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The App Store allows users around the world to discover and download your iOS and iPadOS apps.

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Apps Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for More Than 1 Months , No Response from Expedited Request or Support
Dear App Review Team, We would like to kindly follow up regarding our app submission, which has been in “Waiting for Review” status since Apr 10, 2026, with no progress update to date. We have also submitted 3 expedited review requests, plus 2 support requests email but unfortunately have not received any response yet. This prolonged delay is now significantly impacting our project timeline and scheduled deployment commitments. We understand review times can vary, but it has now been over a month without movement or communication. App ID: 6752937247
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Update stuck in 'In Review' for 80 days — Developer Support says they can't reach App Review
Hello, I'm posting again — and unfortunately, I already know how this thread is going to go. My app (ID: 6756186616) has now been stuck in "In Review" for 80 days. To save everyone time, here is the reply I expect to receive within a day or two, copy-pasted from the response on my last thread: "Thank you for your post. We're investigating and The App Review team will contact you in App Store Connect to provide further assistance. If you continue to experience issues during review, please contact us." Nothing actually happened after that reply last time. No follow-up in App Store Connect. No further communication. Just silence. When I escalated to Developer Support (case #20000111565861), I was told explicitly that Developer Support has no way to reach the App Review team and no authority to intervene on submissions stuck in review. So Developer Support points back to App Review, and the standard forum reply points back to "contact us" — which loops back to Developer Support. This is a closed loop that doesn't actually resolve anything for an independent developer. Concrete questions: Is there any real escalation path that doesn't end in an automated reply? Why has a submission been "In Review" for 80 days with zero communication? What should a solo developer do when both Developer Support and the forum response are dead ends? I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm asking for the review to actually move — in either direction. A rejection with feedback would be infinitely more useful than 80 days of silence. Thank you.
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This device is already associated with other accounts” error on newly activated Apple Developer account
Hello Developers, I am facing an issue while trying to sign in to a newly created Apple Developer account on my Mac/Xcode. Error message: “This device is already associated with other accounts in the Apple Developer Program or the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. Please use a different device.” Details: The Apple ID works correctly in browser login Apple Developer membership/payment is completed The account is accessible on the Apple website The issue only appears while signing in on the Mac/Xcode I already contacted Apple Support and received a case ID, but no response yet after 24+ hours Things already tried: Signed out/in from Apple ID Restarted Mac Tried different network Cleared related account settings Has anyone faced this issue before? Is this a temporary device association/security restriction from Apple’s side, or does it require manual reset by Apple Support? Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.
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Update stuck in 'In Review' for 80 days
Hello, I'm posting again — and unfortunately, I already know how this thread is going to go. My app (ID: 6756186616) has now been stuck in "In Review" for 80 days. To save everyone time, here is the reply I expect to receive within a day or two, copy-pasted from the response on my last thread: "Thank you for your post. We're investigating and The App Review team will contact you in App Store Connect to provide further assistance. If you continue to experience issues during review, please contact us." Nothing actually happened after that reply last time. No follow-up in App Store Connect. No further communication. Just silence. When I escalated to Developer Support (case #20000111565861), I was told explicitly that Developer Support has no way to reach the App Review team and no authority to intervene on submissions stuck in review. So Developer Support points back to App Review, and the standard forum reply points back to "contact us" — which loops back to Developer Support. This is a closed loop that doesn't actually resolve anything for an independent developer. Concrete questions: Is there any real escalation path that doesn't end in an automated reply? Why has a submission been "In Review" for 80 days with zero communication? What should a solo developer do when both Developer Support and the forum response are dead ends? I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm asking for the review to actually move — in either direction. A rejection with feedback would be infinitely more useful than 80 days of silence. Thank you.
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App invisible in BOTH App Store search AND Apple Search Ads — Apple Support refuses to disclose violation flag (38 days)
Posting to document a case that matches a pattern of unresolved reports on this forum (e.g. thread #815203 "Brutal Time"), with the addition of new evidence: my app is missing from both the App Store search index and the Apple Search Ads campaign-creation index. Setup App: ZenTerm (App ID 6760935103, Bundle ID com.zenterm.mobile) Developer: Individual (Japan) Released: 2026-03-31 (live for 45 days) Status: Ready for Sale, 1.3.2 live (released 2026-05-06) App name: pure ASCII, coined word, no other apps share the name Symptoms Channel Result App Store app, search "zenterm" (exact name) Zero results, 38 days running iTunes Search API (https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=zenterm&country=jp) Returns my app correctly Direct App Store URL Opens product page normally Apple Search Ads — search by app name Zero candidates Apple Search Ads — paste canonical App Store URL Zero candidates The absence from both the App Store search index and the Apple Search Ads selection index is the key new finding. Since these run on separate infrastructure, the issue cannot be attributed to ranking, keyword suppression for a single field, or category-level competition — it indicates the app is missing from a more fundamental application-index layer. Apple's own documentation implies a silent violation flag Apple Search Ads help, "If your app does not appear as a promotion option," lists 6 possible causes. After ruling out 5 of them as not applicable, only one remains: "App cannot be promoted on Apple Ads — advertising policy violation, App Store guideline violation, or placement unavailability." So per Apple's own published documentation, a policy-violation flag is silently active on this app. Yet: No notification has ever been delivered to the developer about which guideline or policy is flagged No App Review communication in App Store Connect references this Apple Support refuses to disclose anything (see below) Apple Support timeline Date Action Outcome 2026-04-11 1st written inquiry via developer.apple.com/contact Templated reply 4 days later: "App Store charts and search results change regularly and we don't guarantee app placement." Misses the point — the issue isn't ranking, it's zero results for an exact-name match on a coined word. 2026-04-14 2nd written inquiry, explicitly framing this as an indexing issue not a ranking issue Ignored for 24 days 2026-05-08 Phone call to Apple Support "We cannot provide any answer regarding this case." When asked if there's any path forward, agent confirmed: "We cannot answer." 2026-05-08 3rd written inquiry (with Apple Search Ads evidence and cross-reference to Apple's own help documentation indicating a silent policy-violation flag) Ignored for 7 days as of today, despite Apple's stated SLA of "within 2 business days" on the contact form Self-remediation already attempted Per public guidance that trademark keywords are the most common silent-suppression trigger, I proactively released version 1.3.2 on 2026-05-06 with all third-party trademarks removed from the keywords field (Claude, Codex, Copilot, Mac mini, Raspberry Pi → replaced with generic alternatives). Description and other surfaces were also reviewed for trademark density. The Apple Search Ads diagnostic above was performed after this remediation. The app is still missing. What I'm looking for from this forum Anyone who has had this resolved: by what mechanism? (DTS Incident, Organization-account migration, escalation contact, reindex after specific change, etc.) Anyone willing to corroborate the same symptoms: especially the Apple Search Ads selection-index absence, which seems to be the strongest evidence that this is a backend infrastructure problem rather than a metadata problem Apple staff: please escalate to the App Store search infrastructure team and/or the Apple Search Ads team to reconcile the indexes for this Bundle ID, or at minimum disclose the specific policy violation flag you have on this app so the developer can address it Related thread Thread #815203 ("Brutal Time - App not appearing in App Store search") documents an identical symptom set, unresolved for 6+ weeks despite multiple inquiries and engineering-callback promises. I've added a follow-up reply there as well. The pattern is consistent enough that this should be treated as a systemic issue, not isolated cases.
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Apps Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 3 Months , No Response from Appeal or Support
Hello everyone, I'm reaching out to see if anyone has experienced a similar situation or can offer any guidance. I have several apps that have been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for an unusually extended period, and one additional case where I am awaiting a response after a rejection. Here is a brief timeline: • One app was originally submitted on February 5, 2026. After receiving no response, it was resubmitted on March 26, 2026, and is still showing "Waiting for Review." • Another app was resubmitted on February 10, 2026, after addressing all feedback from a prior rejection. It has had no status change since. • A third app was resubmitted on February 5, 2026. It was rejected, and I replied to the rejection with the required information, but I have not received any response since. Steps I have already taken: • Submitted an appeal – no response received • Contacted App Review support – no response received This prolonged delay across multiple apps is seriously affecting my business and I am running out of options. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation recently? Is there any other official channel or escalation path available to get a status update? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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App Store Connect - BitCode
Earlier in iTunes Connect we had a settings for enable bitcode which will recompile our app. This setting is no longer active/present for iOS , could you please confirm? https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode-release-notes/xcode-14-release-notes Starting with Xcode 14, bitcode is no longer required for watchOS and tvOS applications, and the App Store no longer accepts bitcode submissions from Xcode 14. Xcode no longer builds bitcode by default and generates a warning message if a project explicitly enables bitcode: “Building with bitcode is deprecated. Please update your project and/or target settings to disable bitcode.” The capability to build with bitcode will be removed in a future Xcode release. IPAs that contain bitcode will have the bitcode stripped before being submitted to the App Store. Debug symbols can only be downloaded from App Store Connect / TestFlight for existing bitcode submissions and are no longer available for submissions made with Xcode 14. (86118779)
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How can I differentiate 12-month commitment subscriptions from standard yearly subscriptions in App Store Connect analytics?
Unable to filter 12-month commitment vs regular yearly subscriptions in Sales and Trends reports How to track different types of yearly subscription users in App Store Connect analytics? App Store Connect: Cannot separate subscription offer types under the same yearly plan How to identify 12-month commitment subscribers separately from normal yearly subscribers in analytics?
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App not appearing in App Store search for over 6 weeks — including branded searches for its own name
I'm hoping someone from Apple engineering can help, as support tickets and callbacks have not resolved this issue. The problem: My app "Brutal Time - Typographic Clock" does not appear in App Store search results at all — not even when searching for its exact name "Brutal Time." This has been ongoing for over six weeks. Additionally, the app does not appear in Apple Search Ads when I try to set up a campaign — suggesting this is a backend indexing issue, not a ranking issue. Timeline: Dec 17, 2025: App launched, initially searchable Dec 31, 2025: Transitioned to freemium model, became invisible in search. Jan 5, 2026: Fixed the issue, submitted update (v2.02), approved same day Jan 14, 2026: Submitted metadata update (v2.03) to improve discoverability, approved same day Feb 8, 2026: Tried removing from sale and re-adding to force re-index — no effect Feb 10, 2026: Still not appearing in any search results What I've tried: Submitted multiple support tickets (most recent: Case #102797235758) Each ticket generates an automated reply stating Apple will respond within 2 business days — they never have Requested and received callbacks multiple times, was told it would be escalated to US engineering team. But no follow-up, no resolution, no explanation Removed from sale and re-added to attempt to force re-indexing — didn't work App shows "Ready for Distribution" in App Store Connect Direct link works fine: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brutal-time-typographic-clock/id6756289461 Response from Apple Support: "The behavior you observed is expected. App Store charts and search results change regularly and we don't guarantee app placement." This response misses the point entirely. I'm not asking about rankings — I'm asking why the app is completely invisible in search, including for its own branded name. This is not an isolated issue. Other developers have reported the same problem with the same non-response from Apple: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/803937 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/73981 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/74110 Has anyone found a resolution? Is there any way to trigger a proper re-index, or escalate to someone who can actually investigate?
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Mapping settled Partner Share to individual subscribers via API
We are integrating with the App Store Connect API to automate ingestion of monthly revenue data for our app (MUBI), and are trying to understand whether there is a report available via the API that provides settled financial data at the individual subscriber level. From our research so far: v1/financeReports with reportType=FINANCE_DETAIL (region Z1) gives us actual settled Partner Share and Extended Partner Share at Transaction Date granularity, but rows are aggregated by SKU + Country + Date, there is no subscriber or individual transaction identifier v1/salesReports with reportType=SUBSCRIBER gives us an anonymised Subscriber ID and Developer Proceeds per billing event, but Developer Proceeds is an estimate using rolling average exchange rates and does not reflect actual settled amounts or withholding tax deductions The App Store Server API (/inApps/v2/history/{transactionId}) provides price and currency per transaction per customer, but requires a transactionId per user, is not designed for bulk analytical pulls, and again does not expose settled Partner Share Is there a report or endpoint we have missed that provides settled Partner Share at the individual subscriber or transaction level? Or is the separation of financial settlement data from subscriber identifiers a deliberate platform decision, e.g. for privacy reasons? Any guidance or suggestions on the recommended approach for reconciling subscriber-level data with actual settled revenue would be much appreciated.
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Rejected for Guideline 2.5.2 - Performance - Software Requirements
Hi everyone, I’d appreciate guidance on a 2.5.2 rejection. My app was rejected with this message: “During review, the app installed or launched executable code. Specifically, the app allows users to install apps created by other users.” What my app actually does: Users create/share tool templates (not binaries/plugins). A template contains only: form configuration (text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, sliders, etc.) At runtime, placeholders like #TextField are replaced with user input, then the final prompt is sent to a server for AI response. *The iOS app does not download/install/execute native code, scripts, frameworks, or dynamic modules on-device. I suspect review interpreted the word “install” in my UI as real app/code installation anyone knows what can i do to fix this problem. thank you,
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Question regarding app ownership and payment processing by separate legal entities
I have a question regarding your policies on app ownership and payment processing. We have two separate legal entities: • Company A: owns the app and the Apple Developer account • Company B: operates the business and processes all payments (via a third-party payment provider, Klarna) Klarna’s merchant agreement is signed with Company B, and all payments go to Company B’s bank account. Company A has no involvement in the payment flow. Is this setup permitted under Apple’s App Store guidelines? Specifically, is it acceptable for the developer account and app ownership to be held by Company A, while all in-app payments are processed and received by Company B?
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App Review Pending Since April 13, 2026 — No Clear Update from Support
My app has been pending review in App Store Connect since April 13, 2026. I have already contacted Apple Support ticket 102873493392, but I’m still stuck in the same situation with no clear explanation or timeline. This delay is becoming really frustrating, especially after following the required process and receiving no meaningful update. I would appreciate it if the App Review team could look into this case and let me know what is blocking the review.
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App Review Delay for so long
Hello App Review Team, We respectfully ask for your assistance regarding our app review status. Our submission was re-submitted on April 29, 2026, and it has now been waiting for review for more than 12 days without any update or response. In addition, we have already been working through the review process for this app on this developer account for almost 4 months. We carefully addressed all previous review feedback and submitted the required fixes, but the review process continues to experience very long delays. This situation is now seriously impacting our planned product launch, business operations, and partner commitments. We sincerely ask if the App Review Team could please help: Review the current submission status Escalate the case internally if possible Help move the review process forward Reference Information: Case Number: 102877213113 Submission ID: 68850cef-1651-40c8-b717-7916b679a467 We would greatly appreciate any assistance or update regarding this matter. Thank you very much.
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Free sports prediction app with prizes being classified as gambling under Guideline 5.3.4
I’m looking for guidance regarding App Review classifying my app as gambling / real-money gaming under Guideline 5.3.4. My app is a free football prediction competition app where users predict match scores and compete in rankings based on prediction accuracy. Top-ranked users may occasionally receive promotional physical prizes such as headphones, consoles, or other products. Important details: participation is completely free there are no entry fees users cannot deposit money users cannot withdraw money there is no wagering or betting system there are no sportsbooks, odds, or casino mechanics users never risk money to participate prizes are funded directly by the platform as promotional rewards Apple rejected the app under: Guideline 2.3.6 – Accurate Metadata Guideline 5.3.4 – Gaming, Gambling, and Lotteries App Review is stating that the app includes “real money gambling, real money betting, or real money skill-based gaming” and is requesting gambling licenses and geo-restrictions. My understanding was that gambling generally requires users to risk something of value (money/payment/consideration) for a chance to win prizes, which does not happen in this app. I would appreciate guidance from developers who have experience with: Free prediction or fantasy-style apps with promotional prizes Skill-based competitions reviewed by Apple Sweepstakes/contest compliance on the App Store UI/wording that may accidentally trigger gambling classification Whether App Review typically requires legal contest rules instead of gambling licenses in cases like this If anyone has successfully published a similar app, I’d really appreciate hearing what changes or clarifications helped during review. I want to launch initially in Brazil Thank you.
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Apple Developer Account Terminated
My Apple Developer account was recently terminated, and I received an email stating that the reason was section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. However, I have not changed anything recently in our apps, business model, or developer activity, and I genuinely do not understand the reason behind this termination. I have always tried to follow Apple’s guidelines carefully and act in good faith. This termination has severely impacted my work and users, and I am urgently requesting clarification regarding what exactly triggered this action. If someone from Apple or the App Review / Developer Relations team could please contact me or review the case again, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
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Delete the published App Clip link
My app has been released, and there is an "App Clip" link available in the advanced experience. Could someone please tell me if there is a way for me to modify or delete this link? (I'm not looking to deactivate the link; I just want to remove it so that other apps can use it.) If I remove the already published APP, can I also delete this link?
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Xcode 26 – Organizer does not show “App Store Connect” for watchOS standalone app (only Release Testing available)
Hello, I am trying to upload a watchOS standalone app to App Store Connect using Xcode 26.3, but Organizer does not show the “App Store Connect” upload option. It only displays: • Release Testing (Ad Hoc) • Enterprise • Debugging Project setup • Target type: watchOS App (standalone, not companion) • PRODUCT_TYPE = com.apple.product-type.application • PRODUCT_BUNDLE_PACKAGE_TYPE = APPL • WRAPPER_EXTENSION = app • SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS = watchos watchsimulator • Archive configuration: Release • Base SDK: watchOS The app does not depend on iOS. Bundle ID Originally: com.example.app.watchkitapp Recreated as: com.example.app HealthKit capability enabled in: • Developer Portal • Xcode (Signing & Capabilities) Signing • Apple Distribution certificate active • App Store provisioning profile created • Manual signing configured for Release (Apple Distribution + App Store profile) • Also tested Automatic signing • Deleted old Ad Hoc profiles • Cleared Derived Data and regenerated archive App Store Connect • App created successfully using bundle ID com.example.app • Account role: Account Holder • No pending Agreements, Tax, or Banking items Despite a valid Release archive signed with Apple Distribution, Organizer only allows Ad Hoc distribution and never shows “App Store Connect”. Is this a known issue in Xcode 26 affecting independent watchOS apps, or is there an additional configuration step required? Thank you.
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Free trial for one-time purchase: Is the $0 IAP workaround still recommended in 2026?
[Repost: Somehow my original thread from Jan was deleted. I called dev support and they said to post again, if there's a better channel to get answer for this, please let me know.] I’m an indie dev with a paid, one-time-purchase app (Dash Calc, $4 USD), and sales have been rough. In a crowded category, an upfront-paid app feels like a tough sell without a way to try it first. I’d like to offer a simple 7-day free trial followed by a single lifetime purchase, but App Store Connect still doesn’t officially support trials for paid apps. In Jan 2023, an App Store Commerce Engineer recommended the $0 non-consumable IAP + paid non-consumable IAP workaround: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/722874 I haven’t implemented it yet, but the subsequent discussion suggests the approach is overly complex. Handling refunds, reinstalls, activation timing, and purchase history requires non-obvious logic, and some developers report customer confusion and drop-off when presented with a $0 trial IAP. Has anything improved since 2023? Any new StoreKit APIs or App Store Connect changes that make this simpler or less error-prone? Is the $0 non-consumable IAP still the recommended approach in 2026? Any updated policy guidance for time-limited access on one-time purchases? I’m happy to use the workaround if it’s still the official path—I just want to confirm there isn’t a better option now.
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App stuck in “Waiting for Review” for 24 days
Hi, My iOS app, "GNYS" (Apple ID 6761986315) was submitted on 14 April 2026 and has had the status, "Waiting for Review" since then - now for 24 days. This is a first submission. I previously contacted Apple Support but haven’t received a clear explanation or timeline. I’d really appreciate it if the App Review team could look into this or advise on whether any additional information is needed from my side. Thank you.
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Apps Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for More Than 1 Months , No Response from Expedited Request or Support
Dear App Review Team, We would like to kindly follow up regarding our app submission, which has been in “Waiting for Review” status since Apr 10, 2026, with no progress update to date. We have also submitted 3 expedited review requests, plus 2 support requests email but unfortunately have not received any response yet. This prolonged delay is now significantly impacting our project timeline and scheduled deployment commitments. We understand review times can vary, but it has now been over a month without movement or communication. App ID: 6752937247
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Update stuck in 'In Review' for 80 days — Developer Support says they can't reach App Review
Hello, I'm posting again — and unfortunately, I already know how this thread is going to go. My app (ID: 6756186616) has now been stuck in "In Review" for 80 days. To save everyone time, here is the reply I expect to receive within a day or two, copy-pasted from the response on my last thread: "Thank you for your post. We're investigating and The App Review team will contact you in App Store Connect to provide further assistance. If you continue to experience issues during review, please contact us." Nothing actually happened after that reply last time. No follow-up in App Store Connect. No further communication. Just silence. When I escalated to Developer Support (case #20000111565861), I was told explicitly that Developer Support has no way to reach the App Review team and no authority to intervene on submissions stuck in review. So Developer Support points back to App Review, and the standard forum reply points back to "contact us" — which loops back to Developer Support. This is a closed loop that doesn't actually resolve anything for an independent developer. Concrete questions: Is there any real escalation path that doesn't end in an automated reply? Why has a submission been "In Review" for 80 days with zero communication? What should a solo developer do when both Developer Support and the forum response are dead ends? I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm asking for the review to actually move — in either direction. A rejection with feedback would be infinitely more useful than 80 days of silence. Thank you.
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This device is already associated with other accounts” error on newly activated Apple Developer account
Hello Developers, I am facing an issue while trying to sign in to a newly created Apple Developer account on my Mac/Xcode. Error message: “This device is already associated with other accounts in the Apple Developer Program or the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. Please use a different device.” Details: The Apple ID works correctly in browser login Apple Developer membership/payment is completed The account is accessible on the Apple website The issue only appears while signing in on the Mac/Xcode I already contacted Apple Support and received a case ID, but no response yet after 24+ hours Things already tried: Signed out/in from Apple ID Restarted Mac Tried different network Cleared related account settings Has anyone faced this issue before? Is this a temporary device association/security restriction from Apple’s side, or does it require manual reset by Apple Support? Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.
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Update stuck in 'In Review' for 80 days
Hello, I'm posting again — and unfortunately, I already know how this thread is going to go. My app (ID: 6756186616) has now been stuck in "In Review" for 80 days. To save everyone time, here is the reply I expect to receive within a day or two, copy-pasted from the response on my last thread: "Thank you for your post. We're investigating and The App Review team will contact you in App Store Connect to provide further assistance. If you continue to experience issues during review, please contact us." Nothing actually happened after that reply last time. No follow-up in App Store Connect. No further communication. Just silence. When I escalated to Developer Support (case #20000111565861), I was told explicitly that Developer Support has no way to reach the App Review team and no authority to intervene on submissions stuck in review. So Developer Support points back to App Review, and the standard forum reply points back to "contact us" — which loops back to Developer Support. This is a closed loop that doesn't actually resolve anything for an independent developer. Concrete questions: Is there any real escalation path that doesn't end in an automated reply? Why has a submission been "In Review" for 80 days with zero communication? What should a solo developer do when both Developer Support and the forum response are dead ends? I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm asking for the review to actually move — in either direction. A rejection with feedback would be infinitely more useful than 80 days of silence. Thank you.
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App invisible in BOTH App Store search AND Apple Search Ads — Apple Support refuses to disclose violation flag (38 days)
Posting to document a case that matches a pattern of unresolved reports on this forum (e.g. thread #815203 "Brutal Time"), with the addition of new evidence: my app is missing from both the App Store search index and the Apple Search Ads campaign-creation index. Setup App: ZenTerm (App ID 6760935103, Bundle ID com.zenterm.mobile) Developer: Individual (Japan) Released: 2026-03-31 (live for 45 days) Status: Ready for Sale, 1.3.2 live (released 2026-05-06) App name: pure ASCII, coined word, no other apps share the name Symptoms Channel Result App Store app, search "zenterm" (exact name) Zero results, 38 days running iTunes Search API (https://itunes.apple.com/search?term=zenterm&country=jp) Returns my app correctly Direct App Store URL Opens product page normally Apple Search Ads — search by app name Zero candidates Apple Search Ads — paste canonical App Store URL Zero candidates The absence from both the App Store search index and the Apple Search Ads selection index is the key new finding. Since these run on separate infrastructure, the issue cannot be attributed to ranking, keyword suppression for a single field, or category-level competition — it indicates the app is missing from a more fundamental application-index layer. Apple's own documentation implies a silent violation flag Apple Search Ads help, "If your app does not appear as a promotion option," lists 6 possible causes. After ruling out 5 of them as not applicable, only one remains: "App cannot be promoted on Apple Ads — advertising policy violation, App Store guideline violation, or placement unavailability." So per Apple's own published documentation, a policy-violation flag is silently active on this app. Yet: No notification has ever been delivered to the developer about which guideline or policy is flagged No App Review communication in App Store Connect references this Apple Support refuses to disclose anything (see below) Apple Support timeline Date Action Outcome 2026-04-11 1st written inquiry via developer.apple.com/contact Templated reply 4 days later: "App Store charts and search results change regularly and we don't guarantee app placement." Misses the point — the issue isn't ranking, it's zero results for an exact-name match on a coined word. 2026-04-14 2nd written inquiry, explicitly framing this as an indexing issue not a ranking issue Ignored for 24 days 2026-05-08 Phone call to Apple Support "We cannot provide any answer regarding this case." When asked if there's any path forward, agent confirmed: "We cannot answer." 2026-05-08 3rd written inquiry (with Apple Search Ads evidence and cross-reference to Apple's own help documentation indicating a silent policy-violation flag) Ignored for 7 days as of today, despite Apple's stated SLA of "within 2 business days" on the contact form Self-remediation already attempted Per public guidance that trademark keywords are the most common silent-suppression trigger, I proactively released version 1.3.2 on 2026-05-06 with all third-party trademarks removed from the keywords field (Claude, Codex, Copilot, Mac mini, Raspberry Pi → replaced with generic alternatives). Description and other surfaces were also reviewed for trademark density. The Apple Search Ads diagnostic above was performed after this remediation. The app is still missing. What I'm looking for from this forum Anyone who has had this resolved: by what mechanism? (DTS Incident, Organization-account migration, escalation contact, reindex after specific change, etc.) Anyone willing to corroborate the same symptoms: especially the Apple Search Ads selection-index absence, which seems to be the strongest evidence that this is a backend infrastructure problem rather than a metadata problem Apple staff: please escalate to the App Store search infrastructure team and/or the Apple Search Ads team to reconcile the indexes for this Bundle ID, or at minimum disclose the specific policy violation flag you have on this app so the developer can address it Related thread Thread #815203 ("Brutal Time - App not appearing in App Store search") documents an identical symptom set, unresolved for 6+ weeks despite multiple inquiries and engineering-callback promises. I've added a follow-up reply there as well. The pattern is consistent enough that this should be treated as a systemic issue, not isolated cases.
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Apps Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 3 Months , No Response from Appeal or Support
Hello everyone, I'm reaching out to see if anyone has experienced a similar situation or can offer any guidance. I have several apps that have been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for an unusually extended period, and one additional case where I am awaiting a response after a rejection. Here is a brief timeline: • One app was originally submitted on February 5, 2026. After receiving no response, it was resubmitted on March 26, 2026, and is still showing "Waiting for Review." • Another app was resubmitted on February 10, 2026, after addressing all feedback from a prior rejection. It has had no status change since. • A third app was resubmitted on February 5, 2026. It was rejected, and I replied to the rejection with the required information, but I have not received any response since. Steps I have already taken: • Submitted an appeal – no response received • Contacted App Review support – no response received This prolonged delay across multiple apps is seriously affecting my business and I am running out of options. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation recently? Is there any other official channel or escalation path available to get a status update? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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App Store Connect - BitCode
Earlier in iTunes Connect we had a settings for enable bitcode which will recompile our app. This setting is no longer active/present for iOS , could you please confirm? https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode-release-notes/xcode-14-release-notes Starting with Xcode 14, bitcode is no longer required for watchOS and tvOS applications, and the App Store no longer accepts bitcode submissions from Xcode 14. Xcode no longer builds bitcode by default and generates a warning message if a project explicitly enables bitcode: “Building with bitcode is deprecated. Please update your project and/or target settings to disable bitcode.” The capability to build with bitcode will be removed in a future Xcode release. IPAs that contain bitcode will have the bitcode stripped before being submitted to the App Store. Debug symbols can only be downloaded from App Store Connect / TestFlight for existing bitcode submissions and are no longer available for submissions made with Xcode 14. (86118779)
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How can I differentiate 12-month commitment subscriptions from standard yearly subscriptions in App Store Connect analytics?
Unable to filter 12-month commitment vs regular yearly subscriptions in Sales and Trends reports How to track different types of yearly subscription users in App Store Connect analytics? App Store Connect: Cannot separate subscription offer types under the same yearly plan How to identify 12-month commitment subscribers separately from normal yearly subscribers in analytics?
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App not appearing in App Store search for over 6 weeks — including branded searches for its own name
I'm hoping someone from Apple engineering can help, as support tickets and callbacks have not resolved this issue. The problem: My app "Brutal Time - Typographic Clock" does not appear in App Store search results at all — not even when searching for its exact name "Brutal Time." This has been ongoing for over six weeks. Additionally, the app does not appear in Apple Search Ads when I try to set up a campaign — suggesting this is a backend indexing issue, not a ranking issue. Timeline: Dec 17, 2025: App launched, initially searchable Dec 31, 2025: Transitioned to freemium model, became invisible in search. Jan 5, 2026: Fixed the issue, submitted update (v2.02), approved same day Jan 14, 2026: Submitted metadata update (v2.03) to improve discoverability, approved same day Feb 8, 2026: Tried removing from sale and re-adding to force re-index — no effect Feb 10, 2026: Still not appearing in any search results What I've tried: Submitted multiple support tickets (most recent: Case #102797235758) Each ticket generates an automated reply stating Apple will respond within 2 business days — they never have Requested and received callbacks multiple times, was told it would be escalated to US engineering team. But no follow-up, no resolution, no explanation Removed from sale and re-added to attempt to force re-indexing — didn't work App shows "Ready for Distribution" in App Store Connect Direct link works fine: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brutal-time-typographic-clock/id6756289461 Response from Apple Support: "The behavior you observed is expected. App Store charts and search results change regularly and we don't guarantee app placement." This response misses the point entirely. I'm not asking about rankings — I'm asking why the app is completely invisible in search, including for its own branded name. This is not an isolated issue. Other developers have reported the same problem with the same non-response from Apple: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/803937 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/73981 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/74110 Has anyone found a resolution? Is there any way to trigger a proper re-index, or escalate to someone who can actually investigate?
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Mapping settled Partner Share to individual subscribers via API
We are integrating with the App Store Connect API to automate ingestion of monthly revenue data for our app (MUBI), and are trying to understand whether there is a report available via the API that provides settled financial data at the individual subscriber level. From our research so far: v1/financeReports with reportType=FINANCE_DETAIL (region Z1) gives us actual settled Partner Share and Extended Partner Share at Transaction Date granularity, but rows are aggregated by SKU + Country + Date, there is no subscriber or individual transaction identifier v1/salesReports with reportType=SUBSCRIBER gives us an anonymised Subscriber ID and Developer Proceeds per billing event, but Developer Proceeds is an estimate using rolling average exchange rates and does not reflect actual settled amounts or withholding tax deductions The App Store Server API (/inApps/v2/history/{transactionId}) provides price and currency per transaction per customer, but requires a transactionId per user, is not designed for bulk analytical pulls, and again does not expose settled Partner Share Is there a report or endpoint we have missed that provides settled Partner Share at the individual subscriber or transaction level? Or is the separation of financial settlement data from subscriber identifiers a deliberate platform decision, e.g. for privacy reasons? Any guidance or suggestions on the recommended approach for reconciling subscriber-level data with actual settled revenue would be much appreciated.
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Rejected for Guideline 2.5.2 - Performance - Software Requirements
Hi everyone, I’d appreciate guidance on a 2.5.2 rejection. My app was rejected with this message: “During review, the app installed or launched executable code. Specifically, the app allows users to install apps created by other users.” What my app actually does: Users create/share tool templates (not binaries/plugins). A template contains only: form configuration (text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, sliders, etc.) At runtime, placeholders like #TextField are replaced with user input, then the final prompt is sent to a server for AI response. *The iOS app does not download/install/execute native code, scripts, frameworks, or dynamic modules on-device. I suspect review interpreted the word “install” in my UI as real app/code installation anyone knows what can i do to fix this problem. thank you,
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Question regarding app ownership and payment processing by separate legal entities
I have a question regarding your policies on app ownership and payment processing. We have two separate legal entities: • Company A: owns the app and the Apple Developer account • Company B: operates the business and processes all payments (via a third-party payment provider, Klarna) Klarna’s merchant agreement is signed with Company B, and all payments go to Company B’s bank account. Company A has no involvement in the payment flow. Is this setup permitted under Apple’s App Store guidelines? Specifically, is it acceptable for the developer account and app ownership to be held by Company A, while all in-app payments are processed and received by Company B?
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App Review Pending Since April 13, 2026 — No Clear Update from Support
My app has been pending review in App Store Connect since April 13, 2026. I have already contacted Apple Support ticket 102873493392, but I’m still stuck in the same situation with no clear explanation or timeline. This delay is becoming really frustrating, especially after following the required process and receiving no meaningful update. I would appreciate it if the App Review team could look into this case and let me know what is blocking the review.
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App Review Delay for so long
Hello App Review Team, We respectfully ask for your assistance regarding our app review status. Our submission was re-submitted on April 29, 2026, and it has now been waiting for review for more than 12 days without any update or response. In addition, we have already been working through the review process for this app on this developer account for almost 4 months. We carefully addressed all previous review feedback and submitted the required fixes, but the review process continues to experience very long delays. This situation is now seriously impacting our planned product launch, business operations, and partner commitments. We sincerely ask if the App Review Team could please help: Review the current submission status Escalate the case internally if possible Help move the review process forward Reference Information: Case Number: 102877213113 Submission ID: 68850cef-1651-40c8-b717-7916b679a467 We would greatly appreciate any assistance or update regarding this matter. Thank you very much.
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Free sports prediction app with prizes being classified as gambling under Guideline 5.3.4
I’m looking for guidance regarding App Review classifying my app as gambling / real-money gaming under Guideline 5.3.4. My app is a free football prediction competition app where users predict match scores and compete in rankings based on prediction accuracy. Top-ranked users may occasionally receive promotional physical prizes such as headphones, consoles, or other products. Important details: participation is completely free there are no entry fees users cannot deposit money users cannot withdraw money there is no wagering or betting system there are no sportsbooks, odds, or casino mechanics users never risk money to participate prizes are funded directly by the platform as promotional rewards Apple rejected the app under: Guideline 2.3.6 – Accurate Metadata Guideline 5.3.4 – Gaming, Gambling, and Lotteries App Review is stating that the app includes “real money gambling, real money betting, or real money skill-based gaming” and is requesting gambling licenses and geo-restrictions. My understanding was that gambling generally requires users to risk something of value (money/payment/consideration) for a chance to win prizes, which does not happen in this app. I would appreciate guidance from developers who have experience with: Free prediction or fantasy-style apps with promotional prizes Skill-based competitions reviewed by Apple Sweepstakes/contest compliance on the App Store UI/wording that may accidentally trigger gambling classification Whether App Review typically requires legal contest rules instead of gambling licenses in cases like this If anyone has successfully published a similar app, I’d really appreciate hearing what changes or clarifications helped during review. I want to launch initially in Brazil Thank you.
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Apple Developer Account Terminated
My Apple Developer account was recently terminated, and I received an email stating that the reason was section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. However, I have not changed anything recently in our apps, business model, or developer activity, and I genuinely do not understand the reason behind this termination. I have always tried to follow Apple’s guidelines carefully and act in good faith. This termination has severely impacted my work and users, and I am urgently requesting clarification regarding what exactly triggered this action. If someone from Apple or the App Review / Developer Relations team could please contact me or review the case again, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
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Delete the published App Clip link
My app has been released, and there is an "App Clip" link available in the advanced experience. Could someone please tell me if there is a way for me to modify or delete this link? (I'm not looking to deactivate the link; I just want to remove it so that other apps can use it.) If I remove the already published APP, can I also delete this link?
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Xcode 26 – Organizer does not show “App Store Connect” for watchOS standalone app (only Release Testing available)
Hello, I am trying to upload a watchOS standalone app to App Store Connect using Xcode 26.3, but Organizer does not show the “App Store Connect” upload option. It only displays: • Release Testing (Ad Hoc) • Enterprise • Debugging Project setup • Target type: watchOS App (standalone, not companion) • PRODUCT_TYPE = com.apple.product-type.application • PRODUCT_BUNDLE_PACKAGE_TYPE = APPL • WRAPPER_EXTENSION = app • SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS = watchos watchsimulator • Archive configuration: Release • Base SDK: watchOS The app does not depend on iOS. Bundle ID Originally: com.example.app.watchkitapp Recreated as: com.example.app HealthKit capability enabled in: • Developer Portal • Xcode (Signing & Capabilities) Signing • Apple Distribution certificate active • App Store provisioning profile created • Manual signing configured for Release (Apple Distribution + App Store profile) • Also tested Automatic signing • Deleted old Ad Hoc profiles • Cleared Derived Data and regenerated archive App Store Connect • App created successfully using bundle ID com.example.app • Account role: Account Holder • No pending Agreements, Tax, or Banking items Despite a valid Release archive signed with Apple Distribution, Organizer only allows Ad Hoc distribution and never shows “App Store Connect”. Is this a known issue in Xcode 26 affecting independent watchOS apps, or is there an additional configuration step required? Thank you.
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Free trial for one-time purchase: Is the $0 IAP workaround still recommended in 2026?
[Repost: Somehow my original thread from Jan was deleted. I called dev support and they said to post again, if there's a better channel to get answer for this, please let me know.] I’m an indie dev with a paid, one-time-purchase app (Dash Calc, $4 USD), and sales have been rough. In a crowded category, an upfront-paid app feels like a tough sell without a way to try it first. I’d like to offer a simple 7-day free trial followed by a single lifetime purchase, but App Store Connect still doesn’t officially support trials for paid apps. In Jan 2023, an App Store Commerce Engineer recommended the $0 non-consumable IAP + paid non-consumable IAP workaround: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/722874 I haven’t implemented it yet, but the subsequent discussion suggests the approach is overly complex. Handling refunds, reinstalls, activation timing, and purchase history requires non-obvious logic, and some developers report customer confusion and drop-off when presented with a $0 trial IAP. Has anything improved since 2023? Any new StoreKit APIs or App Store Connect changes that make this simpler or less error-prone? Is the $0 non-consumable IAP still the recommended approach in 2026? Any updated policy guidance for time-limited access on one-time purchases? I’m happy to use the workaround if it’s still the official path—I just want to confirm there isn’t a better option now.
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App stuck in “Waiting for Review” for 24 days
Hi, My iOS app, "GNYS" (Apple ID 6761986315) was submitted on 14 April 2026 and has had the status, "Waiting for Review" since then - now for 24 days. This is a first submission. I previously contacted Apple Support but haven’t received a clear explanation or timeline. I’d really appreciate it if the App Review team could look into this or advise on whether any additional information is needed from my side. Thank you.
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