An ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest rejection email looks as follows: ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest- Your app includes "<path/to/SDK>", which includes , an SDK that was identified in the documentation as a privacy-impacting third-party SDK. Starting February 12, 2025, if a new app includes a privacy-impacting SDK, or an app update adds a new privacy-impacting SDK, the SDK must include a privacy manifest file. Please contact the provider of the SDK that includes this file to get an updated SDK version with a privacy manifest. For more details about this policy, including a list of SDKs that are required to include signatures and manifests, visit: https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. Glossary ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest: An email that includes the name and path of privacy-impacting SDK(s) with no privacy manifest files in your app bundle. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. : The specified privacy-impacting SDK that doesn't include a privacy manifest file. If you are the developer of the rejected app, gather the name of the SDK from the email you received from Apple, then contact the SDK's provider for an updated version that includes a valid privacy manifest. After receiving an updated version of the SDK, verify the SDK includes a valid privacy manifest file at the expected location. For more information, see Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK. If your app includes a privacy manifest file, make sure the file only describes the privacy practices of your app. Do not add the privacy practices of the SDK to your app's privacy manifest. If the email lists multiple SDKs, repeat the above process for all of them. If you are the developer of an SDK listed in the email, publish an updated version of your SDK that includes a privacy manifest file with valid keys and values. Every privacy-impacting SDK must contain a privacy manifest file that only describes its privacy practices. To learn how to add a valid privacy manifest to your SDK, see the Additional resources section below. Additional resources Privacy manifest files Describing data use in privacy manifests Describing use of required reason API Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK TN3182: Adding privacy tracking keys to your privacy manifest TN3183: Adding required reason API entries to your privacy manifest TN3184: Adding data collection details to your privacy manifest TN3181: Debugging an invalid privacy manifest

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.

Hello everyone, My app (ID: 6756186616) was submitted on Mar 15, 2026, and has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" status for over 17 days. I contacted Developer Support (case #20000111565861) and received confirmation that it's proceeding normally, but no update since. On average, Apple reviews 90 percent of apps within 24 hours. However, there might be cases that need more review time, but mine exceeds two week. Any recent experiences with long queues? Thanks!

Hello, My app has been approved on March 14, 2023 and has the status "Ready for sale" ever since. But the app is still not available on App Store, and whenever i use the link in App Connect to view on App Store it says "App Not available. This app is currently not available in your country or region". Initially I made the app only available in my country, after few days of getting that error, I made it available worldwide but still can't seem to find my app being available. I've sent a support ticket to apple a few days ago but got no reply. In the approval email it said it may take up to 24 hours for the app to be available on App Store, but few days have passed and still not available on app store. The app is free, and i checked all the countries and regions for availability. What can be the problem, how long does it take? Thank you

Hi! Our app(ID: 6754461151) has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" since March 3, 2026 - 17 days with no movement. This is our second consecutive submission with the same issue: Version 1.0.2: Submitted February 7, 2026. Waited 24 days with no review activity, no feedback, no communication. Were forced to withdraw it on March 3. Version 1.0.3: Submitted immediately after on March 3, 2026. Now at 17 days - same result. In total, our update has been blocked for 41 days across two submissions. Steps we've already taken: Submitted an Expedited Review Request 7 days ago - no response Contacted App Review Status support Verified App Review Information is complete: demo credentials and invite code are provided Confirmed all agreements and banking details are up to date We also have new IAP subscriptions in "In Review" status since March 11 (9 days), which may be contributing to the delay. We're not sure if there is something in our submission that requires attention. We are fully prepared to make any necessary changes. Any guidance on what might be causing this would be incredibly helpful.

Has anyone experienced something similar with App Review / App Store Connect? We ran into a very frustrating situation that is now seriously affecting our release and iteration plan. What happened: One of our subscription products was initially rejected on “value” grounds. Although we disagreed with that assessment, we removed that subscription from the latest build in order to move the review process forward. The problem is that the subscription product remained stuck in “In Review” status in App Store Connect. Because of that state, we were unable to edit, remove, or modify it from our side. App Review then rejected the app again under Guideline 2.1(b), saying the IAP attached to the submission could not be found in the binary. So the issue is basically: we already removed the product from the app as requested, but App Store Connect still keeps that product attached to review, and we have no way to remove it ourselves. Then the app gets rejected for exactly that mismatch. We explained this multiple times, attached recordings and backend screenshots, but the responses mostly repeated the same review language and pointed us to contact support. Questions: Has anyone had a subscription get stuck in “In Review” and become impossible to remove? How was it finally resolved? Did Apple manually remove it from the submission, reset the review state, or require you to withdraw and resubmit everything? This has already caused major delays to our release cycle, so any similar experience or practical advice would be greatly appreciated.

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.

Dear Apple Developer Support, I hope you are doing well. I am writing to kindly follow up regarding my reinstatement request for my Apple Developer Program membership (Case ID: 102852765171). I would also like to respectfully clarify one point regarding my app. The app name “Tango” was used without any intention of infringing on copyright or creating confusion. At the time, I was not aware of any conflict, and I had checked availability on the App Store. However, I now understand that this may still raise concerns under Apple’s policies. I take full responsibility for this oversight. To address this, I confirm that I will permanently remove this app and will not publish it again under the same or similar name. I will ensure that all future apps are carefully reviewed to avoid any potential naming or policy issues. I fully understand the importance of Apple’s guidelines and remain committed to strict compliance moving forward. I would greatly appreciate any update you can provide regarding the status of my appeal. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. Kind regards, Haseeb Gul Apple Developer Team ID: WPPH63HR8X

We are planning to distribute our app outside of TestFlight because our testing period exceeds the 90-day limit. Since we have an Apple Developer account, we are considering using Unlisted App Distribution for long-term testing. I have a few questions regarding this approach: After completing testing via Unlisted Distribution, is it possible to switch the same app to a public App Store release, or would we need to create and submit a separate app for public distribution? If a separate app is required, are there any restrictions from Apple on releasing essentially the same app under a different bundle identifier through another distribution channel? (Additionally, once testing is finalised, we plan to discontinue the Unlisted App version.) Are there any potential complications or limitations we should anticipate (e.g., app review concerns, versioning, or policy compliance) related to this matter? Any guidance or best practices in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone, I uploaded my first app over a month ago now and there has been no status change at all. I have been stuck in ‘waiting for review’ the whole time since upload. I know Apple say sometimes it may take over the 24-48 hours but 1 month seems like I’ve been missed out. I’ve also submitted an expedited review to see if that helps but nothing as of yet. Does anyone have any advice at all? Thanks.

Hi everyone, I’m dealing with a strange App Review delay and would appreciate any advice from people who faced something similar. My app was released on January 20. A small update was approved quickly on January 28, and another one on January 29. So far everything looked normal. Then I submitted another update on February 6. This submission stayed in “Waiting for Review” for 3 weeks with no progress. During that time, I contacted Apple Support to ask if something was wrong with my submission or the review queue. The response took quite a while, and since nothing was changing, I assumed the queue got stuck. So I decided to remove the update and resubmit it. Later Support replied and told me that I removed my own update, and that the queue was working normally and there was nothing I needed to do. However, even after resubmitting, the new build stayed in the same “Waiting for Review” status all the way until March 19 — with no signs of movement. At this point I started to think maybe the review team found some critical issues that would block the app from going live. I rechecked the entire app, didn’t find anything serious, but fixed a couple of small bugs and submitted another update. Unfortunately, this update is now also stuck in “Waiting for Review.” Additionally, I requested an expedited review on April 6, but haven’t received any response or changes in status. So at this point I’m not sure what else I can do. Has anyone experienced something similar? Is there anything that helped you unblock a submission stuck in this state? Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Apple App Review Team, and everyone, I am in a gap. I cant solve it. 2 days ago I received a copyright claim ref# APP264502-A As a 5 years experienced ASO professional, I choose and position keywords based on volume and relevancy. I didnt know that the keywords was copyrighted. After I received the App Store Notices email, I have took immediate action to prepare a new build to update the app title. I want to remove the copyrighted keyword. Now, because of this copyright claim, Apple put my account under "Pending Termination" status. Don't get me wrong, I can send the app to the review. But this status is blocking the app from going into App Review. Submission ID: 49f886fb-7d5e-4493-b7e8-5e5db2ab1e18 This is where I am stuck. The gap. the loop. I received copyright claim. Okay, of course I will remove your keyword. I need review to change app title. I cant get my app a review. I have created tickets, I replied all of the emails. I need help. This situation makes me stress a lot. I understand that companies or people can get copyrights. I respect that. And I move forward accordingly. I am willing to co-operate. Help needed. Thank you. Best regards,

I am a first time developer who created a card game which I now want to submit into the AppStore. Apple Connect indicates I need to add a mandatory Privacy Policy URL. I am not familiar with URL stuff so really have no idea what this involves. Perhaps someone can describe what is needed at a high level just so I can understand better?1) How does one go about getting a URL? Does this mean I have to pay for my own website?2) How does one associated a privacy policy on a URL?

Hi all, We've been rejected four times under Guideline 2.5.2 with identical responses, despite providing detailed clarifications each time. Hoping someone here has dealt with a similar situation. What our app is: A B2B SaaS companion app for our platform (Setgreet). Our customers — product managers and designers — create in-app engagement content (onboarding flows, feature announcements, surveys) on our web dashboard. This companion app lets their teammates and stakeholders view that content on a real device for review and approval before it goes live in the customer's own app via our SDK. The content is structured UI data (text, images, buttons, layout) fetched from our REST API. No executable code, no app binaries, no runtime interpretation, no app distribution. The rejection (verbatim, repeated 4 times): The app appears to be designed for clients or users to preview apps prior to being submitted to the App Store for review. This type of design allows you to change the app's behavior or functionality to differ from the intended and advertised primary purpose of the app, which is not in compliance with App Review Guideline 2.5.2 and section 3.3.2… What we've tried: Detailed written replies explaining the app is a content viewer, not an app preview tool Comparisons to approved App Store apps that work the same way (Figma Mirror, InVision, Braze, Notion — all render remotely-created content via shared links/codes) Filed an App Review Board appeal (waiting for response) Requested a 30-min App Review video call — declined by Apple Each reply gets the exact same rejection text back, with no engagement on our explanations. My questions: Has anyone successfully resolved a 2.5.2 rejection where the reviewer pattern-matched a content viewer as an "app preview tool"? Is the QR-code-to-view-content interaction the likely trigger? Should we de-emphasize it in favor of a login + flow list as the primary UX? Any advice on getting a senior reviewer to actually engage with the explanation vs. copy-pasting the same response? Submission ID: 2f079345-04df-4701-8089-5e55e982f99a Any insights appreciated. Happy to provide more detail. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I’m running into an issue with my app submission. It has been stuck in Waiting for Review for over a month now, and there has been no progress at all. I’ve already contacted support twice, but unfortunately haven’t received any response. Has anyone experienced something similar? Are there any ways to speed up the review process or escalate the situation? I’d really appreciate any advice or shared experiences. Thanks in advance!

Hello, I have a blocking issue in App Store Connect. I need to submit my In-App Purchase together with the app (first-time approval), but: The option to attach In-App Purchases is missing I cannot create a new app version I cannot properly edit the current version This creates a deadlock and prevents me from submitting the app correctly. This does not seem like a configuration issue, but a problem in App Store Connect. Has anyone experienced this or knows how to resolve it? Thank you.

Hello, My app, Beezzy - Agenda Digital, had an Expedited Review request approved recently (confirmation received via email). However, the status remains stuck in 'Waiting for Review' for an unusual amount of time, even for an expedited process. This update is critical for our operations and addresses urgent fixes. Has anyone else experienced a delay between the expedited approval and the actual 'In Review' transition lately? Is there any additional step required from the developer side to trigger the priority queue? App ID: 6751509489 Thank you for any guidance.

I have a macOS App Store app with a lifetime non-consumable IAP. I can’t do a normal App Store app transfer, so the app will be re-released as a new app under a different Apple Developer Team. That means users’ old purchases won’t automatically carry over. I want to let existing customers keep their lifetime access in the new app, but I want to do it in an Apple-approved way and avoid anything that would look like a custom license-key unlock flow. A few questions: Is there any Apple-supported way for the new app to recognize a user’s purchase from the old app? If not, is the safest App Review-compliant option to make the new app’s equivalent IAP temporarily free or discounted? Would a custom migration/recovery flow for prior customers be allowed, or would that likely violate 3.1.1? Has anyone handled this kind of migration before? Thanks.

I am unable to submit my app EggZap for review. When I navigate to my iOS App Version 1.0 submission page, I can make all edits and save successfully — screenshots, description, keywords, contact info all save without issue. However, as soon as I add a build to the submission and click Save, the button turns red with a ! error indicator and will not save. Removing the build allows the page to save normally again. The build (Build 51) is fully validated and shows as Complete in TestFlight. It is fully playable via TestFlight on my device. I have tried multiple browsers on multiple devices with the same result. Browser console shows a 409 Conflict error from the PATCH endpoint when saving with a build attached. I have already contacted Apple Developer Support (Case ID: 102858642503) but wanted to reach out to the community as well. I have seen other posts about this same issue but no real answer on how it was fixed. Has anyone experienced this? Any suggestions appreciated.

I am writing to share my frustration regarding the app review process for my application. My current submission has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for nearly 7 weeks, starting from February 5th. Although I have attempted to cancel and resubmit periodically, there were significant gaps of 10 and 21 days between submissions where no action was taken. Currently, I am stuck again. The situation is critical for the following reasons: Critical Bug: The update includes a necessary fix for an In-App Purchase bug that is preventing users from accessing paid features. No Communication: I have sent four inquiries regarding this delay. I received only one generic response asking me to wait, and my subsequent follow-ups have been completely ignored. Expedited Review Request: My requests for an Expedited Review have also gone unanswered. Apple’s standard review time is typically 24-48 hours, but my experience is far from that. I am not asking for special treatment; I am asking for basic transparency regarding why my app has been stalled for nearly two months. Could anyone from the review team please look into this or provide an explanation? This prolonged silence is causing significant issues for my service and its users. Apple ID: 6752595582 First Submission Date: Feb 5th

I am having issues getting feedback from Apple review to understand whether the game I created is not unique enough or whether it is something else. My game was inspired by Wordle and uses the idea of marking letters as green/yellow to provide hints, but in my view (and the view of all the testers I've had), creates extremely different and unique experience, which is the core goal of guideline 4.1. Core gameplay: The game is real-time multiplayer (or vs an adaptive difficulty computer that mimics human play), where two players each choose a starting hint word, then based on those hint words (yellow/green letters), in 3 minutes, need to find as many unique words that fit those hints. You see what the player guesses and can't guess the same words. Each word gives 1 point, but the last word and 1 bonus word give +5 points. At 120 seconds, a third hint is provided that limits the number of possible options (making it more likely to reach the very final word with +5 bonus or the bonus word if it wasn't guessed yet). There's a rating system, a customisable reward firework system (which you can show off in multiplayer matches). The game is in Lithuanian only, not targeted globally. When playing with another player, there's a voice chat possibility (initial idea was to create a fun way for friends to have quick voice chats daily who like word games). Screenshots used in store listing attached at the end of the post. App review responses I have had close to 10 back-and forth messages with Apple review, trying to ask which parts are the issue (or whether it's the whole concept of the game), but the responses have always been very abstract and vague, no matter how much I ask for specifics, mentioning metadata and in one message, the screenshots. An example response: Regarding guideline 4.1, the app and its metadata contain content that resembles Wordle without obtaining the necessary authorization. To resolve this issue, it would be beneficial to demonstrate your relationship with any third-party brand owners represented in the app. Additionally, the app’s metadata includes third-party content that resembles a popular app or game already available on the App Store. This content may have been sourced from a developer’s website, distribution source, or a third-party platform. Changes I have made so far/things I checked: No mentions of Wordle anywhere in the metadata The colors in the game are not the same ones that Wordle uses Changed the letter elements to be different from Wordle (circles, not squares). Made the screenshots focus on the fully unique items first (the fireworks system, the multiplayer aspect) Sent video recordings to Apple Review to demonstrate how different the gameplay is compared to Wordle Repeated multiple times there is no association with Wordle. Asked if the name "Žodlė" is the piece of metadata that is causing the issue (I would consider renaming if it is) - but got no reaction to this. I have also submitted a formal appeal through the App Review Board more than a week ago but have not yet received a response. For reference, the same app was recently approved and published on Google Play without any copycat concerns. This has been a hobby project of mine for learning about creating and publishing an iOS app, but has turned into something that quite a few people enjoy, so I would like to make sure that I'm not giving up too early trying to publish it. Would love to hear the opinion of someone with more experience on whether there's a chance to get this published or whether any kind of a game that involves guessing words with yellow/green hints would be considered a copycat of Wordle.

Hello Apple Developer Forums team, I would like to ask for help with my app review (App ID: 6755685130). I first submitted my app on February 14, 2026, and it has been almost 50 days. However, I still have not received clear feedback on what needs to be fixed. If there are issues with my app, I sincerely ask the review team not to provide only general guideline references. I still cannot tell which page, feature, or user flow is causing the problem. If possible, I would really appreciate screenshots, screen recordings, or a written description of the specific issue so I can make the right changes. I also want to clarify that this app is not AI-generated. It is a carefully planned app built with real effort using multiple native Swift frameworks. Thank you very much for your time and help.