I understand how frustrating ASO can be when progress feels slow. To grow beyond keyword optimization, it helps to learn from indie developer resources, communities, and guides that focus on practical app marketing strategies and visibility.

App Store Optimization in 2026 requires a more strategic, data driven approach as Apple’s algorithms evolve and user expectations continue to rise. This overview covers the key ASO trends iOS developers should focus on, including AI powered keyword insights, product page optimization, conversion focused testing, and advanced localization to drive sustainable organic growth.

Hi, Our app submission is being rejected many times. We have provided the required adjustments but still receiving the following: Guideline 3.1.2 - Business - Payments - Subscriptions Issue Description The submission did not include all the required information for apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions. The app's binary is missing the following required information: A functional link to the Terms of Use (EULA) A functional link to the privacy policy Next Steps Update the app binary to include the information specified above. Resources Apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions must include all of the following required information in the binary: Title of auto-renewing subscription (this may be the same as the in-app purchase product name) Length of subscription Price of subscription, and price per unit if appropriate Functional links to the privacy policy and Terms of Use (EULA) The app metadata must also include functional links to the privacy policy in the Privacy Policy field in App Store Connect and the Terms of Use (EULA) in the App Description or EULA field in App Store Connect. Pls help, thank you.

Hello App Review Team, My app has been in review since December 12 (TestFlight), and I wanted to kindly ask if there is any additional information, clarification, or action required from my side to proceed with the review. App ID: com.prestige.Listie Name of app: Listie Shop & Share Please let me know if anything is missing or if I can assist in any way to help complete the review process. Thank you very much for your time and support. Best regards, Filip

App is approved and on App Store but Subscription is in review and localizations rejected. no way to edit. anyone here that go this flow resolved and how?

Hi, anyone has any updates on the recent App Store Review delays?

Hello, I have a problem regarding my App review. The issue: "Guideline 3.1.2 - Business - Payments - Subscriptions Issue Description The submission did not include all the required information for apps offering auto-renewable subscriptions. The app's metadata is missing the following required information: A functional link to the Terms of Use (EULA). If you are using the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA), include a link to the Terms of Use in the App Description. If you are using a custom EULA, add it in App Store Connect." My explanation: I'm using Apple's original EULA in my app. The EULA was already in the "About" section. It redirects to the EULA page on Apple's official website. However, since my app also has a payment screen, I added the same information below the payment screen and submitted it for review again. Unfortunately, it's still being rejected for the same reason. I've requested a full, detailed explanation via email, but they keep sending me the same copy-and-paste message. I want to resolve this issue as soon as possible, so I decided to ask you here. Please check the screenshots and let me know what's the problem. Best regards, DryreL

Hello Apple Developer Community and App Review Team, Please help! Our app is "In Review" status for 4 days on a resubmission. We have requested an expedited review on 30 December because we had a launch with 20k users. My Apple ID: 6745441830 SKU: panduoapp This delay has pushed our planned launch back by over a week, impacting more than 20,000 pre-registered users who are waiting to access the app's core features (AI interactions, community, etc.). My developer had never seen this before and he got a new app submitted yesterday and got approved within 3 hours. Is this level of "In Review" time common right now during the post-holiday period? We've seen quick reviews on other similar apps recently, so wondering if this might be stuck or require a nudge. Any advice on next steps (beyond Resolution Center inquiry) or similar experiences? We've double-checked build attachment, IAP config, paywall links, and reviewer notes (including demo access). Thank you!

Hello everyone, I am facing a recurring issue with my app review and looking for advice. The Situation: I originally submitted a build last week and it sat in "Waiting for Review" for 7 days with no movement. Assuming it was a glitch, I removed that build and resubmitted this past Saturday (Jan 3). It is now Tuesday, and the new build is also stuck in "Waiting for Review" (no reviewer has picked it up yet). This is an update to an existing app. We have checked the Resolution Center and our email, but there are no messages or requests for more information from the App Review team. Has anyone else experienced similar delays recently? If an Apple staff member sees this, could you please check if there is an issue with the queue for this specific build? Thank you!

Our app have been waiting for a review for a whole day. We need this as soon as possible since it has a huge effect on our users' expereice. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ziina-pay-get-paid-instantly/id1507246381

Hello, "This issue is blocking App store approval" I have tried pushing my application to Appstore. However it has been rejected on the following ground: _"As we discussed, the app uses or references the following non-public or deprecated APIs: Frameworks/CommonLibrary.framework/CommonLibrary Symbols: • _SecCertificateIsValid The use of non-public or deprecated APIs is not permitted, as they can lead to a poor user experience should these APIs change and are otherwise not supported on Apple platforms."_ I have scanned the app using "strings" tool & "otool -ov" tool. But they have come out clean. No Non-public or deprecated APIs detected. Please advise which tool can be used to scan the CL to locate where the deprecated API or non-public API lies and also how to rectify the same. Thanks Saikat Bakshi.

Hi everyone, I'm having a frustrating issue with in-app purchases on 2 of my apps, and despite following all the steps correctly, they're getting rejected during App Store review because the products screen doesn't load for reviewers. I could really use some help figuring out what I'm missing. What I've Done (Following Apple's Documentation) Created products in App Store Connect: Added each in-app purchase individually with correct Product IDs These IDs match exactly the ones in my .storekit file Filled out all required information: translations, pricing, descriptions Everything was filled correctly Submitted products for review: Each product went through the separate review process All products were approved individually Linked the approved products to my app build App submission: Uploaded new build with in-app purchases implemented Products are properly configured in the app code Used StoreKit for testing (products load correctly in sandbox) The Problem Even after all products are approved and linked to the build, reviewers are reporting that the products screen shows nothing - the products array appears to be empty for them. Since this is my first time submitting apps to the App Store, I feel like I'm missing some crucial step in the process. Apple's documentation seems scattered and not clear enough about the complete workflow. Questions: Do I need to do something special after products are approved but before submitting the app? Are there any additional configurations needed in App Store Connect? Is there a definitive step-by-step guide for the complete in-app purchase submission process? Does anyone have experience with this issue or know of clear documentation that explains the complete in-app purchase workflow from creation to app approval? Any help or pointers to proper documentation would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I am in need of your help with publishing my game. I got the following explanation for the negative review of my app/game. Issue Description One or more purpose strings in the app do not sufficiently explain the use of protected resources. Purpose strings must clearly and completely describe the app's use of data and, in most cases, provide an example of how the data will be used. Next Steps Update the local network information purpose string to explain how the app will use the requested information and provide a specific example of how the data will be used. See the attached screenshot. Resources Purpose strings must clearly describe how an app uses the ability, data, or resource. The following are hypothetical examples of unclear purpose strings that would not pass review: "App would like to access your Contacts" "App needs microphone access" See examples of helpful, informative purpose strings. The problem is that they say my app asks to allow my app to find devices on local networks. And that this needs more explanation in the purpose strings. Totally valid to ask, but the problem is my app doesn't need local access to devices, and there shouldn't be code that asks this?? FYI the game is build with Unity. Would love some help on how to turn this off so that my app can get published.

inapp purchase product has been in review for more than 24 hours, although we have another product that was submited for review after the first one and it has been approved already

New developer here. Does removing your app from review(to change the build or any other reason), and resubmitting it, reset you to the back of the line? I‘ve done this multiple times, and I have users asking me when the updates are coming.

2026 confirmed that ASO has evolved beyond keywords into a full funnel system where creatives, conversion rate, app quality, retention, and ads drive visibility. Organic growth now comes mainly from Explore and Browse, with algorithms rewarding strong visuals and product health over simple metadata changes.

As an indie iOS dev, ASO often feels frustrating and unpredictable. Any proven tips, or is it just a grind we all face.

Requesting you all any recommendations for iOS ASO tools covering keyword research, metadata optimisation, competitor tracking, and A/B testing.

Hi everyone, my name is Donovan, I am sharing here the official response I received from Apple following my appeal with App Review Board (image attached). For context, I am an independent developer and a student, working alone. This application was originally created as a student project, with a very simple goal: to improve my skills in mobile application development and to understand the entire creation cycle, from the initial idea to a genuinely usable application. What was meant to be an exercise gradually became a real product. Over time, many people tested the project, used it, provided positive feedback, and encouraged me to take it all the way. That is why I decided to continue it, structure it properly, and finalize it with the level of seriousness expected from a public-facing application. Today, the application is a dating and social connection app, entirely free, with no blocking paid features, funded only by light and optional advertising. It follows the rules, works correctly, and offers features that Apple itself acknowledged as useful and informative. And yet, after review, the message is clear: it is not the quality that is being questioned, but the category. Because it is a dating app, a category considered saturated, two years of independent, self-funded work, carried out seriously and in compliance with the rules, can simply be dismissed. What is being judged here is not the work itself. It is the right to enter. The “unique and very high-quality experience” being required appears to be a threshold reserved for those who are already established, visible, or funded. For a serious student project carried by a single developer, the door remains closed, cleanly, politely, definitively. For those who still wish to see what the application looks like, I have attached a few images illustrating the interface and the main features. Unfortunately, this will likely be the only way to discover it on iOS. Under these conditions, the conclusion is pragmatic. Rather than continuing to defend the very existence of an honest and free project, it becomes more coherent to invest my energy where it is genuinely accepted. On its side, Android validated the project without difficulty. It still allows an independent developer to propose an idea, let it evolve, and bring it to completion without requiring prior success just to earn the right to try. It is therefore very likely that these two years of development will never make it to the App Store. Not out of frustration. Out of clarity. I am publishing this message not to provoke, but to inform other independent developers: Apple is a remarkable platform, provided you are already established on it. And this is a reality worth knowing before turning a student project into a life project. Screenshots:

We are planning to migrate our application from an iOS In‑App Purchase (IAP) subscription flow to an external web purchase flow. The intended user journey is: The user taps a “Subscribe” button in the app. The user is redirected to a web-based checkout to complete the purchase. The user returns to the app, and subscription access is unlocked based on entitlement verification from our backend. Our app is currently listed in the Education category. Before we begin this refactor, we would like confirmation on the following: Entitlements / permissions Do we need to request any specific Apple entitlements or approvals to implement this external purchase flow (e.g., external link or alternative payment related permissions)? Compliance / review requirements Are there any specific App Review compliance checks, disclosures, or review process requirements we must satisfy when moving from IAP to an external purchase flow? If relevant, are there constraints based on app category (Education) or product type (subscription)?