Hi everyone, I’m an indie developer and recently published our first app on the App Store. It was an exciting milestone, but on April 4, 2025, after the app had been live for about 1–2 weeks and one update had been pushed, we received a notice from Apple stating that our app had been removed from the store and that our developer account is scheduled for termination within a month. Understandably, this was incredibly alarming—but we stayed calm, carefully read through the allegations, and tried to handle the situation with patience and professionalism. The reason given was: App submissions from your account have engaged in concept or feature switch schemes to evade the review process, such as dynamically populating different app content after review, submitting apps with hidden features, repeatedly submitting misleading apps, and/or submitting apps with concrete references to content that you are not authorized to provide or is otherwise not appropriate for the App Store. This was cited as a violation of Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. We were accused of dynamically changing game content after review, but we do not have the capability to do anything like that. The game has stayed exactly as it was when submitted, and the single update we pushed included only the changes listed in the “What’s New” section. They also mentioned hidden features. While we don’t hide anything, our game does include progression-based unlocks (such as new upgrade cards or mechanics unlocked as you play). We believe this is standard for many games, and we’ve explained this in our appeal. We also addressed another possible issue—some light pop culture jokes in push notifications—which we are more than happy to remove immediately if they were deemed inappropriate. We’re not here to argue or avoid accountability. If we’ve made any mistakes, we’re more than willing to correct them. But terminating the entire account for a first-time submission, without any discussion or specific feedback, feels incredibly harsh—especially for a small team trying to break into the industry. We submitted an appeal to the App Review Board over a week ago but have not received any response or update since then. So I’m posting here in the hopes of catching someone’s attention—whether that’s Apple or anyone in the community who’s been through something similar and can advise. I know the $99 annual fee might not be a huge deal for many developers, but for someone just starting out, it represents more than money—it’s a foot in the door. I’m not looking for sympathy, just a chance to make things right, follow the rules properly, and keep building on the platform I admire. Thank you for reading, and I truly hope someone can help guide us on the next steps. Best, Veekshith Kolanupaka

We have developed apps for the App Store for more than 7 years. One day, out of the blue we noticed all our apps have been removed and our account was pending termination. We really didn't know what was going on since we behaved correctly and honestly during all those years of development. After we asked for more info on why our account was in pending termination state we received this reply: Hello [redacted], We received your complaint filed on 2 October 2024 pursuant to the Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on promoting fairness and transparency for business users of online intermediation services (“P2B Regulation”). This correspondence serves as a response to your complaint. We thoroughly evaluated the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership. Our investigations confirm that your Apple Developer Program membership has been repeatedly used for dishonest and fraudulent activity in violation of Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, which states: “You will not, directly or indirectly, commit any act intended to interfere with any of the Apple Software or Services, the intent of this Agreement, or Apple’s business practices including, but not limited to, taking actions that may hinder the performance or intended use of the App Store, Custom App Distribution, TestFlight, Xcode Cloud, Ad Hoc distribution, or the Program (e.g., submitting fraudulent reviews of Your own Application or any third party application, choosing a name for Your Application that is substantially similar to the name of a third party application in order to create consumer confusion, or squatting on application names to prevent legitimate third party use). Further, You will not engage, or encourage others to engage, in any unlawful, unfair, misleading, fraudulent, improper, or dishonest acts or business practices relating to Your Covered Products (e.g., engaging in bait-and-switch pricing, consumer misrepresentation, deceptive business practices, or unfair competition against other developers).” We found a pattern of manipulative or misleading behavior. As a result of this behavior, your Apple Developer Program membership has been flagged for termination. These behaviors can include, but are not limited to, inaccurate metadata describing your app or service, misleading app content, engaging in inauthentic ratings and reviews manipulation, providing misleading customer support responses, providing misleading responses in App Store Connect, engaging in misleading purchasing or bait and switch schemes, or other dishonest or fraudulent activity within or outside of the app. Our recent investigation and review of your developer account confirm violations of the App Review Guidelines. Specifically, we received a notice claiming that your [redacted app] allowed users to download media content without authorization from the relevant third-party sources. Our investigations confirmed this behavior which constitutes direct and egregious violations of App Review Guidelines 2.3.1 and 5.2.3. In addition, your binary submission from 1 October 2024 continued to include references to impermissible conduct under Guideline 5.2.3. Given the egregious nature of the violations, your app was removed and your Apple Developer Program account has been flagged for termination. For the sake of clarity, we have included relevant excerpts from the App Review Guidelines below for reference: 2.3.1 (a) Don’t include any hidden, dormant, or undocumented features in your app; your app’s functionality should be clear to end users and App Review. All new features, functionality, and product changes must be described with specificity in the Notes for Review section of App Store Connect (generic descriptions will be rejected) and accessible for review. Similarly, marketing your app in a misleading way, such as by promoting content or services that it does not actually offer (e.g. iOS-based virus and malware scanners) or promoting a false price, whether within or outside of the App Store, is grounds for removal of your app from the App Store or a block from installing via alternative distribution and termination of your developer account. (b) Egregious or repeated behavior is grounds for removal from the Apple Developer Program. We work hard to make the App Store a trustworthy ecosystem and expect our app developers to follow suit; if you’re dishonest, we don’t want to do business with you. 5.2.3 Audio/Video Downloading: Apps should not facilitate illegal file sharing or include the ability to save, convert, or download media from third-party sources (e.g. Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, etc.) without explicit authorization from those sources. Streaming of audio/video content may also violate Terms of Use, so be sure to check before your app accesses those services. Authorization must be provided upon request. The guiding principle of the App Store is to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for users and a great opportunity for all developers to be successful. We work hard to make the App Store a trustworthy ecosystem and expect our app developers to be honest with users and with us. Manipulative or misleading behavior degrades user trust in the App Store and is grounds for removal from the Apple Developer Program. [...] Sincerely, Apple We immediately checked upon the issue and noticed that the feature that Apple has been mentioning was enabled by mistake due to a technical malfunction inside our app and explained this to Apple in detail. We have also immediately submitted a new update to completely remove the code that allow the download of media content from the third party website in order to avoid an issue like this would ever happen in the future and also explained the situation to Apple, being completely transparent. Apple is currently ignoring our explanation and also the fact that we immediately addressed the issue and nothing was done in bad faith. The update we submitted should have completely fixed permanently the issue and yet we got our account terminated. An account with an app downloaded 50M times that have users worldwide and a 4.5 star rating. We never engaged in dishonest or fraudulent behavior and tried to explain this. It’s really disappointing and unfair to be falsely accused of dishonest behavior, and having no way to resolve the issue. We have been at complete disposal and all the facts reported are true and we have always been honest with our users and with Apple. We heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem having our app implemented Siri support, CarPlay support, MacOS support, Widget support and recently working also on the Apple Watch support. I really hope someone of the Apple Review Team could look into this and gave us the opportunity to fix this issue.

I wanted to add subscription plan into my app for a new release. I have bottom sheet showing promotional text for this subscription like below They rejected my app because We were unable to find the following required information in your app's binary: – A functional link to the Terms of Use (EULA) – A functional link to the privacy policy So I added both links for terms and privacy policy in the promotional text. I use the standard Apple EULA for the link. And I still get rejected on the latest review because Specifically, We were unable to find the following required item(s) in your app's metadata: – A functional link to the Terms of Use (EULA) WHY? is it because I should put this link in my App Description page instead of the promotional text? Then why they didn't make noise about the link to privacy policy?

as shown from the quote: "The 5.5-inch iPhone, 4.7-inch iPhone, 4-inch iPhone, and 3.5-inch iPhone screenshots do not show the current version of the app in use. Screenshots should highlight the app's core concept to help users understand the app’s functionality and value. " According to Google the last 3.5 inch iPhone was retired in 2017. Do I really need to provide screenshots or was this a cut/paste mistake?

Hello, I submitted an app for review 4 days ago and requested an expedited review for the first time in ten years because I need the app to be released by the 30th for a hackathon. There’s been no progress - it is still stuck waiting for review, yet I can see numerous friends that submitted after me have had theirs reviewed multiple times. Is there anything that can be done to speed this up? I’ll be gutted if I can’t make the deadline because of this.

Hello, my call blocking app was incorrectly rejected under Guideline 2.5.12 for using "SMS Fraud Extension," but my app is a call blocker that only uses CallKit framework exclusively for blocking unwanted phone calls. There's no SMS functionality or SMS/Message frameworks at all and no pre-made spam lists. I've submitted an appeal, but this is a time-sensitive update that needs to be released as soon as possible (used an Expedited Review request already). I had a previous appeal for another app that was delayed for 11 days, and it was only resolved after posting here. I cannot afford another 11-day delay for this time-sensitive update. Any suggestions to make the process faster? Thank you.

Guideline 2.3.1 - Performance The app contains hidden features. Specifically, we still noticed that your app includes code which causes it to behave differently during the review process regarding web game presentation and payment. It would be appropriate to ensure that all features and functions in the app are visible and fully accessible during review. Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase The app allows users to purchase digital content natively or via a web view in the app using payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. Apps cannot include in-app payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. Apps on the United States storefront may also include buttons, external links, or other calls to action to direct users to payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. We have been rejected three times due to hidden functions and issues with web payment and web games. However, in the last package we submitted for review, it was confirmed that the code related to web games was removed, and the code related to web interaction JS bridging payment calls was also removed Dear experts, we sincerely invite you to offer your valuable suggestions. If you have any experience of meeting us, please share with us. We would be extremely grateful

Hello, I have a question regarding the Mac App Store deployment and App Review process. Our macOS app will also be distributed on the Steam platform. In our current build setup, the App Store build output (inside Contents/MacOS/) may still contain Steam-related dynamic libraries (e.g., libsteam_api.dylib) and metadata/configuration files (such as .txt files used only by Steam) These files are not used in the App Store version. Users will not see any Steam-related information, functionality, or UI when the app is running. Their presence is simply a byproduct of the current packaging process. My concern is whether including such unused Steam-related files in the App Store submission could be considered a violation of App Store Review Guideline 2.3.10, or otherwise lead to rejection during review. Would Apple recommend that we strictly separate the build targets so that the App Store submission does not contain any Steam-related files, even if they are unused and invisible to the user? Thank you very much for your guidance.

Hello, We’re experiencing a blocking production issue with our new in-app subscriptions and would appreciate guidance. Our latest app version was approved and is live on the App Store, but the new subscriptions we submitted with it are still stuck in “Waiting for Review”. They’ve been in this state for about two months, and purchases in production fail with an error. I already sent an email, but I haven’t received any response. Yesterday,I uploaded a new version of our app and was approved. I had hoped that submitting another version might resolve the issue, but unfortunately the subscriptions are still not active. This is extremely frustrating since users cannot purchase or upgrade. Has anyone experienced this before? What should we do next to get these subscriptions approved? Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone, Our app, NumberBox, was rejected due to Guideline 5.1.1, with the review team saying it “collects information from public sources to build individual profiles.” We want to clarify: All data is 100% user-reported. Users voluntarily submit phone numbers (spam, scam, or telemarketing) and assign tags through the “Add Tag” feature. No data is collected from public sources or user contacts. No profiles are built automatically. All user submissions are reviewed by our support team before being displayed. The sole purpose of NumberBox is to help users avoid unwanted or scam calls, not to collect personal data. Our updated Privacy Policy is here: https://numberbox.app/privacypolicy Has anyone encountered a similar issue with Guideline 5.1.1? Any guidance on how to clearly communicate this to App Review would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello, I would like to ask for your opinion on whether the following in-app purchase (IAP) specifications would comply with the App Store Review Guidelines. ■ App Overview ・The app allows users to create a “Family Group” by inviting other family members to join. ・The app provides brain-training games. The game itself is displayed via WebView. ・All purchases use in-app purchase (IAP) only. No external payments or links are provided. ■ Purchase Types (2 models) ① Group Unlimited Plan ・If one member of a family group purchases this plan, all members of the same group can play the games without limits for a certain period. ・This is based on the app’s own group-sharing mechanism, not Apple’s “Family Sharing.” We will clearly state this in the UI to avoid confusion. ② Ticket System (Consumable) ・One user in the group purchases game-play tickets. ・Other members of the same group can also consume those tickets to play. ・Tickets are only shared and consumed within the app’s family group. They cannot be transferred, resold, or moved outside the app. ■ Points to Confirm A. For model ①: Is it acceptable under the guidelines to grant access to the entire group when one member purchases the plan (via the app’s own group logic)? B. For model ②: Is it acceptable to allow consumable tickets to be shared and consumed within the group? (I understand that Apple’s official “Family Sharing” does not allow sharing of consumables. This would be strictly our own in-app sharing logic.) If anyone has experience or insights regarding whether such designs are allowed under the guidelines, I would greatly appreciate your advice.

Hello, I have a question. What exactly is bothering Apple? The app doesn't sell anything, nor does it allow users to download games; it's purely an informational app. Thank you.

Hello, I would like to ask for your opinion on whether the following in-app purchase (IAP) specifications would comply with the App Store Review Guidelines. ■ App Overview ・The app allows users to create a “Family Group” by inviting other family members to join. ・The app provides brain-training games. The game itself is displayed via WebView. ・All purchases use in-app purchase (IAP) only. No external payments or links are provided. ■ Purchase Types (2 models) ① Group Unlimited Plan ・If one member of a family group purchases this plan, all members of the same group can play the games without limits for a certain period. ・This is based on the app’s own group-sharing mechanism, not Apple’s “Family Sharing.” We will clearly state this in the UI to avoid confusion. ② Ticket System (Consumable) ・One user in the group purchases game-play tickets. ・Other members of the same group can also consume those tickets to play. ・Tickets are only shared and consumed within the app’s family group. They cannot be transferred, resold, or moved outside the app. ■ Points to Confirm A. For model ①: Is it acceptable under the guidelines to grant access to the entire group when one member purchases the plan (via the app’s own group logic)? B. For model ②: Is it acceptable to allow consumable tickets to be shared and consumed within the group? (I understand that Apple’s official “Family Sharing” does not allow sharing of consumables. This would be strictly our own in-app sharing logic.) If anyone has experience or insights regarding whether such designs are allowed under the guidelines, I would greatly appreciate your advice.

I don't know I keep getting rejected for the same thing. My guy won't tell me what's wrong with it. He just keeps sending me the same screenshot and I just don't see what's wrong with it so here I am can somebody please look at this and tell me what you see do you see what's wrong with this so that I can correct it and submit it for the fifth time and hoping I get rejected.

Hello, I've submitted a detailed appeal for my app update rejection on September 11th and haven't received any response yet. Is 11+ days normal for appeal responses or should I follow up somehow? Any insights would be appreciated as this is blocking my app update. Thank you.

Hello, Our auto-renewable subscription products are currently showing as “In Review” in App Store Connect. However, they are not visible in the “In-App Purchases” section of the app version submission, so we cannot confirm or re-attach them to this app version. At the same time, we cannot delete or edit these products while they are in this state. This has left us in a situation where: The IAPs are stuck in “In Review” status, We cannot re-submit or re-attach them, And your review team cannot complete testing because the subscriptions are not yet approved. According to Apple’s own documentation, IAPs that are released with an app version only move from In Review to Approved when the app itself is approved. This means they must be reviewed together. Could you please: Confirm that our IAPs are correctly attached to this app version and will be reviewed together, or Reset their status back to “Ready to Submit” so that we can re-attach them properly to this app version? We want to make sure we are not stuck in a loop where the IAPs cannot be approved until the app is approved, but the app cannot be approved because the IAPs are stuck. Thank you for your help in resolving this situation. Best regards,

Guideline 5.1.1 - Legal - Privacy - Data Collection and Storage The app does not meet all requirements for apps that offer highly regulated services or handle sensitive user data. Specifically: The account that submits the app must be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program as an organization, and not as an individual. The guideline 5.1.1(ix) requirements give users confidence that apps operating in highly regulated fields or that require sensitive user information are qualified to provide these services and will responsibly manage their data. Next Steps To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to take the following steps: The app must be submitted through an Apple Developer Program account enrolled as an organization. You may either enroll in a new Apple Developer Program account as an organization, or request that your individual account be converted to an organization account by contacting Apple Developer Support. Please note that you cannot resolve this issue with documentation showing permission to publish this app on behalf of the content owner or institution.

Hello everyone, I uploaded my first app to the App Store for TestFlight. Since I read that TestFlight reviews are usually completed within a few hours, I am a bit unsure whether I might have done something wrong in the review process. I submitted the app to TestFlight on September 10, and after some back and forth, I received a message on September 13 saying: “Your submission is still in review but is requiring additional time. We will provide further status updates as soon as we are able.” On Tuesday, September 16, I sent an email to Support asking if I had done something wrong and mentioning that I uploaded a new build. Apple then put the new build into review, and on the same day I received another message that the review would take some more time. Since then, I haven’t heard anything further. The older build is still shown as “In Review” (since September 12). Is there anything I can do at this point?

Hello everyone, I’ve uploaded my first app to the App Store for TestFlight. Since I’ve read that TestFlight reviews are usually completed within a few hours, I’m a bit unsure if I might have done something wrong during the review process. I submitted a build on September 10th, and after some back-and-forth I received a message on September 13th saying: “Your submission is still in review but is requiring additional time. We will provide further status updates as soon as we are able.” On Tuesday, September 16th, I sent an email to Support asking if I had done something wrong and mentioning that I had uploaded a new build. Apple then put the new build into review, and on the same day I got another message saying the review would take some more time. Since then, I haven’t heard anything further. The older build has also been stuck in “In Review” since September 12th. Is there anything I can do at this point?

Hello, Our app gets rejected for the reason that the reviewer cannot purchase the subscription with the message, "Guideline 2.1 - Performance - App Completeness We found that your in-app purchase products exhibited one or more bugs which create a poor user experience. Specifically, we were unable to purchase Auto-Renewable Subscriptions. The app launched back to the rendering when we tap on the "Get started"" When we test this with our sandbox accounts in test flight version, we can see the subscribe pop up showing and purchase successfully. But turns out they cannot. Unfortunately we cannot see the reason why and even after requesting further explanation regarding how to move along, we are not getting any explanations. Our subscription products are submitted in the first time with the app and they are in "In review" state for more than a week. We requested phone calls and wrote messages to reviewers many times but unfortunately there's no help yet.