Hello, I hope you’re doing well. I recently submitted an update for my app, and I would really appreciate it if you could review it when possible. The latest version includes important fixes and improvements. Please let me know if anything else is needed from my side. Thank you for your time and support.

Hello everyone, I’m looking for some clarification and advice regarding an unexpected App Review rejection under Guideline 4.1 – Copycats. My app has been live on the App Store since May 2024, and during that time, it has maintained the same core flow, structure, UI, and feature set. There have been no major redesigns or attempts to imitate any other app. Recently, I submitted a new version (v3.2) with only minor changes related to ad logic implementation (no UI/UX changes, no branding changes, no metadata changes). However, this update was rejected with the following reason: “This app or its metadata appears to be misrepresenting itself as another popular app or game…” This has left me quite confused for a few reasons: The app has been approved and publicly available for nearly 2 years There were no significant design or branding changes in this submission The rejection seems unrelated to the actual changes made in this version My questions: Has anyone experienced a situation where an app was flagged as a copycat after being live for a long time? Is it possible that Apple updated their internal policies or comparisons, causing older apps to be re-evaluated? Could this be triggered by similar metadata (keywords, screenshots, descriptions) rather than the app itself? What would be the best way to respond in App Store Connect Resolution Center in this case? I fully respect Apple’s guidelines and have no intention of copying or misleading users. I’d really appreciate any insights or suggestions on how to resolve this properly. Thank you!

Hello My app got rejected with the message "We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences." In short, my app is a vpn app built entirely by me. In Russia almost all vpn protocols are blocked: wireguard, openvpn etc. And the only protocol they could not block was vless. It was hard to implement it, i spent like 3 weeks on it writing my own package on flutter. The app first was uploaded to android and shared through testflight with some of my friends. And everyone switched to my app, because it works perfect for their needs: accessing instagram, twitter etc. Those apps are blocked here. So on my first attempt publishing i got 2 errors: Vpn should be published on the account that is organization Spam rejection I registered a company and switched from individual account to a company. I also changed the ui of the app (although i agree most vpns share the same concept design). I got rejected again with only "Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam". I appealed with a question why was it it rejected, explaining that the app was built by me, and of course, i use some libraries. I got the same roboting response. After that i added some features: Built in private browser Network connection speed Today submitted the new version hoping it would pass, but yet again got "Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam". I'm really frustrated, because i spent 3 months developing the app. I understand there are dozens of vpns. But vpn is not exactly the simple feature app. Some are bad, some are good, and some doesn't work at all. My app doesn't have any ads and paid subscriptions. I also renamed my app to "Incognito - Browser, VPN". But can't get pass. Would like to get some advices. Please help P.S. Sorry for my bad grammar

Hey everyone, I’m completely stuck and hoping someone here (or an Apple rep) can help, because Developer Support is just sending me the exact same template replies at this point. I submitted a standard version update for my app (Hadiyyati - Luxury Gifts) back on February 7th. It has now been over 45 days, and the status is still permanently frozen on "Waiting for Review." Here is the loop I am stuck in: I've had an Expedited Review requested and approved 3 separate times. Support gives me a case number, says they contacted the App Review Board, and tells me to wait. Weeks pass, nothing happens, and when I follow up, I get: "At this time, your app review is proceeding normally, and there is no further action you need to take." 45 days for a store update is not "proceeding normally." I strongly suspect my submission (ID: aeadea76-8fb4-437c-9c04-60171b909f3e) is bugged, corrupted, or locked in a "ghost state" on the App Store Connect backend. Has anyone dealt with a completely frozen submission like this? Is there a specific magic word or channel to get Tier 2 tech support to actually check the server status without me rejecting the build and starting all over? Any advice is hugely appreciated!

Hello, My app has been stuck in the App Store review process for approximately one month, with no progress or updates provided during this time. I have sent around 20 emails and also submitted an expedite request due to the critical nature of the issue. Unfortunately, I have not received any response to any of my inquiries. This situation has reached a critical point. Since my app is not functioning properly, I have lost all of my subscribed users, causing both financial loss and damage to my reputation. Based on my previous experience, review times are usually much shorter, so this delay appears highly unusual. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in clarifying the following: Why has my app not been reviewed yet? Why have my emails not received any response? Is there anything further I can do to expedite the review process? I kindly ask for this issue to be investigated and resolved as soon as possible. I am ready to provide any additional information if needed. App Apple ID: 6756207941 I need a response now, please. Don't tell me to send an email because I'm not getting any replies. I just want a review to be conducted. Thank you in advance for your support. Best regards,

I am seriously taken aback by the efficiency of the App Review team. Jul 8, 2022 at 2:46 PM - We submitted our app on this date. Jul 9, 2022 at 10.47 AM - Our app was rejected due to 5.1.1 Legal - Data Collection and Storage. Jul 9, 2022 at 1.02 PM - I provided detailed information in relation to our business being in a highly regulated industry. Jul 13, 2022 at 8.22 AM - App Review Team replied stating that additional time is required to review. App Review status was changed to App In Review. Jul 13, 2022 at 8.36 AM - I received the same message that the issue previously identified requires our attention. Jul 13, 2022 at 1.42 PM - I replied again that information has been provided and it was confusing to have received another same App Rejection message. I contacted the App Review Team for assistance and was assured that my app will be reviewed. Jul 14, 2022 at 9.57 AM - App Review team replied that the team will continue the review and will notify if there are any further issues. 27 Jul, 2022 at 3.10 AM - App Review team replied with the same rejection message again "The issues we previously identified still need your attention..." 27 Jul, 2022 at 4.05 AM - I replied explaining that this is the 3rd time App Review team provided the same, non-helpful message and I have provided the information right from the start. 28 Jul, 2022 at 10.27 AM - App Review team replied with the same message intent explaining the policy and requested for additional information AGAIN. 28 Jul, 2022 at 10.40 AM - I replied with FRUSTRATION, providing my detail explanation and information once again (which was already provided on the Jul 9, 2022, 1.02 PM). This app has been withheld since Jul 8. Another app of ours was approved merely after 2 days of submission with the similar additional information provided in the submission notes. The App Review team has been very UNHELPFUL by replying templated messages. I am not sure the team reads through the trail of communications. Many time and money has been wasted when we had to go back to our legal advisors. I need proper avenues to get this push through. Is this a common poor attitude and service of the App Review team? Can someone from the App Review team shed some light on this?

I uploaded the first build of a new app, waited a week to get In Review. Then got rejected for a missing piece of metadata. I accidentally checked a box indicating I had age-related content which I don't - so I unchecked it, and replied to app review. A message came back the same day asking me to do what I just told them I did. I replied that I had already followed the required steps. Then just nothing for five days. I have no idea if my review was even progressing - with the status "Waiting for Review" and "Unresolved issues". So I had no choice but to cancel the submission and start over. Having been an iOS developer for more than ten years, App Review times have gotten completely unacceptable - to develop an application and have no idea how many weeks it's going to take to crawl through App Review only to be rejected for some trivial checkbox, and get kicked to the back of the queue.

I've published my app with subscriptions (app changed from paid to subscription model). I've have succesfully pass review process and app was published to App Store without subscription store, so no one can buy app (still working as paid, but will expire in few days forcing users to subscribe). I want to attach subscriptions to new build, but I can't - there are no options mentioned in documentation. I'm stuck. There is no any contact point to review team. I've created 3 cases, nobody reads them (oldest 3 weeks). The whole approval process looks broken, Apple team shouldn't approve app with subscriptions without subscriptions added to review. I must immediately publish my app with critical fixes, but I can't. I am devastated, i don't know what to do...

Hi, I created an anti virus app that worked within the sandbox. It was non commercial essentially a test to find a marketable anti virus app that could work within the sandbox. App store review kept saying it was malicious over and over again then told us our developer account was pending termination. We have a lot of others app that are my only source of income. I managed to work myself out of homelessness by being an App Developer (I've been an app developer since 2009). Now I'm facing it again for innovation. Thanks David

Hi all, my mac app uses the "com.apple.security.temporary-exception.apple-events" entitlement. Originally the process was that one is allowed to use such an entitlement as long as one filed a bug to request a scripting target that would allow one to move away from it. Now, my app has been approved for years with that entitlement, but every 5th time or so I submit an update, my app gets rejected because I allegedly shouldn't use that entitlement. I then ask for clarification, repeating the statement about why i am using it, and then the app gets silently approved. Is there a better way to handle this? It is super annoying that every couple of updates I get this random delay and have to dispute stuff just to get my update through. The note for the entitlement already describes why I am using it, but it seems that some reviewers just ignore it and then, upon me repeating that note, the app gets approved... I would also be fine getting an official statement that Apple doesn't support my use of the entitlement anymore and I could communicate to my customers that this is why the feature will disappear in the app store version, but since my updates eventually get approved, the issue seems to be with the particular reviewer... Any ideas how to fix this? Thank you.

Is it mandatory for all developers to migrate to Xcode 26 starting from April 28, 2026? What happens if a developer submits or distributes a build created using Xcode 16 after April 28, 2026? Will it still be accepted or supported? Our app is distributed only via an internal company portal (not through the App Store). In this case, are we still required to build and distribute the app using Xcode 26 after April 28, 2026? If a hotfix is required before our next planned release (July 2026), how safe is it to use the UIDesignRequiresCompatibility flag as a temporary solution, assuming Xcode 26 becomes mandatory? Are there any risks or limitations associated with this approach? What are the potential issues if a team continues development on Xcode 16 while others have migrated to Xcode 26? For example, could there be compatibility, build, or integration challenges in such a mixed environment? If the UIDesignRequiresCompatibility flag is used as a temporary workaround, what would be the impact if Apple later removes support for this flag, especially with newer iOS versions (e.g., iOS 26+)? For users who already have the app installed with this flag enabled For users installing the app for the first time after such changes

I've been waiting for 1 month, and my family keeps telling me, "oh you lost your money" and i am starting to trust then, i quit my job just to work in apps and apple does not take it seriously, that was my last money, and i invested in my app, so i just wanted it to be reviewed. Please lets help yours community

We have returned your In-App Purchase products to you as the required binary was not submitted. When you are ready to submit the binary, please resubmit the In-App Purchase products with the binary. we have tried everything; there is no button to add for review.

I’m trying to submit my app for review, but I’m currently blocked due to a recurring issue with in-app subscriptions. Both of my auto-renewable subscriptions (premium_monthly and premium_yearly) are marked as “Waiting for Review”. However, I am still seeing the blue box stating that “your first subscription must be submitted with a new app version.” Despite creating a new version (1.0.1) and uploading/selecting a new build , I am not seeing the “In-App Purchases and Subscriptions” section on the version page, and I therefore cannot link the subscriptions before submitting. This issue is blocking my ability to submit the app for review. Any help to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Hi all, Looking for some clarity.. I have an app (Pocket Love: AI Roleplay Chat, Apple ID: 6745031268) that went through a long review process with many resubmissions. The feedback I received across those reviews was often generic “overtly sexual”) message, but without any detail on exactly what needed to change. Because of that, I approached it iteratively making adjustments each time based on what I thought the issue might be. Over time I made quite significant changes across the app (imagery, unlockable content, voice-overs, menus, copy, etc.), and increased the age rating to 18+. I also had a call with a policy eexpert & App Review. In the final interaction, I was asked to ensure all unlockable content was visible, so I re-uploaded a build and provided screenshots with everything pre-unlocked for transparency. Despite this, my account has now been flagged under 3.2(f) for “dishonest or fraudulent activity,” and is pending termination. What I’m struggling to understand is: Can repeated resubmissions / iterative changes alone be interpreted as “evasion” under 3.2(f)? Or does this typically mean App Review believes there was something intentionally misleading? From my perspective, I was trying to respond to feedback and get the app into a compliant state, not bypass review or hide anything. The game does have "sexy" imagery lingerie etc..and adult themes but 0 nudity and is tamer than similar games live on the app store. Would really appreciate any insight from others who’ve experienced similar, or from anyone familiar with how this is interpreted internally. I can't believe my account is pending termination without any intentional wrongdoing, I currently have 3 other live games one with strong revenue, that will be removed too due to this. My initial appeal was rejected today. Thanks!

Hello everyone, My app has been in "Waiting for Review" status since February 20, and it still hasn’t moved to the review stage yet. On March 9, I submitted a support ticket asking whether there might be any issue with my submission or if additional information is required from my side. However, I have not received any response from Apple so far. At this point, I’m not sure if I should continue waiting or if there is anything else I should do to resolve the situation. App ID: 6759365919 Ticket ID: 102839874589 If anyone has experienced a similar situation or if an Apple staff member could help check the status, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Hi, I’m running into a persistent issue in App Store Connect related to TestFlight and app reviews, and I’m hoping someone has seen this before. Around two weeks ago, I started getting the following error when trying to create external TestFlight builds: ENTITY_UNPROCESSABLE.BETA_CONTRACT_MISSING Since then: I cannot create any external TestFlight tests Internal TestFlight builds appear, but cannot be downloaded (“The requested app is not available or doesn’t exist”) My apps do not progress properly through review One app got stuck in “In Review” for ~10 days; I eventually withdrew it and resubmitted it At this point, I cannot update two existing apps, and I can’t start testing a new app at all Important details: This is an individual developer account I am the Account Holder All contracts appear active and valid The issue affects multiple apps, not just one Nothing changed on my side (no contract updates, no account changes) before this started happening. I’ve already reached out to Apple Developer Support multiple times, but unfortunately haven’t received any response so far, which makes it unclear how to proceed. Has anyone experienced this issue or found a resolution? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi all, Submitted first ever app for review to app store and got rejected. My app isn't live and I have demo accounts too which they seemed to use. For context my app is free on launch, no in app transactions, and it is a marriage app. What I did not account for is them going through apple sign in and right now I have no way to catch that so that account doesn't mix with real users. I've thought about adding a tap feature and disclosing it, so they tap something x times and it is marked as reviewer account, but that violates guideline 2.3.1. Also thought about adding just visible text for reviewers, but then real users would see that too so its a no go. Asked Claude and it says to try Sandbox Receipt Detection, which should work for a free app, but I'm not sure and would rather ask then implement, submit and find out it doesn't work. Appreciate any help y'all can give me! Thanks!

I submitted my app Wednesday of last week and it has been "waiting for review" for 5 days. What is the likely issue for this delay?