm not looking for a "yes, this will get approved" kind of guarantee, just a "well, the review team may find something else to question / reject, but as far as automated checks go, this looks ready for submission".
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Appeal pending for 2 weeks
Hello, I submitted my app for review and it was rejected under Guideline 4.2. I believe the rejection was a misunderstanding of my app's functionality, so I filed an appeal through the Resolution Center explaining why I believe my app meets the minimum functionality requirements. It's been passed almost two weeks since I filed the appeal but I've received no response or update on the status. My app is directly tied to an event launching next week, and without a resolution, I will miss the launch window entirely. I'd greatly appreciate any visibility into where my appeal stands, or any guidance on what steps I can take to move this forward. Thank you for your time.
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Expedited Review Stuck After Reply
I submitted an app build and filled out the expedited review form, they quickly replied: “The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. If this submission includes bug fixes and you'd like to have it approved at this time, reply to this message and let us know. You do not need to resubmit your app for us to proceed.” I replied with “Yes, please accept the current version now as it contains bug fixes, will resolve that issue later lalala” I replied again 1 day after the letter. And nothing. 2 days total have passed. So the replies do not go to the Expedited Review queue? What should I do? Reply again? Or resubmit the build with a comment “Important bug fixes, please accept immediately”? Or maybe call them, will a call help? Thank you so much!
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Strange Reviewer Behaviour & Feedback
Hi there! I'm trying to get my first app released. It's been 40 rejections for over 2 months. And there is a TV show which I am hoping to go on, but I can't without the app being released. Some of the issue has been my newbieness to Apple admittedly but things have become bizaare this week particularly. Each review is a drip feed of one or two problems rather than a full review of all problems in one go - surely this has a cost associated which Apple is bearing unnecesarily? In the last week, all rejection reasons could have been stated months ago. The problem is that it appears that a bot is testing the app not a human. For instance a reviewer flagged that a "Continue" button is not pressable. When in reality I added an intentional delay of 120ms for app stability, the reviewer didn't or couldn't try to tap the button "twice". Separate example: twice reviewers have brought up my sign in button has not worked (04/01 & 03/16) - and twice I have explained that non subscribers are not allowed to sign in - the reviewer even sent me the toast screenshot with a message telling the user they are not allowed to sign in - proving that its not a bug and it was intentional. I don't know if this is a bot or a language barrier problem? Another rejection reason (03/31) because the Community Forum was not clear in the screenshot I provided, but I also provided login details for the forum, which were ignored and the app rejected for that alone. One of my recent reviews was very shocking (03/31): """ Will user interact with other users in Community feature of your app? Please also provide steps to access the Chatbots feature. """ I don't understand why I should be asked if people will be interacting in my community forum - thats the entire point of a forum. 2.The chatbots are on the dashboard of my app, there is only one dashboard in my app, everything on my app is in one place, so the reviewer didn't even look for the feature. This is just a tiny selection of the type of comments I have been getting and I'm hoping I can release my app soon so I can go on this show, I have done 4 expedited review requests and nothing has progressed in a week.
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The application has been under review and has been waiting for more than a month.
I have submitted my application for one month, but it is still awaiting review. So I resubmitted it for review. I am the owner of this application and I also requested an expedited review. I also consulted Apple and contacted them several times through the "Contact Us" option, but the reply always said that it would take some time. Therefore, we can only seek help from the review staff here. Application ID: 675550806
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Subscription stuck in "developer action needed"
I am submitting a new app, so the subscription has to be submitted as part of the overall app review at first, I can't submit it directly on its own. I didn't know this at first, and submitted the subscription directly. It obviously got rejected with the status "developer action needed". Now no matter what I change I cannot seem to get the status to update from "Developer Action Needed" to a more favorable status. This is obviously a problem because until I can get the status to update, I cannot attach it to submit with my app. Any ideas on how to get the status on my subscription to update to "Ready to submit" so that I can attach it with my binary and submit it with my overall app submission?
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Acceptable level of obfuscation for App Review
New member here, please be gentle :) I am getting ready for App Review for my first iOS app, and I am curious if ANY level of obfuscation is allowed? Say I had a drone controller App, I might have something like this: struct Drone{ var name : String var forwardVelocity : Double var lateralVelocity : Double var verticalVelocity : Double var receivedSignalStrength : Int var rssThreshhold : Int var gpsCoordinates : Data func reverseCourse(){ //do a 180 //... } } func onUpdateReceivedSignalStength(drone:Drone){ if drone.receivedSignalStrength < drone.rssThreshhold{ drone.reverseCourse() } } But I don't really want to make it easy for someone to pull the strings from the binaries and try and copy my work. I realize it's pretty much inevitable, but it seems sensible to protect my IP as much as I can. Is something like this acceptable? struct D{ //obfuscated Drone var parameter1 : String //name var parameter2 : Double //forwardVelocity var parameter3 : Double //lateralVelocity var parameter4 : Double //verticalVelocity var parameter5 : Int //receivedSignalStength var parameter6 : Int //rssThreshhold var parameter7 : Data //gpsCoordinates func funcSeven(){ //do a 180 //... } } func funcSix(d:D){ //check if signal strength requires a course reversal if d.parameter5 < d.parameter6{ // signal strength less than threshhold d.funcSeven() //reverse course } } The comments make it clear what the similarly-named parameters are doing, and what the functions do. I fully understand that something like the below is a no-no, just writing it made my eyes bleed: struct DDF{ var SXR : String var KYV : Double var GTC : Double var DKY : Double var ENY : Int var WKN : Int var DJV : Data func BDO(){ //do a 180 //... } } func PUL(KHY:DDF){ if KHY.ENY < KHY.WKN{ KHY.BDO() } } Is there any level of IP protection through obscurity that is acceptable? I realize that the more genericized the variable and function names are, the harder it is to debug, but that might be an acceptable trade-off against IP protection. To be clear, my app isn't anything to do with drones, this was just a vehicle to ask the question with. My code isn't currently at all obfuscated, everything is in clear terms, but I am wondering if I could/should obfuscate the critical parts before App Review and release? The reason for my concern is that a key feature of the app is something very novel, and I have filed a patent application for it. The patent (if granted) won't be granted for 18-24 months, so anything I can do to protect the IP seems like the right thing to do. As a complete newcomer to releasing Apps, I have no experience at all, so I would be grateful for any help/steers from those that do have experience in trying to protect their IP while not making life difficult for the App Review team. Thanks in advance! 6502A
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Original App Still in Review While a Verbatim Clone Got Approved (Guideline 4.1 Violation)
I need to bring attention to a very suspicious "copycat" incident that suggests a potential metadata scraping issue. I submitted my original sports insights app, KickPick, for review on April 2nd, 2024. To my shock, I discovered a competitor app already live on the store with same app name and nearly identical app information (descriptions, metadata) and a very similar UI structure. Domain Registration: The infringing developer registered their website domain on the exact same day I submitted my app for review (April 2nd). This is not a coincidence; it points to automated monitoring or scraping of new submissions/metadata. Plagiarized Legal Assets: While the UI has some variations, they have copied my Privacy Policy and Terms of Service verbatim. These documents were custom-written for my specific project logic, yet they appear on their site with only the company name changed. App Information: The app descriptions and store metadata are almost identical to what I provided in my pending submission. It is highly concerning that an original creator's work, is being "front-run" by a low-effort clone that appears on the store exactly when the original is submitted. I have filed a formal Rights Infringement report, but I want to ask the community: Has anyone else noticed clones popping up with domains registered on their exact submission date?
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Celebrating 2 months in App Review queue !! (still not reviewed)
My game's critical update (related to AdMob) has been stuck in the review queue for over 2 months now. I’m not exaggerating - it’s literally been more than 2 months. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. My updates used to get approved within 2–3 business days at most. But this time, the process seems completely broken. The update was sitting in the queue since February 4th and wasn’t even taken into review. I finally gave up and rejected it myself on April 4th, then resubmitted it. It’s still the same story: stuck in the queue with zero progress. During this time, I’ve sent multiple emails and messages. None of them provided any useful information, and now I’m basically being ghosted by support. Thanks, Apple, for the amazing support and the value you give to developers. Bonus: Another one of my games has been waiting for its initial release for 15 days now. At this rate, I guess I should expect 3–4 months for that one too. The worst part isn’t just the delay - it’s the complete lack of any meaningful explanation.
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App stuck in “Waiting for Review” while other submissions review normally
I have a submission that has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” significantly longer than expected, while other apps submitted from the same developer account during the same period were reviewed and approved quickly (under 2 days). Current pending submission App Store Connect ID: 6760300948 Waiting for Review - Mar 9, 2026 at 4:50 PM Related history (previous record for the same app functionality) App Store Connect ID: 6759011698 Status history: Waiting for Review - Feb 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM Developer Rejected - Feb 28, 2026 at 10:18 AM Ready for Review - Feb 28, 2026 at 11:31 AM Waiting for Review - Feb 28, 2026 at 11:31 AM Developer Rejected - Mar 9, 2026 at 3:13 PM I withdrew that earlier submission out of frustration after attempting to reduce review friction (first by changing metadata/review notes, then by withdrawing it altogether). The current pending submission (ID 6760300948) uses very conservative metadata and includes demo mode to allow straightforward testing. Can the App Review team check why submission ID 6760300948 is not progressing from “Waiting for Review”, and advise what the problem is or what information is needed to move it forward? Related similar thread: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/782319
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App Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for Over 4 Weeks – No Response from App Review Team
Hello, My app has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for over 4 weeks since March 27, 2026. I have submitted expedited review requests twice via the App Review contact form but received no response at all. App Name: Buja Driving Group Version: iOS 1.0 (build 1.0.6 build 13) Submission ID: ed80816c-5cba-46f3-b8e6-b9d7db91a779 Submitted: March 27, 2026 Support Case ID: 102858744084 This is a designated driver request app serving Korean users. The previous 3 submissions of the same version were cancelled and resubmitted, which may have caused issues in the review queue. Has anyone experienced a similar issue? Is there any way to further escalate this to get a response from the App Review team? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Preventing Copycat and Impersonation Rejections
In this post, we'll share tips to help you submit apps that deliver original ideas to your users. When working on your app, focus on creating interesting, unique experiences that aren't already available. Apps that actively try to copy other apps won't pass review, and accounts that repeatedly submit copycat apps or attempt to impersonate a service will be closed. The rules that prevent copycat and impersonator apps from being distributed on the App Store are described in App Review Guideline 4.1: 4.1 Copycats (a) Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers. (b) Submitting apps which impersonate other apps or services is considered a violation of the Developer Code of Conduct and may result in removal from the Apple Developer Program.(c) You cannot use another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name, without approval from the developer. These requirements help make the App Store both a safe place for people to discover apps and a platform for all developers to be successful. Best Practices Here are three best practices that will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1: 1. Submit apps with unique content and features. People want apps that provide unique experiences. Find areas that aren't currently being served and build compelling apps for those audiences. Do: Create apps that provide a new experience or a unique spin on an existing concept. Design original, delightful interfaces that elegantly meet your user's needs. Don't: Don’t imitate the features and functionality of other apps. Don’t copy the look and feel of other apps, such as using an identical user interface design. 2. Make sure App Store metadata only contains relevant information and content you either own or have permission to use. The metadata provided in App Store Connect is used to populate your app's product page on the App Store. People rely on this metadata to learn about your app and what it has to offer. Leveraging the popularity of another brand or app, either by including irrelevant references or protected content, is misleading and won't help your app succeed. Do: Use engaging, descriptive language to describe your unique app. Create original content that best represents your app, such as screenshots showing the actual app in use. Don't: Don't use protected material you do not have the necessary permission to use, such as app icons that are similar to icons of a popular app. Don’t include irrelevant references, such as popular app names or trademarked terms, in any metadata fields. 3. Provide information that is authentic and verifiable. People want to know the developers behind their favorite apps are who they say they are. It's important to continually review and provide up-to-date information, including the developer or company name listed on your Apple Developer Program account, the Support URL listed on your app's product page, and other helpful information. This will enable your users to contact you when they need help and it will also hinder people who may try to impersonate you, your app, or your service. Do: Make sure all information, resources, and documentation related to your account and apps are current and accurate. Don't: Don’t provide inaccurate information or resources, such as directing people to outdated support pages. Don’t provide fraudulent documentation. Accounts that submit fraudulent documentation will be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Support Incorporating these best practices into your app's development will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1. If you need additional assistance, consider taking advantage of one of the following support options available from App Review: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review Appointment to discuss the results of our review. Appointments are subject to availability, and take place during local business hours in your region on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Resources Learn about foundational design principles from Apple designers and the developer community. Learn how to create engaging App Store product pages. Note that apps that violate intellectual property rights are subject to removal through the App Store Content Dispute process. If you believe an app on the App Store violates your intellectual property rights, you can submit a claim.
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Nov ’25
Tips from App Review
Here are some tips from App Review for a smooth review experience. We’ve split them into two categories: Before You Submit and After You Submit. We’ve also made an easy-to-follow Submission Guide you can save and reference at any point on your App Store journey. Before You Submit Tips Enable a complete review. Make sure you’ve provided demo accounts or implemented an account demonstration mode before you submit. We’ll need to review the entire app experience, both with and without an account. Provide up-to-date demo account login credentials in the App Review Information section on the app version page in App Store Connect. If your app has multiple account types (such as admin and general users), use the Notes field to provide additional demo account credentials for each account type. If your app requires an authentication code in addition to the login credentials, provide the code in advance in the Notes field. Otherwise, a call may be required to complete the review. Apps that handle sensitive user information, or operate in highly regulated industries, can implement demonstration modes that exhibit full features and functionality while using demonstration data. Use the Notes field in App Store Connect to provide information to App Review. The App Review Information section of App Store Connect includes a Notes field. Provide any information that could be relevant to your submission’s review: Submitting a new app? Tell us about your app's concept, business model, and if your app is designed to only operate in certain locations. Submitting an update? Tell us about what’s changed and where to locate significant new content or features. Connecting to hardware? Attach a video, not a screen recording, that shows both the hardware and the app running on a physical Apple device as they pair and interact. Test your app on physical devices before submitting for review. Use TestFlight to distribute your app for beta testing. App Review evaluates apps the way your users will use them: installed on real devices and connected to networks with real-world conditions. Make sure your pre-submission testing includes running the app on each device platform where it could be used. Users expect the app to function on all the devices where it’s available. TestFlight will help you do quality assurance and beta testing on real devices. Share your beta app with internal testers on your Apple Developer Program account or to external users via an email invite or public link. Configure In-App Purchases for review in the sandbox environment. App Review assesses In-App Purchases in the same sandbox environment Apple provides for testing them. The sandbox lets us use real product data and server-to-server transactions, without incurring any financial charges. Take these steps to prepare your In-App Purchases for review: Accept the Paid Applications Agreement in App Store Connect. Submit the In-App Purchases in App Store Connect that you’d like reviewed. Follow the steps in TN3186: Troubleshooting In-App Purchases availability in the sandbox if your app fails to display your In-App Purchases. Note: In-App Purchases don’t need prior approval from App Review to function in review. Join a Meet with Apple event if you need assistance before you submit for review. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to chat with an App Review expert about how to prepare for review, ask questions about specific guidelines, and discuss other topics related to the review process. Appointments are subject to availability during your local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After You Submit Tips Contact App Review if you need assistance with an ongoing submission. If your submission doesn’t pass review and you have questions, contact App Review directly by clicking Reply to App Review in App Store Connect. You’ll receive a reply from a review specialist who’s familiar with your app. You can also use the Reply to App Review message window to request a call with an Apple representative. Include your preferred time and language for the call and we’ll do our best to accommodate your requests. Use the Bug Fix Submissions process to quickly deliver bug fixes and resolve other issues on the next submission. If an update includes bug fixes and is rejected, you will be given the option to resolve the issues on your next submission, as long as there are no legal or safety concerns. App Review will let you know if your submission is eligible by including this note at the top of the rejection message: Bug Fix Submissions The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. To accept this offer, simply reply to the rejection message in App Store Connect and let App Review know you’ll resolve the issues on the next submission. Share ideas with Apple about how to improve or clarify the App Review Guidelines by submitting guideline feedback. Just as the App Store is always changing and improving to keep up with the needs of customers, the App Review Guidelines may be revised to provide new and updated guidance. If you have ideas for improving or clarifying our requirements you can suggest guideline changes. If your submission was rejected but you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. If your submission didn’t pass review but you have reason to believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, you can submit an appeal to the App Review Board. You can also file an appeal if you think we misunderstood your app or the review was unfair. The App Review Board will contact you as soon as they complete their investigation.
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Dec ’25
Support your app on compatible devices
Apple platforms make it easy to distribute your app to a variety of compatible devices, so it’s important to maximize your app experience on each platform you support. Here are some tips from App Review to help you understand how device compatibility impacts your app’s distribution — and how to make sure your apps shine on every platform they’re on. Understand device compatibility There are many ways an app built for one Apple device can run on other Apple devices: Apps designed for iPhone can run on iPad devices in compatibility mode if there are no dependencies on iPhone device capabilities. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Macs with Apple Silicon. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Apple Vision Pro. Xcode provides options to configure settings for apps on multiple platforms. You can specify which platforms your app’s target supports in the Supported Destination field. However, it’s important to note: People may still be able to run your app on a device even if you remove it or don't include it as a Supported Destination in Xcode. For example, as long as an app designed for iPhone doesn’t depend on a capability that’s only available on iPhone, it can be downloaded from the App Store onto iPad. Adding or removing iPad as a Supported Destination in Xcode won’t change that app’s availability on iPad. To view examples of cases where it's appropriate to restrict availability, see Restrict device distribution below. Follow compatibility best practices 1. Plan and test for compatibility modes so your app works on every device where it can be downloaded. Do: Use Xcode simulators to verify basic functionality across different device types. Leverage TestFlight with external testers who have access to a wide range of Apple devices. Don't: Don’t submit for review without testing your app’s behavior in compatibility modes. Don’t assume removing a supported destination in Xcode prevents distribution to that device type. 2. Build adaptive interfaces that work across device variations. Do: Build interfaces that respond to different screen sizes and orientations. Adapt features based on available hardware, providing alternatives for a consistent experience. Don't: Don’t design rigid interfaces that assume only one type of device or input method. Don’t let your app crash or become unusable when optional hardware is unavailable. Restrict device distribution Wherever possible, it’s best to make your app available on multiple platforms to increase its reach and provide people with a consistent experience across devices. But there are cases where it does makes sense to restrict an app’s availability. For example: iPhone apps that rely on iPhone-specific hardware won’t function as expected on iPad. Use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the information property list file to specify hardware dependencies. Note: Apps should only use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key for genuine hardware dependencies, not to indicate distribution preferences. Navigation- or camera-based apps are not well suited for visionOS. Learn more about managing availability of iPhone and iPad apps on Apple Vision Pro. Apps that rely heavily on touch inputs that can’t be replicated on a keyboard are not well suited for macOS. Learn more about restricting distribution to Apple Silicon devices. Learn more about how to configure multiplatform apps in Xcode. Support If you need more assistance, explore these support options: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple. Appointments are available during local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board.
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Feb ’26
Escalation Request – Extended “Waiting for Review” Status
Hello, I would like to request an escalation regarding my app review status. My app (Apple ID: 6758756966) was submitted for review on February 24 and has been in “Waiting for Review” status for an extended period, with no progress so far. I have contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times (Case IDs: 102840237455, 102840079647, 102846664998, 102841727941) starting from March 9, but unfortunately, I have not received any response to any of these requests. I have also submitted three expedited review requests, but none of them have been acknowledged. Could you please: • confirm whether the submission is still active in the queue • check if there are any issues preventing it from moving forward • and assist in escalating the review if possible If any additional information is required from my side, I am ready to provide it immediately. Thank you very much for your time and support.
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1d
App update showing status as "In review" for 17 days
Hello, Our application has been stuck in the "In Review" status for 17 days now, and we are looking for guidance on whether this is a known technical stall or an extended policy audit. The Issue: The app moved from "Waiting for Review" to "In Review" on March 25th. Since then, there has been no change in status and no messages in the Resolution Center. App ID: 6753868146 Thanks
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1d
Lookify: AI Virtual Try-On — Stuck in "Waiting for Review" | 2 Months
Hello Apple Developer Community and App Review Team, I'm writing to seek guidance regarding my app Lookify: AI Virtual Try-On (App ID: 6757718224), which has been caught in an ongoing review cycle since February 15, 2026 — nearly two months ago. Submission History: Date Version Status Feb 15 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Feb 19 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Feb 21 iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 3 (2:21 AM) iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 3 (1:17 PM) iOS 1.1.0 Removed Apr 6 (current) iOS 1.1.0 Waiting for Review Each submission was either self-removed after extended waiting periods with no reviewer feedback, or removed to address potential issues — only to re-enter the queue with the same outcome. The current submission has now been in "Waiting for Review" status since April 6 with no activity, no messages, and no indication of progress. What I've done to comply: Updated the Privacy Policy to be fully GDPR and KVKK compliant Provided clear demo account credentials and usage instructions for the AI try-on feature Ensured all metadata, screenshots, and descriptions accurately reflect the app's functionality Reviewed Apple's App Review Guidelines thoroughly before each resubmission I understand that AI-powered apps — especially those involving visual try-on technology — may require closer scrutiny, and I fully respect that process. I'm not asking to bypass any review step. I simply ask for transparency: if there is an issue with the app, a rejection with specific feedback would allow me to address it immediately. This app represents months of development work. As a small independent developer, prolonged uncertainty without communication makes it very difficult to plan or improve. My request: Could anyone from the App Review team or community provide insight into: Whether there is an active flag or concern on this submission What the expected timeline might be for accounts with this submission history Whether an Expedited Review would be appropriate given this timeline I have also submitted a contact request through the official App Review contact form. I am fully committed to making any necessary changes — I just need to know what they are. Thank you sincerely for your time and assistance. Mustafa Bilgiç Developer, PlayTools
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1d
App submission on waiting for review ID 6758008521
ID 6758008521, Dear App Review Team, I submitted my app review and it got rejected for inaccurate screenshot. I have revised the app screenshot and also resubmitted. But it has been 8 days and no response. We look forward to completing the review, thank you.
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1d
Pending appeal (Apple ID: 6759512591)
I submitted an app rejection appeal on March 7 and there has been no update of any kind for over 30 days. I’m posting here to reach the support team and to see if there’s a way to follow up with the process. Thank you for your help.
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2d
Appeal pending for 4 days
So I submitted my app review and it got rejected for a tiny meta-data fix and i fixed immediately and also resubmitted for safety. But it has been 4 days and no response. This approval is urgent as it contained some really important bug fixes. And also we are not been able to start our app marketing because we wanted to start after the more stable version was in store. application-identifier: K384JX9LGQ.com.zynclo.pledgeproof
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2d
Need Advice: Family Controls Fully Removed but App Review Still Detects Unapproved API Use
Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on a repeated App Store rejection under Guideline 2.5.1. Background: We initially explored using Family Controls for a planned feature. That feature has now been fully removed from the app. We no longer provide any Screen Time related functionality. What we already cleaned up: Removed all FamilyControls / ManagedSettings / DeviceActivity code usage. Removed commented-out code and all related references from the project. Removed related capabilities and entitlements from targets. Removed related frameworks/dependencies. Performed a clean rebuild and submitted a new archive. However, App Review still says the app includes ScreenTime API in an unapproved manner and suggests removing those APIs. Questions: What are the most common hidden places where Screen Time / Family Controls traces remain? Has anyone seen this triggered by transitive dependencies or stale build artifacts? What evidence/details should I provide in App Review Notes to help the reviewer verify cleanup? Is there a recommended way to ask App Review to share the specific symbol/framework/target they detected? Any practical checklist or experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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2d
is there a tool to check compliance before submitting the App?
We recently ran into an issue where our submission was rejected due to references to an API that we are not using but that was present in the code. Guideline 2.5.1 - Performance - Software Requirements Issue Description The app uses the Clinical Health Records API but the app does not appear to include any primary features that require the Clinical Health Records API. Next Steps To resolve this issue, please remove the Clinical Health Records API from the app, as well as any references to this app’s interactivity with Clinical Health Records from the app or its metadata. And as it turns out, we actually did have references to that API that we had missed and did have to remove them. Usually, I would recommend to just resubmit the new build and see if it gets accepted, then hold it until the powers that be approve it for publication. For this client, though, their QA team forces us into more of a waterfall-ish approach, where we are not allowed to submit production builds ahead of time (i.e. until after all manual testing has concluded, test evidence has been filed and the required documents have been updated and approved). And if after resubmission we find something else that needs to be fixed, we get to restart the process all over again. That's ... slower. We do have a workaround in place where we submit a development build for review and check whether that would get accepted, then retract that version and submit the production build once we are allowed to. But that means more work for Apple (the App has to be reviewed twice) and more risk for us (if the submission team accidentally publishes a development build, the consequences would be severe). Is there a tool that allows us to check for guideline violations without having to submit a build to the App Store Connect? I'm not looking for a "yes, this will get approved" kind of guarantee, just a "well, the review team may find something else to question / reject, but as far as automated checks go, this looks ready for submission".
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2d
Appeal pending for 2 weeks
Hello, I submitted my app for review and it was rejected under Guideline 4.2. I believe the rejection was a misunderstanding of my app's functionality, so I filed an appeal through the Resolution Center explaining why I believe my app meets the minimum functionality requirements. It's been passed almost two weeks since I filed the appeal but I've received no response or update on the status. My app is directly tied to an event launching next week, and without a resolution, I will miss the launch window entirely. I'd greatly appreciate any visibility into where my appeal stands, or any guidance on what steps I can take to move this forward. Thank you for your time.
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2d
Expedited Review Stuck After Reply
I submitted an app build and filled out the expedited review form, they quickly replied: “The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. If this submission includes bug fixes and you'd like to have it approved at this time, reply to this message and let us know. You do not need to resubmit your app for us to proceed.” I replied with “Yes, please accept the current version now as it contains bug fixes, will resolve that issue later lalala” I replied again 1 day after the letter. And nothing. 2 days total have passed. So the replies do not go to the Expedited Review queue? What should I do? Reply again? Or resubmit the build with a comment “Important bug fixes, please accept immediately”? Or maybe call them, will a call help? Thank you so much!
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Activity
2d
Strange Reviewer Behaviour & Feedback
Hi there! I'm trying to get my first app released. It's been 40 rejections for over 2 months. And there is a TV show which I am hoping to go on, but I can't without the app being released. Some of the issue has been my newbieness to Apple admittedly but things have become bizaare this week particularly. Each review is a drip feed of one or two problems rather than a full review of all problems in one go - surely this has a cost associated which Apple is bearing unnecesarily? In the last week, all rejection reasons could have been stated months ago. The problem is that it appears that a bot is testing the app not a human. For instance a reviewer flagged that a "Continue" button is not pressable. When in reality I added an intentional delay of 120ms for app stability, the reviewer didn't or couldn't try to tap the button "twice". Separate example: twice reviewers have brought up my sign in button has not worked (04/01 & 03/16) - and twice I have explained that non subscribers are not allowed to sign in - the reviewer even sent me the toast screenshot with a message telling the user they are not allowed to sign in - proving that its not a bug and it was intentional. I don't know if this is a bot or a language barrier problem? Another rejection reason (03/31) because the Community Forum was not clear in the screenshot I provided, but I also provided login details for the forum, which were ignored and the app rejected for that alone. One of my recent reviews was very shocking (03/31): """ Will user interact with other users in Community feature of your app? Please also provide steps to access the Chatbots feature. """ I don't understand why I should be asked if people will be interacting in my community forum - thats the entire point of a forum. 2.The chatbots are on the dashboard of my app, there is only one dashboard in my app, everything on my app is in one place, so the reviewer didn't even look for the feature. This is just a tiny selection of the type of comments I have been getting and I'm hoping I can release my app soon so I can go on this show, I have done 4 expedited review requests and nothing has progressed in a week.
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2d
The application has been under review and has been waiting for more than a month.
I have submitted my application for one month, but it is still awaiting review. So I resubmitted it for review. I am the owner of this application and I also requested an expedited review. I also consulted Apple and contacted them several times through the "Contact Us" option, but the reply always said that it would take some time. Therefore, we can only seek help from the review staff here. Application ID: 675550806
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2d
Subscription stuck in "developer action needed"
I am submitting a new app, so the subscription has to be submitted as part of the overall app review at first, I can't submit it directly on its own. I didn't know this at first, and submitted the subscription directly. It obviously got rejected with the status "developer action needed". Now no matter what I change I cannot seem to get the status to update from "Developer Action Needed" to a more favorable status. This is obviously a problem because until I can get the status to update, I cannot attach it to submit with my app. Any ideas on how to get the status on my subscription to update to "Ready to submit" so that I can attach it with my binary and submit it with my overall app submission?
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89
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2d
Guideline 4.2.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality (Rejected)
Guideline 4.2.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality I'm trying to understand why this is happening. My app is a resource for Domestic Violence Survivors. Its not a wrapper of a mobile site -- there isn't a tool that exists like this currently on the market. The app has native features like Quick Exit and a Privacy cover. How can I get past this? What else is needed?
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3d
Acceptable level of obfuscation for App Review
New member here, please be gentle :) I am getting ready for App Review for my first iOS app, and I am curious if ANY level of obfuscation is allowed? Say I had a drone controller App, I might have something like this: struct Drone{ var name : String var forwardVelocity : Double var lateralVelocity : Double var verticalVelocity : Double var receivedSignalStrength : Int var rssThreshhold : Int var gpsCoordinates : Data func reverseCourse(){ //do a 180 //... } } func onUpdateReceivedSignalStength(drone:Drone){ if drone.receivedSignalStrength < drone.rssThreshhold{ drone.reverseCourse() } } But I don't really want to make it easy for someone to pull the strings from the binaries and try and copy my work. I realize it's pretty much inevitable, but it seems sensible to protect my IP as much as I can. Is something like this acceptable? struct D{ //obfuscated Drone var parameter1 : String //name var parameter2 : Double //forwardVelocity var parameter3 : Double //lateralVelocity var parameter4 : Double //verticalVelocity var parameter5 : Int //receivedSignalStength var parameter6 : Int //rssThreshhold var parameter7 : Data //gpsCoordinates func funcSeven(){ //do a 180 //... } } func funcSix(d:D){ //check if signal strength requires a course reversal if d.parameter5 < d.parameter6{ // signal strength less than threshhold d.funcSeven() //reverse course } } The comments make it clear what the similarly-named parameters are doing, and what the functions do. I fully understand that something like the below is a no-no, just writing it made my eyes bleed: struct DDF{ var SXR : String var KYV : Double var GTC : Double var DKY : Double var ENY : Int var WKN : Int var DJV : Data func BDO(){ //do a 180 //... } } func PUL(KHY:DDF){ if KHY.ENY < KHY.WKN{ KHY.BDO() } } Is there any level of IP protection through obscurity that is acceptable? I realize that the more genericized the variable and function names are, the harder it is to debug, but that might be an acceptable trade-off against IP protection. To be clear, my app isn't anything to do with drones, this was just a vehicle to ask the question with. My code isn't currently at all obfuscated, everything is in clear terms, but I am wondering if I could/should obfuscate the critical parts before App Review and release? The reason for my concern is that a key feature of the app is something very novel, and I have filed a patent application for it. The patent (if granted) won't be granted for 18-24 months, so anything I can do to protect the IP seems like the right thing to do. As a complete newcomer to releasing Apps, I have no experience at all, so I would be grateful for any help/steers from those that do have experience in trying to protect their IP while not making life difficult for the App Review team. Thanks in advance! 6502A
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3d
Original App Still in Review While a Verbatim Clone Got Approved (Guideline 4.1 Violation)
I need to bring attention to a very suspicious "copycat" incident that suggests a potential metadata scraping issue. I submitted my original sports insights app, KickPick, for review on April 2nd, 2024. To my shock, I discovered a competitor app already live on the store with same app name and nearly identical app information (descriptions, metadata) and a very similar UI structure. Domain Registration: The infringing developer registered their website domain on the exact same day I submitted my app for review (April 2nd). This is not a coincidence; it points to automated monitoring or scraping of new submissions/metadata. Plagiarized Legal Assets: While the UI has some variations, they have copied my Privacy Policy and Terms of Service verbatim. These documents were custom-written for my specific project logic, yet they appear on their site with only the company name changed. App Information: The app descriptions and store metadata are almost identical to what I provided in my pending submission. It is highly concerning that an original creator's work, is being "front-run" by a low-effort clone that appears on the store exactly when the original is submitted. I have filed a formal Rights Infringement report, but I want to ask the community: Has anyone else noticed clones popping up with domains registered on their exact submission date?
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76
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3d
Celebrating 2 months in App Review queue !! (still not reviewed)
My game's critical update (related to AdMob) has been stuck in the review queue for over 2 months now. I’m not exaggerating - it’s literally been more than 2 months. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. My updates used to get approved within 2–3 business days at most. But this time, the process seems completely broken. The update was sitting in the queue since February 4th and wasn’t even taken into review. I finally gave up and rejected it myself on April 4th, then resubmitted it. It’s still the same story: stuck in the queue with zero progress. During this time, I’ve sent multiple emails and messages. None of them provided any useful information, and now I’m basically being ghosted by support. Thanks, Apple, for the amazing support and the value you give to developers. Bonus: Another one of my games has been waiting for its initial release for 15 days now. At this rate, I guess I should expect 3–4 months for that one too. The worst part isn’t just the delay - it’s the complete lack of any meaningful explanation.
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91
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3d
App stuck in “Waiting for Review” while other submissions review normally
I have a submission that has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” significantly longer than expected, while other apps submitted from the same developer account during the same period were reviewed and approved quickly (under 2 days). Current pending submission App Store Connect ID: 6760300948 Waiting for Review - Mar 9, 2026 at 4:50 PM Related history (previous record for the same app functionality) App Store Connect ID: 6759011698 Status history: Waiting for Review - Feb 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM Developer Rejected - Feb 28, 2026 at 10:18 AM Ready for Review - Feb 28, 2026 at 11:31 AM Waiting for Review - Feb 28, 2026 at 11:31 AM Developer Rejected - Mar 9, 2026 at 3:13 PM I withdrew that earlier submission out of frustration after attempting to reduce review friction (first by changing metadata/review notes, then by withdrawing it altogether). The current pending submission (ID 6760300948) uses very conservative metadata and includes demo mode to allow straightforward testing. Can the App Review team check why submission ID 6760300948 is not progressing from “Waiting for Review”, and advise what the problem is or what information is needed to move it forward? Related similar thread: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/782319
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App Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for Over 4 Weeks – No Response from App Review Team
Hello, My app has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for over 4 weeks since March 27, 2026. I have submitted expedited review requests twice via the App Review contact form but received no response at all. App Name: Buja Driving Group Version: iOS 1.0 (build 1.0.6 build 13) Submission ID: ed80816c-5cba-46f3-b8e6-b9d7db91a779 Submitted: March 27, 2026 Support Case ID: 102858744084 This is a designated driver request app serving Korean users. The previous 3 submissions of the same version were cancelled and resubmitted, which may have caused issues in the review queue. Has anyone experienced a similar issue? Is there any way to further escalate this to get a response from the App Review team? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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