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.

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.

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.

Apple is committed to keeping the App Store a safe place for users to get apps and a great opportunity for all developers to be successful. A reliable review process is critical to this commitment, which is why App Review works around the clock to review at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Updates with minor changes and bug fix submissions typically move swiftly through review, while other reviews may take longer because they require additional verification. In this post, we'll explain when that can happen and how you can best prepare your submission for a thorough review. Why some reviews require more time While most submissions are reviewed within 48 hours, some apps may require additional time because the review involves extra verification steps, such as: Documentation review, where App Review requests and verifies supporting materials such as authorizations, licenses, or partnership agreements before approving the submission. Complex or novel issues, including apps with regulated content, new platform capabilities, entitlements enabled, or other sensitive features, may require greater scrutiny and consideration. Common examples may include: Medical apps involving health data, diagnostic or treatment features, or other medical claims often require documentation supporting those claims or demonstrating regulatory approval. (Guideline 1.4.1) Cryptocurrency exchange apps must be offered by an approved exchange and secure the necessary licensing to operate on each storefront where the app is available. (Guideline 3.1.5) Apps operating in highly regulated industries, such as banking and financial services, air travel, healthcare, and similar sectors, must be submitted by authorized legal entities with supporting documentation. (Guideline 5.1.1(ix)) Apps with third-party intellectual property require verifiable permission to use another party's content, branding, or other protected material. (Guideline 5.2.1) Gambling, lotteries, and real-money gaming apps must provide the necessary licensing and permissions for each storefront where the app is available. (Guideline 5.3.4) If your app falls into one of these categories, the most effective way to reduce your review time is to attach all requisite documentation we'll need for review in the App Review Information section of App Store Connect. Why this matters: Incomplete submissions require additional back-and-forth before we can complete the review. Including everything upfront is the fastest path to a decision. Best practices to minimize delays 1. Provide complete information on every submission. Give App Review everything needed for a complete review, especially for apps with regulated, specialized, or otherwise complex content. Do: Include demo accounts, authentication codes, and any required setup steps in the App Review Information section. Use the Notes field to explain your app's concept, business model, or authorization to operate in regulated industries. Attach all relevant supporting documentation before submitting the app for review. If you're unsure what information is needed for review, schedule an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to discuss your app's concept. Don't: Don't resubmit the app for review until all identified issues are resolved. Why this matters: Resubmitting with unresolved issues will result in the same outcome, meaning the submission spends additional time in the queue without a different result. 2. Only provide authentic and verifiable information on your developer account. Authentic account information and high-quality apps build customer trust and keep your submissions moving smoothly through review. Do: Keep your developer name, Support URL, and account information current. Provide authentic, verifiable documentation whenever it's required. Only submit apps that have been thoroughly tested on physical devices and are ready for distribution. Don't: Don't submit documentation you're not authorized to use, or that can't be independently verified. Don't misrepresent your identity or relationship to other brands or services. Don't submit apps that are low-quality, untested, or include incomplete content or features. When fraud or malicious activity is detected To protect the App Store's high standards for privacy, security, and quality, we have zero tolerance for fraudulent or malicious activity. App Review investigates all reported or identified conduct that falls outside the App Review Guidelines and the Developer Code of Conduct, which requires accurate representation and integrity across the App Store experience. Examples include: Misrepresented developer identity or impersonation, such as providing inauthentic documentation or otherwise pretending to be someone you're not (Guidelines 4.1 and 5.6.2). Manipulation of the App Store experience, including gaming charts, search results, reviews or referrals, or attempting to hide features in review (Guidelines 2.3.1(a) and 5.6.3). Submitting low-quality apps, as indicated by excessive customer reports, such as negative customer reviews, and high-volume refund requests (Guidelines 4.3 and 5.6.4). When these signals appear, we investigate thoroughly, and repeated or serious violations can lead to additional rejections, app removals, and account removal from the Apple Developer Program. Support before or during your review If you have a critical timing issue, such as fixing a critical bug or releasing your app to coincide with an event, you can request an expedited review. If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. You can also reply to request a call with an Apple representative to discuss the outcome of the review. If your app has been rejected and you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Appeals must include specific, detailed explanations for why your app follows each of the guidelines in question.

Hi, My app Duo Queue has been in "Waiting for Review" since September 22, about 160 hours now, with no status change since then. App: Duo Queue: Game Tracker Apple ID: 6809453548 Version: 1.1 (build 21), submitted with the in-app purchase com.adgames.duoqueue.full_shelf Submission ID: 3ff2dc7d-2435-43a3-bc3f-33b1ae3478d2 Submitted: Sep 22, 2026, 09:05 UTC An earlier submission was rejected under Guideline 4.3(a). For 1.1 I rebuilt the core of the app. Users now photograph a game box and the app identifies it, and game detail pages include trailers where available. I also renamed Swift types that shared names with types in my other apps, and attached a demo video for the reviewer. I withdrew the previous submissions for this app, so this is its only active submission in the queue. I know the team has a lot of apps to get through. I'd just like to confirm that the submission isn't stuck somewhere, or find out if I need to do anything on my side. Thank you.

Hi everyone, My app, QuitIt, has been waiting for review for quite some time after my appeal was accepted. I’m keen to get it through the review process and released, but I haven’t received an update on what happens next or whether anything else is needed from me. Has anyone experienced a similar delay following a successful appeal? Is there a recommended way to follow up with App Review and confirm that my submission is moving forward? I understand review times can vary, and I’d appreciate any guidance. Thank you!

Hello, My app 岩片 (YanPian, Apple ID 6800534375, bundle ID com.ajin.heartrate) was rejected on September 19, 2026 under Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam. Submission ID: 69a97b70-0219-42fe-861f-ce737bc19b38, version 1.0 (202609061946). The app is original. I wrote it myself, it is the only app on my account, I have not submitted similar apps on any other account, and I have never used or bought an app template. It is a tool for lead climbers who film their climbs from a tripod far below the wall: Heart-rate overlay: pick a climbing video from Photos. Heart-rate samples recorded by Apple Watch are read from HealthKit (read-only), matched to the video by capture time, and drawn on the video with a heart-rate graph. Zoom and follow: the climber is tiny in a wide shot, so the app crops in and follows them with editable keyframes (on-device person detection). Live capture, with an optional Zhiyun CQ5 gimbal that moves only when the climber is about to leave the frame, and an optional Apple Watch companion. Everything runs on device. No account, no backend. What I have done so far: September 20: replied in App Store Connect with the explanation above. No response yet. September 29: submitted an appeal to the App Review Board. An earlier appeal got no confirmation, and I cannot find any record of it. The review was done on an iPad Air. The app is iPhone-only. Without a climbing video in Photos, the home screen only shows "New project" and "Live capture", so I understand it may look like a generic camera app. A screen recording of the full flow is attached to the submission in App Store Connect. If a specific app looks similar, I would be glad to know which part so I can change it. Could someone from App Review take a look? Thank you.

Hello Apple App Review team and developer community, I am Blessing Anumudu, the owner of RAYAAUSTIN LLC and the Account Holder of its Apple Developer Program membership. We received a Pending Termination Notice citing Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement and App Review Guideline 5.6.2 (Developer Identity). Our app, LightXtreme VPN Unlimited (iOS), has been removed from the App Store. We submitted an appeal to the App Review Board six days ago—nearly a week—and have not yet received any response to the appeal. We have also contacted Apple Developer Support. Our support case ID is 102979575702. We understand that a thorough review takes time. However, with our app remaining unavailable and the notice specifying a 30-calendar-day appeal deadline, we would appreciate confirmation that our appeal has been received and is under review. Could an Apple team member help us confirm: The current status of our appeal. Whether any additional information or action is required from us. Whether an estimated response timeframe is available. We have identity, company registration, IRS, banking, and trademark documentation available for verification. Since the appeal form did not allow attachments, please advise how we can securely submit any relevant documents. We will not post sensitive records publicly. Our priority is to resolve the specific concerns, complete any necessary verification, and restore our app to the App Store as soon as possible. We are ready to respond promptly to any requests from the reviewing team. We would appreciate help directing this inquiry to the team handling our appeal, as well as firsthand guidance from developers who have resolved a similar identity-verification issue. Thank you for your time and assistance.

Hi, I'm hoping someone from Apple can help with the review of my app. My initial submission spent around 7 days in "Waiting for review," so I resubmitted it with changes immediately. The resubmission has now been waiting for another 2 days. This app is part of my submission to an ongoing competition, so release timing is important and I'm approaching a deadline. I would really appreciate it if someone could help get the app reviewed as soon as possible. I completely understand that review times can vary, but given the initial 7 day wait and the upcoming deadline, I wanted to reach out and see if there is anything that can be done. Thank you!

Hi everyone, I submitted my app for App Review on August 14, 2026, at 2:39 PM. I later submitted an updated version again on September 9, 2026. The latest submission has been showing “In Review” for the past 5 days, but I still haven’t received any review decision or additional information from the App Review team. As I understand it, once an app enters the “In Review” status, a review decision is generally provided after the review is completed. However, in my case, the status has remained unchanged for several days. Has anyone experienced a similar situation recently? Is it normal for an app to remain in “In Review” for this long, or is there anything I should do from my side? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated. Thank you!

I submitted my app for a big national event on September 22nd, got a rejection for metadata in two days, and fixed it in the same day. Now the event is in two days, and I'm still in Waiting for Review. I tried to contact support and also submitted an expedited review request yesterday, but still stuck. Is there anything I can do to help speed this up? Or anyone from support who can escalate? We desperately need it live, otherwise it will be too late. Thanks!

We are building a faith app where a member can send an optional financial gift, called an offering, directly to their own pastor's ministry. This is not a registered charity and the pastor is not an approved nonprofit. Does this fall under Guideline 3.2.2 (charitable donations and fundraisers), meaning the amount must be chosen outside the app with nothing pre-selected in-app? Or is it closer to a real-world personal payment, since it goes to a specific individual rather than a cause? We want to design the flow correctly before building it.

Hello Apple Developer Community, I’m experiencing a serious delay with the App Review process for my app and would appreciate any guidance from Apple or other developers who may have experienced something similar. App: İSGCEP - İş Güvenliği Asistanı Current version: 1.7.0 We have been waiting for the App Review process to be resolved for approximately 25–27 days in total. During this period, previous submissions remained in “In Review” for an unusually long time without receiving a review decision, a message, or a request for additional information. We had also previously requested an expedited review for this app, and Apple confirmed: “We’ll expedite review for İSGCEP - İş Güvenliği Asistanı. If your submission is rejected during this review, you don’t need to request another expedited review when you resubmit. Your resubmission will be automatically returned to the expedited queue.” However, the review did not progress as expected. Because the previous submissions remained stuck for such a long time, I eventually cancelled them and created a new submission for version 1.7.0. The new submission has now been submitted again. I understand that this new submission itself has not been waiting for 25–27 days; rather, the overall review process for this app has been unresolved for approximately 25–27 days due to the previous submissions becoming stuck in “In Review”. There are currently no messages in the Resolution Center and no request for additional information from App Review. Could someone from the App Review team please check whether there is anything unusual with our submission, App Store Connect account, or review queue that could be preventing the app from progressing through review? I’m not asking for approval or a guaranteed review time. I would simply like to make sure that there is no technical or queue-related issue affecting our submission. This delay is particularly concerning because we were previously informed that the app would receive expedited review and that a resubmission would automatically return to the expedited queue. Any guidance from Apple or developers who have experienced a similar situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Guideline 4.7.2 – Native capabilities for signed B2B HTML5/JavaScript mini apps We are developing a B2B iOS application using .NET MAUI. The application acts as a host for dynamically downloaded HTML5/JavaScript mini apps displayed inside a WebView/HybridWebView. The mini apps are created and distributed exclusively by us. Third parties and end users cannot upload or provide their own mini apps. Each mini app package is digitally signed by us, and the host application verifies its signature and integrity before allowing it to run. The mini apps contain only HTML, CSS and JavaScript and do not contain downloaded native executable code. Some mini apps need access to a very small, predefined set of capabilities implemented by the native host application, for example: Take a photo Scan a QR code or barcode Select a file Potentially print to a supported printer For example, a mini app could call a predefined JavaScript bridge method such as: TakePhoto() The .NET MAUI host application would then present the native iOS camera UI and return the result to that specific mini app. The mini apps would not receive unrestricted access to native iOS APIs. Only an explicitly defined allowlist of host capabilities would be exposed. Access to privacy-sensitive capabilities such as the camera would only occur following an explicit user action, and the normal iOS permission flow would still apply. Would this architecture be acceptable under App Review Guideline 4.7.2? Does the fact that this is a controlled B2B environment, where all mini apps are created, signed, distributed and verified exclusively by us, affect the requirement for prior permission from Apple? If prior permission is still required, what is the correct process for requesting that permission before submitting the application for App Review?

I assume it's not just me... MacOS app reviews are taking a really long time now. The "24-48h" estimate no longer seems to be accurate. On Monday morning, I submitted both iOS and MacOS versions of our app (1137297689). The iOS version was reviewed and approved in a few hours. The MacOS versions is still waiting for review 50+ hours later. This is the second time this month this has happened. Versions released early in May had the same issue. iOS is quick, MacOS is days later (and only after I gave up and filed an expedited request). Release in April was also slow. Releases last year were normally under 24h so it's fairly recent that the release process has been super slow. It's very frustrating for our users that rely on the App Store distributions. We've had to start offering out-of-app store distribution paths due to how slow the review process is which is frustrating for us as that's more we have to maintain. Is Apple doing ANYTHING to rectify the situation?

Five apps Waiting for Review — Shipaton 2026 deadline September 30 — Expedited requests submitted Hi Apple Developer Community, I’m participating in Shipaton 2026 and have five iOS app submissions currently Waiting for Review. I have submitted expedited review requests for all five apps. The competition deadline is September 30, 2026 at 11:45 PM PDT (UTC−7). Apps must be publicly available on the App Store for judges to download and review, so pending submissions and TestFlight builds do not qualify. These are my five priority submissions: App Apple ID Version Current submission date Submission ID Knowless 6813508086 1.0 September 24, 2026 f4d5e751-01f0-43de-b7e3-73fe7c2667fe Elsewhere: Hidden Safe Place 6813465116 1.0 September 25, 2026 a09f3b83-89a4-4fa3-ae3a-51ae956c577c lifelong 6788564145 1.0 September 28, 2026 bcecc5d7-e5eb-41d4-b68b-d048f1278d09 baseline - fitness state 6804717722 1.0 September 28, 2026 d61092a8-9204-47ca-bd0e-22b2ba13bb77 Lockeat 6815507097 1.0 September 28, 2026 1361a7a8-9976-4495-9b76-60170d989aec These dates refer to the current submissions; some were submitted more recently than others. Could an Apple representative help route this time-sensitive request to the App Review team, or advise whether any further action is needed after submitting the expedited requests? I understand that expedited review and approval cannot be guaranteed. I’m available to respond promptly to any questions or requests for additional information. Thank you for your time and help.

We need Apple to urgently remove the spam flag on our app. This is not a request for another generic explanation of the rejection. We previously had a Webex meeting with Ewelina from Apple, during which we explained the app, its purpose, and the changes made in response to the prior rejection. We were explicitly told that our app is not spam, (and was never a spam) that the issue would be addressed, and that we could confidently resubmit the app. We relied on that assurance and resubmitted. Yet we received the same spam rejection again. This is causing immediate and substantial financial harm. We are already paying commitments to Plaid and Checkbook, fees to other providers, and salaries to employees who cannot perform the work they were hired to do while our app remains blocked. These costs continue every day without a launch, and our company is facing significant financial distress. We have had to cancel our launch event three times. The third cancellation followed this latest rejection, after Apple told us we could confidently resubmit. We made financial and operational decisions based on that guidance. Please urgently escalate this to someone who can review the Webex meeting with Ewelina, remove the spam designation, and ensure our app is not rejected again on the same basis Apple already told us did not apply. We need a concrete resolution now. We cannot keep paying providers and employees, cancelling launch plans, and absorbing losses because the same flag continues to be applied. If anyone here has experienced the same situation or knows how to get this escalated to someone who can resolve it, we would be extremely grateful for your help.

Hi everyone, I am experiencing a severe system delay and I am wondering if anyone else has faced this, or if an Apple engineer can check my account for a backend glitch. My timeline: It took 17 days just for my individual Apple Developer enrollment to be approved. My first app, has now been stuck on "Waiting for Review" for 10 days. I was officially granted an "Expedited Review" by the support team (Cases 102974693297 and 102976576467), and an agent explicitly told me it would begin "shortly." However, nothing has changed, and the standard support channel only replies with identical automated templates. Given the unusual 17-day initial enrollment delay, I strongly suspect my developer account might have a hidden hold or backend technical bug preventing the App Store Connect system from moving the app's status to "In Review." Has anyone experienced a granted expedited review completely failing to trigger? How can I get a human technical specialist to check my account backend for blockers? Thank you in advance for any guidance.

This has happened before with a new app I build that involved subscriptions and it got stuck in a blackhole and i believe it could be a glitch on apples review system. I submitted a new app, the subscription wasnt fully included for review, the reviewer replied to me asking some questions and thiis is when i noticed the sub was not fully linked. So i linked it and now im worried its fallen into the same black hole as before as there has been no movement. Its just sitting waiting to be reviewed. Which is totally fine if the team are just backlogged but i dont want to wait a month or so before knowing this for sure as i cant afford that amount of wasted time. Its related to my WeatherLens app

App ID: 6790321094 Submission ID: 883d7004-33a3-4fd7-b229-756a15b51cb9 Submitted: August 4, 2026 My app has been in "Waiting for Review" for 12 days with no change in status. In the same period, five other updates from the same developer account went through review normally, within the usual timeframe. So this does not appear to be a general queue backlog or an account-level issue. An expedited review request was submitted and had no effect. The previous version of this update was rejected under Guideline 4.3, and the issue behind that rejection has been fully addressed in this build. Details are in the Review Notes. There is no active thread in Resolution Center, so I have no way to contact the review team about this submission directly. Could someone confirm whether this submission is queued correctly or whether it is stuck? Any guidance would be appreciated.

Hello, Our first submission was previously reviewed and we received feedback under Guideline 2.1 because the reviewer was unable to access the app due to a forced update issue. We fixed the issue completely, uploaded a new build, and resubmitted on Friday. The submission has now been in Waiting for Review for approximately 4–5 days with no further messages or requests. Could someone please confirm that the submission is correctly queued and that nothing else is required from our side? App: KIBAKI: Persian Community Submission ID: d1f921a3-9001-4ef2-a392-657860c437cd Current status: Waiting for Review Thank you.

My app has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” for more than five days, without any progress or communication from App Review. Unfortunately, this is not the first time. Some submissions move forward within a few days, while others remain waiting for a week or longer with no explanation or meaningful status update. For developers running an actual business, this is extremely frustrating. App submissions are not simply experiments or hobby projects. Releases, customers, marketing plans, bug fixes, and business commitments can all depend on the review process. I fully understand that Apple needs sufficient time to properly review applications, but leaving a submission sitting at **“Waiting for Review” for an extended period without even beginning the review is difficult to justify—especially without any indication of the expected timeframe. Apple provides developers with strict guidelines, deadlines, and requirements, and developers are expected to comply with them. It is reasonable to expect a similar level of predictability and communication from the review process. Has anyone else recently experienced apps remaining in “Waiting for Review” for 5–7+ days? If so, how long did it eventually take before the review actually started? I would also appreciate clarification from Apple regarding whether these extended waiting times are currently considered normal or whether developers should contact App Review after a certain number of days.

Hi everyone, Honestly im not sure what else to do anymore, so im posting here hoping someone can help 😞 We are a small team, just few of us, working on our first iOS app. It's a VPN app for Chinese people living overseas who need a stable connection back to services in mainland China. We put everything we have into this. Our Android version is already live and makes a little money, but not even close to enough to keep the team going. Without iOS, we really don't know how long we can keep going. We first submitted on July 17. Since then we got rejected under 4.3(a) again and again, always the same message: the app "shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers." We took it very serious. We had a call with App Review on August 20, and we really hoped that would clear things up. But on the call we just heard the same three words again: binary, metadata, concept. I literally dream about these three words now. Binary: our first version used 【Xray-core】, so we thought that was the problem. We removed it completly and replaced it with our own networking engine. We changed so much code, it's all our own now. UI and metadata: we redesigned the UI more times than I can count, rewrote the description and keywords, and redid the screenshots again and again 😅 Concept: this is the one that really confuses me. What does "concept" actually mean here? We built a lot of things for our users, like dedicated carrier lines and separate optimized routes for games and AI. What else can we do? Every time we think "ok, this time must be it". And every time the same rejection comes back. Last week we recieved the exact same message again: "The issues we previously identified still need your attention." After everything we changed, it feels like nothing we do even matters. This time it also came with an Extended Review warning, which honestly scares us alot. Even our latest TestFlight build got rejected. We already replied in App Store Connect and we wont resubmit until we understand what's wrong. The users who tried our app really like it, and that's the hardest part. We know people want it, we just can't get it to them 💔 Some days we honestly think about giving up on iOS. But we don't want to give up yet. If you have been through something like this, especially with a VPN or Network Extension app, I would really love to hear from you: How did you make your "concept" different enough? What did Apple actually accept? Is there something else in the binary we should check, like some common SDK? Should we keep waiting, book a Meet with Apple appointment, or file an appeal? And if anyone from App Review sees this: we are not trying to game anything. We just want to know what to fix. Even one sentence of real direction would mean so much to us. Thanks for reading 🙏

Hi everyone, I am opening this new thread because my overall developer journey has now reached Day 28 of pure delays, and my app is completely stuck in "Waiting for Review". Standard support channels are only replying with automated templates, and I desperately need human intervention. Here is my timeline of system delays: 17 Days: Wasted just waiting for my initial Apple Developer enrollment to clear. 11 Days (Current): My first app, PasuaX, has been entirely frozen on "Waiting for Review". Even though I have escalated this multiple times (Cases 102974693297 and 102976576467), the status refuses to change from "Waiting for Review." Absolutely nothing is moving forward. Because of the massive 17-day enrollment glitch I faced earlier, I strongly suspect my account currently has a hidden backend lock, flag, or freeze that is physically preventing the App Store Connect system from pushing my app into the actual review queue. I desperately need a human Apple Engineer or App Store Connect Specialist to look at my account backend and manually clear this "Waiting for Review" blocker. Team ID: 8A9595UHD7 Case IDs: 102974693297, 102976576467 Thank you to any human who can help fix this system failure.