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.

Hi there, Is there a possibility my app is permanently in "Waiting for Review" and isn't in a queue for review? I have reached out a couple of times to both appstore and developer support and get a boilerplate response. I'm advised to be patient - but 24 days seems extreme does it not? my ref is 102871294260 Not sure what to do and am concerned that my submission is lost somehow in the process. Any advice appreciated. Schlumpy888

Hello, I would appreciate any insight from Apple engineers or developers who may have experienced a similar situation. Timeline: Initial submission: May 28, 2026 Status since submission: "Waiting for Review" The app has never transitioned to "In Review" Due to the extended delay, I requested an expedited review Apple approved the expedited review request More than 5 days have now passed since the expedited review approval The status remains unchanged: "Waiting for Review" Support history: I contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times regarding the review status. I eventually received the following information from Developer Support: The application is progressing through "additional internal review steps" as part of the standard evaluation process. The case was escalated to the appropriate review team for further investigation. However: No additional information has been requested from me. No Resolution Center activity has appeared. No further update has been provided. The application remains in "Waiting for Review." Case reference: case IDs (102907712466 and 102901533964 and 102915319049) This delay is having a significant impact on my planned launch and business activities, which have effectively been on hold while waiting for the review process to progress. I completely understand that some applications may require additional review, but I am trying to understand whether this situation is considered normal and whether other developers have experienced a similar timeline after: An expedited review request was approved. Apple confirmed additional internal review steps were taking place. The application still remained in "Waiting for Review" for an extended period. Has anyone encountered a similar review path, and if so, how long did it take before receiving a review decision or additional communication? Any feedback from Apple engineers or developers who have experienced this process would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I am writing because my Apple Developer account appears to be frozen or under review, and I have not received any clear explanation, email, call, or timeline. Around April 14, I submitted my app for review. At that time, the review team asked for more information about what the app did, and there seemed to be some confusion related to the App Clip. To avoid any confusion, I removed the App Clip and resubmitted the app with an explanation video showing what my app does. After that, the app was approved. About a month later, I upgraded to a more powerful computer. I gave my old MacBook Pro to my brother and started using my new computer to test new features in Xcode for my existing apps. Since then, I have been unable to proceed because of certificate-related problems. I contacted Apple Support, and I was told that because I bought and started using a new computer, my account had been sent to the Apple review team. I do not understand why this happened. I have not violated any policies, and I have not received any notice explaining what is wrong or what I need to fix. It has now been about three weeks, and I am unable to work on or test my apps. This has been an extremely frustrating experience because my account is effectively frozen, but I have no information, no timeline, and no way to move forward.Simply upgrading to a new computer should not leave a developer unable to work for weeks without clear notice or an estimated timeline. If this is expected behavior, other developers should be warned before they buy or switch to a new computer, because having an account frozen without explanation can seriously interrupt development work.

Hello, My application has been rejected several times during the review process. Each time, I addressed and resolved the reported issues immediately and submitted an updated version as quickly as possible. However, I only receive responses from the App Review team every few days, which makes the process extremely slow. I currently have two applications under review, and I have been waiting more than 10 days for an update on one of them. Could you please advise if there is any way to expedite the review process or if there is someone I can contact directly regarding these submissions? Apple ID: 6770487788

Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice from developers who have successfully navigated Guideline 4.3(b) Spam concerns. I've been building a custom marketplace platform called Goddess Destiny Psychics. The app includes custom advisor onboarding, advisor applications, identity verification, Stripe Connect onboarding, recorded readings, live chat functionality, advisor review workflows, admin moderation tools, automated approval/rejection processes, and a custom advisor evaluation system. My first submission was rejected under 4.3(b). A later submission also included a functionality concern, which I addressed. On my most recent submission, the functionality concern was no longer present, but the app was again rejected under 4.3(b). I've submitted an appeal because I believe the app contains substantial custom functionality and differs significantly from a simple template-based app. Has anyone successfully appealed a 4.3(b) rejection for a marketplace or service-based app? If so, what information was most helpful in demonstrating that your app was sufficiently differentiated? The review was completed in a relatively short amount of time, which left me concerned that some of the app's workflows may not have been fully evaluated. Thank you for any insights.

Hi guys, I’m looking for some advice regarding App Review. I submitted my first app and it was rejected. I fixed the issues and submitted a new build. That review went through in a normal amount of time, but the app was rejected again for some additional issues. I fixed everything that was mentioned and submitted another build. The problem is that this one has now been sitting in “Waiting for Review” for 9 days, which feels a lot longer than the previous reviews. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I just keep waiting, or is there something I should do at this point? I thought about requesting an expedited review, but from what I understand Apple only grants those for things like critical bug fixes, time-sensitive launches, or urgent business needs, so I don’t think my case qualifies. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

Summary I am unable to link my In-App Purchases and Subscriptions to my app version in App Store Connect. The "In-App Purchases and Subscriptions" section described in Apple's documentation is not visible on my version preparation page, making it impossible to associate IAPs with my build before submission. Steps to Reproduce Open App Store Connect → My Apps → [App Name] Navigate to the app version in "Prepare for Submission" state Scroll through the entire version page The "In-App Purchases and Subscriptions" section is not present anywhere on the page Expected Behavior According to Apple's documentation and the note shown on the Subscriptions page itself: ▎ "Your first subscription must be submitted with a new app version. Create your subscription, then select it in the 'In-App Purchases or Subscriptions' section of the app's version page before submitting the version for review." The section should be visible and allow me to select my configured subscriptions. Actual Behavior The section does not appear on the version page at all. My subscriptions (monthly, yearly, lifetime) are all in "Ready to Submit" state and correctly configured, but there is no way to link them to the build. Account & Contracts Status All prerequisites are in place: All contracts (Paid Apps Agreement) are signed and active — nothing pending under "Business" / "Agreements, Tax, and Banking" Banking and tax information is fully set up No open items or warnings under the Business section in App Store Connect Despite all account requirements being fulfilled, the IAP linking section remains absent from the version page. Impact This is blocking my app from being approved. Apple's reviewer rejected my submission with Guideline 2.1(a) stating the subscription screen showed no available plans. The reviewer cannot see the IAPs because they were never linked to the version — which I cannot do due to this missing UI section. Environment App Store Connect via browser (Safari + Chrome, both tested) App status: "Prepare for Submission" IAP status: All three products "Ready to Submit" First-time submission (new app, never been approved before) Workaround None found. This appears to be a UI bug in the current version of App Store Connect. Has anyone else encountered this? Is there a way to link IAPs to a build via the API or any other workaround?

I am looking for guidance from Apple or developers who have encountered a similar issue. My app is already live on the App Store. I have two auto renewable subscriptions: • PDR Fuel Pro 6 Months • PDR Fuel Pro Annual The subscriptions have been submitted for review multiple times and have been rejected repeatedly. The rejection appears under the subscription localization, but no meaningful explanation is provided. Current status: • Subscription metadata is completed. • Display names and descriptions are present. • App Store agreements, tax, and banking are active. • RevenueCat configuration is functioning. • The app build is already live. • Subscription purchase flow is implemented and accessible from the app. The issue is that App Review continues rejecting the subscription localizations without providing a clear rejection reason or guideline reference. Questions: Has anyone encountered repeated subscription localization rejections without explanation? Is there a known issue where subscriptions become stuck after a build is withdrawn or replaced? Is there a way to determine the exact rejection reason when App Store Connect does not display one? Should this be escalated through Developer Support instead of App Review? Any guidance would be appreciated.

Hello everyone, I’m currently experiencing unusually long wait times for app reviews and wanted to check if others are seeing similar delays this week. Here is the current status of my submissions: App Store Update: Stuck in "Waiting for Review" much longer than the typical 24–48 hour window. New Version: A newly submitted version also seems to be stalled in the initial phase. TestFlight Processing: Even TestFlight builds are taking longer than usual to process. Expedited Review: I've attempted an expedited review request and direct communication, but the status remains unchanged so far. What’s confusing is that I see other apps in the same category receiving updates, so I’m unsure if this is a localized technical glitch or a broader delay affecting a specific group of developers. I’m not looking to escalate anything just yet; I’m simply trying to gauge if this is a widespread issue at the moment. I would greatly appreciate any insights into your recent experiences or if you've noticed similar patterns over the last few days. Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone with pending submissions! 🙂

Hello Apple Developer Support community, I would like to ask for advice regarding my app review process. For every new moderation/review submission, I usually have to wait around 7 days, which already feels quite long. However, for my current submission, I have now been waiting for 12 days, and this does not seem normal. I have already requested an expedited review, but the submission is still waiting for review. Could someone please advise what I should do in this situation? Is there any way to check why the review is taking so long or to request an update from Apple? Apple ID: 6762392582 Submission ID: 410dbbf8-7c2a-4688-989a-d7b23d74614e Thank you.

Getting 2.1(b) rejection. Reviewer sees "Purchase Failed" alert. Products configured correctly in ASC. Does App Review sandbox use same sandbox environment as developer testing? Can reviewer sandbox accounts trigger purchase failures that developer sandbox accounts cannot? Any known issues with first-time IAP products failing specifically during App Review sandbox session?

Hello everyone, I'm looking for advice from developers who may have encountered a similar situation. I originally submitted an app called Bien, which provides financial services and handles sensitive user data. During review, Apple rejected the app under Guideline 5.1.1 and advised that the app must be published under a seller/company name that reflects the Bien brand. Following that guidance, we went through the process of creating a new Apple Developer account under the appropriate company identity and submitted the app again using the new account. However, the new submission has now been rejected under Guideline 4.3(a) (Spam) because the binary, metadata, and concept are similar to apps submitted under another developer account. The challenge is that the similarities exist because it is the same app, being resubmitted under the new account that Apple previously indicated should be used. We have: Submitted a formal appeal. Opened a support case with Apple. Provided the previous review communication showing the requirement to publish under the Bien company name. Has anyone experienced a situation where an app was moved to a new developer account following Apple's ownership or branding requirements and subsequently received a 4.3(a) rejection? If so: How was the issue resolved? Was additional documentation required? Did App Review eventually recognize the account transition and approve the app? Any insights would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

so the app is free to download . the first use is free for two days . We want to send a reminder to them via email. some are installing (67%) but not returning to use the free credit. what is the policy on getting the apple id from apple. do we have to ask the user for the id at install and then disclose that its for tracking purposes and to inform about future promo's . the id will not be shared with third parties

Hello App Review team - My app(App ID: 6756242440) is stuck in 'Waiting for review'. Once in a while updates are getting stuck like this, while other times same app reviews go through in 48 hours. Please help us understand any reasoning behind this so we can plan our development accordingly. Thanks in advance!

I submitted an update to my app, which is a critical update to address some bugs. The submission has been In Review for over 43 hours. Is this normal?

My update has been in "waiting for review" for over 2 weeks now, even for the TestFlight version.

Hi everyone, Our organization account has been stuck in review hell for almost 3 months now if you count the enrollment phase. Long story short, we got hit with a Guideline 2.3.1(a) rejection recently. We spent days cleaning up the entire codebase, stripped out all old/unnecessary libraries, and ran static analysis to make sure everything is completely standard. There is zero obfuscated code or dynamic execution now. We submitted this clean version (Build 9) 6 business days ago, but it's just sitting there in 'Waiting for Review'. No updates, no emails, nothing. This delay is seriously hurting our business operations and commercial launch. The active case ID for this issue is 102893875646. If any Apple moderator or representative here can ping the App Review team or escalate this internally, it would be a lifesaver. Thanks.

Hi there, my App is showing "Waiting for Review" over 1+ week later. Previous reviews on this app went through within 24 hours, so this is a clear outlier. I've submitted expedited review requests, replied via Resolution Center, contacted App Review via the support form, and called phone support — all with no response or no ability to help on their end. Has anyone gotten unstuck from a similar situation recently or are longer review times common currently? Appreciate any pointers.

Hi there, my app is still showing "Waiting for Review" over 1 week later. Previous reviews on this app went through within 24 hours, so this is a clear outlier. All prior reviewer feedback has been addressed in the current build. I've submitted expedited review requests, replied via Resolution Center, contacted App Review via the support form, and called phone support — all with no response or no ability to help on their end. Has anyone gotten unstuck from a similar situation recently? Appreciate any pointers.

Hi Everyone, Our app update has been in "Waiting for Review" status for over a week now, which is well beyond the usual review window. It has not yet moved to "In Review." Status: Waiting for Review (unchanged for 7+ days) Contains a critical production bug fix Our live users are currently affected by an issue, so getting this update through is fairly urgent. We have already submitted an expedited review request, but there has been no movement so far. Is anyone else experiencing unusually long "Waiting for Review" times recently? Any guidance on whether this is a known backlog, or anything we can do to help move this along, would be greatly appreciated.