Hello App Review Team, I am writing to seek clarification regarding repeated review feedback received via App Store Connect (Resolution Center) for my app: App Name: Animal Sounds & Insects 90+ App ID: 6741077718 Team ID: 24MTF8NJ6Q Over the past two weeks, this app update has remained in review with multiple rejections referencing similar concerns, despite detailed responses and clarifications already provided in the Resolution Center. Unfortunately, I have not received follow-up responses or specific guidance there, which has prevented me from releasing even a minor update. To ensure clarity and avoid further delays, I am summarizing the key points below. Parental Gate (Guideline 1.3 – Kids Category) The review feedback indicates that the app may include links, commerce, or ad interactions without parental permission. I would like to clarify that the app implements a mandatory, non-dismissible parental gate, which is required before: Opening any external links Engaging in any form of commerce, including in-app purchases Interacting with any advertisements This parental gate cannot be bypassed or disabled and is triggered consistently across all applicable user flows. No child user can access links, purchases, or ad interactions without successfully completing the parental gate. If there is a specific screen, flow, or scenario where this behavior was interpreted differently during review, I would greatly appreciate precise details so I can verify and address it immediately. Advertising Experience (Guideline 4.0 – Design) The review also notes that users are required to view advertisements prior to using the app. I would like to clarify that the app does not require users to view advertisements before accessing its core functionality. Specifically: There are no forced ads No launch or entry interstitials No ads that block or gate access to the app’s main features Advertising within the app is passive and non-intrusive. This setup has been live for over one year, and no recent changes were introduced that would alter this behavior. Request for Guidance I fully respect and support the App Review Guidelines and am committed to complying with them. Given the repeated rejections and lack of actionable feedback so far, I kindly request: Clear and specific guidance on the exact screen, flow, or behavior being flagged Confirmation on whether the current parental gate implementation is being detected correctly during review My goal is to resolve any remaining concerns as quickly and accurately as possible so the review process can move forward. Thank you very much for your time and support. I appreciate the work of the App Review team and look forward to your guidance. Kind regards, Jiyan Aslan Developer, Animal Sounds & Insects 90+

I've been rejected by Apple many times for design spam. I'm confused whether this is because I'm reusing codebase or because my app is similar to other apps on the store. However, very few other apps on the App Store are similar to mine, so I don't think I'm spamming. Could you please tell me how to fix this? Should I refect the codebase or completely redesign the app's features? Thank you for reading!

Hey all, I am a first time publisher navigating the App Review process. I want to publish a watchOS only app, but keep getting this feedback: Regarding 4.0, Apple Watch app icon's background color is still black. Based on our investigation, you have included plain black icons. To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to modify your app's Apple Watch app icon to include a lighter background color to ensure that it is recognizable and appears circular on Apple Watch. I set the following configs: Project -> Targets -> Apple Watch App -> App Icons & Launch Screen -> App Icon set to my Icon Composer file. Checked App Icons Source. I was able to install my build through TestFlight and successfully install on my watch, and the App Icon displays properly there. I also saw a recent Reddit post from another developer facing the same issue. I can't link that post, but will share this post with the OP. I attached what the reviewer sent me with the rejection.

Hello My first submission attempt rejected by Apple review and I resolved issues then sent a new review. Now when I open the dashboard submission appears rejected but when I clicked the details it looks like in review. What should I do now? Thanks in advance

I want to know if App Store Connect provides daily breakdowns of new 1–5 star ratings rather than just cumulative totals. This would help me track the impact of remotely enabling a feature, but I haven’t found such an option.

Our VPN app on the Apple App Store has seen a slowdown in installs lately. I’d appreciate any suggestions on effective strategies or new tactics to drive growth

I'm extremely frustrated with Apple's unfair app review process. To make a long story short, for every app I've ever submitted, Apple has made false accusations about problems with my apps. Some of their feedback has absolutely been legitimate and correct, which I appreciate, but I would say about 50% of all "feedback" I've ever received has turned out to be objectively wrong. In some cases, the App Review team's gaslighting has been so strong that I have had to submit screenshots of code as proof that their accusations were completely wrong, after which they have had to accept the app. In one instance, they have claimed that one of my apps would not be allowed on the App Store at all, and when I link to multiple other apps that works EXACTLY the same way, the App Review team love to point out that you are not allowed to compare yourself to other apps. To be clear, I'm an indie developer and I'm not even comparing myself to apps from large corporations or any popular apps at all (since it's well known they get the VIP treatment), all apps I have compared myself to are from small, unknown indie developers such as myself - so I'm only comparing myself to developers in the same category as me. Telling developers that they are not allowed to compare themselves to other developers is VERY ethically problematic, imagine doing that to minorities in real life. I'm a minority in multiple ways, and I'm very worried about the ethics and moral at the App Review team. When I ask why they reject my app, but approve many apps that were recently released that works EXACTLY the same way as my app, I either get no reply at all or they tell me that I can't compare myself to others. Submitting appeals to the App Review Board doesn't help either. To be completely transparent with you, it has been very hard and draining on my mental health to have this invisible wall consisting of gaslighting that the App Review team has set up for me. It just doesn't make sense... The app review process is unfair, inconsistent and problematic, and it should be a serious eyebrow-raiser when Apple's App Review team can't explain why some small indie developers get approved easily while others get rejected. Especially since it seems like the pattern is that those who get rejected are humans in various kinds of minorities, as evidences by some other threads on this topic.

Hey All, Last week, I submitted a build of my app with the ability for users to subscribe & receive some extra content in exchange. I wasn't super sold on that being the right path for my app, and when I rightfully received a rejection for missing in app EULA, I decided that I'd postpone monetizing the app and I'd give away that content instead. So, I went ahead and disabled any paths of entry to the subscribe modal & marked the subscriptions as "Remove from Sale" in AppStoreConnect. Additionally, I updated the subscription review notes to be "This is not accessible in app at this time" Sadly, I still got rejected due to missing EULA and the tester being unable to find where IAP's are offered. I'd like to avoid cutting a new build, and instead just remove the subscriptions from being associated with this submission. But, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to remove them! Please help! TLDR: How do you disassociate an IAP or Subscription from an app submission?

Hi, Anyone else hitting this App Store Connect issue? I have now submitted two app versions. Both get accepted and I can release them, but the subscriptions are never included. What is happening: App versions get approved normally No “In-App Purchases” section appears on the app version review page Subscriptions page shows subscriptions stuck on “In Review” for 10 days Subscription localization is “Rejected” and completely locked I cannot edit, recreate, or resubmit anything related to subscriptions.. Tried submitting a new app version again, same result. App approved, subscriptions still stuck. So I keep releasing without subscriptions every time 🤦‍♂️ Anyone experienced this or found a way to unblock subscriptions when localization is rejected and locked? Thanks!

Did any one face this issue "Note that users expect apps they download to function on all the devices where they are available. Since your app may be downloaded onto iPad devices, it is important that it also function as expected for iPad users" even though we already done the following Target → General → Deployment Info Devices: ☑ iPhone ☐ iPad ← MUST be unchecked UIDeviceFamily = 1 Mac Catalyst is set to NO

Hello everyone, I'm seeking advice from the community regarding an App Review rejection I've been struggling with. Situation: My Mac app, an application launcher, has been rejected under Guideline 5.2.5 for being "too similar to LaunchPad, which creates a misleading association with Apple." After requesting specific feedback on what needs to change, I received only a generic response directing me to read the guidelines without any actionable details about which features or design elements are problematic. My App's Differentiating Features: My app includes numerous features that distinguish it from LaunchPad: Windowed mode in addition to fullscreen Category topbar with filtering capabilities Resizable grid with customizable icon sizes and spacing Advanced organization with custom categories, tags, and usage tracking Different visual design language and interaction patterns The Challenge: I've observed several other app launchers on the Mac App Store that appear to share more similarities with LaunchPad than mine does (e.g., identical pagination, similar grid layouts, similar visual design). This makes it difficult to understand why my app specifically was flagged. What I've Tried: Provided detailed documentation of differentiating features Requested specific feedback on which elements need changing Compared my app to approved alternatives on the store Received only a generic response with no actionable guidance Questions for the Community: Has anyone else faced this type of rejection for app launchers or similar utility apps? What specific changes did you make that satisfied App Review? Are there particular visual elements or features that App Review considers "off limits" for this category? Should I consider filing a formal appeal, or is there a better path forward? Are there any Apple engineers who might be able to provide insight into how to differentiate from built-in macOS apps while still solving the same user problem? My Goal: I'm not trying to clone LaunchPad - I'm trying to provide users with a more powerful, customizable alternative. However, without specific guidance on what crosses the line, I'm stuck in a loop where I can't make meaningful changes. Any advice, experiences, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone successfully navigated a similar rejection? Thank you in advance for your help!

Hello, I submitted my game app on 28 Dec last year. Unfortunately, it was stuck in review for weeks. I've tried submitting a request to expedite the review, I've reached out via the contact form, I've even tried resubmitting the build - all to no avail. Prior to this, I've been able to release monthly updates without trouble. Any advice on this issue would be greatly appreciated, thank you kindly!

Hi everyone, We’re looking for advice regarding an App Store review rejection and would really appreciate insights from developers with similar experience. Our app is a retro game emulator platform. It provides emulator functionality only (e.g. NES / GB / GBA emulation) and does NOT include, bundle, or download any game ROMs. Key points about our app design: ❌ No ROMs are bundled or distributed ❌ No in-app ROM downloads ✅ Users can only import their own ROM files that they legally own (e.g. personal backups) ✅ No copyrighted game names, box art, screenshots, or branding are used ✅ The app is positioned as a general-purpose emulator tool, similar to a media player that plays user-provided files However, during review we received the following rejection: The app appears to contain copyrighted video game files. Apps and their content should not infringe upon the rights of another party… We’re confused about what might have triggered this decision and would appreciate guidance on: On what basis Apple may conclude that the app “contains” copyrighted game files? Could this be related to: App screenshots or preview videos? Default demo flows or UI text? The emulator functionality itself? What changes are typically required to pass review, such as: Adding stronger legal disclaimers Requiring user confirmation that imported ROMs are legally owned Removing any potentially misleading UI wording Explicitly clarifying ROM ownership responsibility We’ve noticed that similar emulator apps already exist on the App Store, so we’re trying to understand: Whether there is a clear compliance path What modifications have worked for other developers in similar cases Thanks a lot in advance for any advice or shared experience 🙏 Happy to provide more details if needed.

Hello everybody, I have a never ending issue with appstore review, an need a QUICK HELP ! I am submitting a new app (oral training), for Iphones only. I disabled other devices (such as Ipas) via Xcode. In the appstore informations form, it is obligatory to provide ipad screens, so I provided screens showing Iphone experience. Appstore team asked me to remove it because I don't authorize Ipads. But if I remove those screens, form cannot be sent. I don't understantd how to proceed. Thanks for the help Regards Jean

I just launched my app Stonk on the App Store and spent $100 on ads but haven’t seen any downloads. I’m curious if others rely on the same strategies or if bigger ad budgets work better. Marketing has been challenging, so I’d appreciate advice on how to advertise more effectively.

Hello everyone, We received a Pending Termination Notice on Nov 4, 2025, flagging our developer account for removal under Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. The notice alleged that our app submissions "repeatedly violated the App Review Guidelines in an attempt to evade the review process." We unequivocally state that there was no intent to evade review or act dishonestly. The repeated submissions were actually a result of our efforts to resolve a trademark dispute regarding our app icon with a third party. We were in active legal negotiations to update our assets to a compliant design. The resubmissions were attempts to update the metadata to comply with these legal requests. Unfortunately, this overlapped with the App Review process and created the appearance of "evasion." Case Details: Case Number: 102748595474 App ID: 1599464287 Notice Date: Nov 4, 2025 Current Status: Appeal submitted; awaiting review. What we've done so far **Legal Resolution:** We are now in the final stages of a legal settlement with the third party. We have obtained a statement from our legal counsel and evidence of this settlement to demonstrate our Good Faith and commitment to the App Store Guidelines. **Appeals Submitted:** We have diligently followed standard procedures and submitted three formal appeals, with the latest one submitted on Nov 22. **Support Contact:** We have contacted Developer Support multiple times via email to follow up. Questions: * Given the expiration of the termination deadline, is there any way to confirm if our account is safe from automatic removal while the review is ongoing? * Are there any additional steps we should take to bring this to the App Review Board's attention? * Is there any other documentation we should submit to expedite the process? The 30-day appeal window ended on Dec 4, and this deadline has now passed. We are deeply concerned that our account may be automatically terminated despite our full cooperation and pending appeal. Having been a dedicated developer for over 8 years, we are eager to resolve this amicably. Thank you for your time and assistance.

I was wondering if there was a way to submit an app for review before completing the terms of service and privacy policy in case the app does not get approved.

I built the Appvector tool – aso.report, a completely free ASO analysis platform designed to help indie developers easily improve their App Store listings without complex metrics or costly subscriptions. Just paste your app’s URL to get instant insights, multi-country analysis, and actionable recommendations - making ASO simple, accessible, and effective for everyone.

Hey everyone, I’ve been building iOS apps since 2011, released several, took a four-year break, and recently launched two new apps, but the ecosystem feels very different now. Earlier, new apps saw strong first-day downloads and fast Google indexing, while today my App Store pages took weeks to appear and show almost no organic traction without promotion, so I’m curious if others notice this and how developers now gain discovery.

Hello everyone, My team is exploring the implementation of an Apple Wallet pass for a loyalty program linked to a brand in an age-restricted product category. The intended use cases for the Wallet pass are: Member identification at events — Quick verification at brand events or exclusive venues, with tier-based perks (e.g., priority entry for higher tiers) Support services — Members present their card at retail locations to receive assistance Tier and points display — Dynamic visual changes based on loyalty level and current points balance Notifications — Pass updates for expiring points, upcoming events, or relevant announcements The pass would function as a standard Store Card (membership/loyalty) — no payments, no stored value, just identification and informational display. Before investing development effort, I'd like to understand: Has anyone successfully implemented Wallet passes for brands in restricted categories (tobacco, alcohol, etc.)? Are there specific guidelines or restrictions I should be aware of beyond the standard Wallet documentation? Is there a recommended channel to get official guidance from Apple on eligibility before building? Any insights or experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!