App Store Connect

RSS for tag

App Store Connect is a suite of tools for submitting and managing your apps and in-app purchases on the App Store.

Posts under App Store Connect tag

200 Posts

Post

Replies

Boosts

Views

Activity

Handling ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest
An ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest rejection email looks as follows: ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest- Your app includes "<path/to/SDK>", which includes , an SDK that was identified in the documentation as a privacy-impacting third-party SDK. Starting February 12, 2025, if a new app includes a privacy-impacting SDK, or an app update adds a new privacy-impacting SDK, the SDK must include a privacy manifest file. Please contact the provider of the SDK that includes this file to get an updated SDK version with a privacy manifest. For more details about this policy, including a list of SDKs that are required to include signatures and manifests, visit: https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. Glossary ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest: An email that includes the name and path of privacy-impacting SDK(s) with no privacy manifest files in your app bundle. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. : The specified privacy-impacting SDK that doesn't include a privacy manifest file. If you are the developer of the rejected app, gather the name of the SDK from the email you received from Apple, then contact the SDK's provider for an updated version that includes a valid privacy manifest. After receiving an updated version of the SDK, verify the SDK includes a valid privacy manifest file at the expected location. For more information, see Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK. If your app includes a privacy manifest file, make sure the file only describes the privacy practices of your app. Do not add the privacy practices of the SDK to your app's privacy manifest. If the email lists multiple SDKs, repeat the above process for all of them. If you are the developer of an SDK listed in the email, publish an updated version of your SDK that includes a privacy manifest file with valid keys and values. Every privacy-impacting SDK must contain a privacy manifest file that only describes its privacy practices. To learn how to add a valid privacy manifest to your SDK, see the Additional resources section below. Additional resources Privacy manifest files Describing data use in privacy manifests Describing use of required reason API Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK TN3182: Adding privacy tracking keys to your privacy manifest TN3183: Adding required reason API entries to your privacy manifest TN3184: Adding data collection details to your privacy manifest TN3181: Debugging an invalid privacy manifest
0
0
7.5k
Mar ’25
Locate the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions Section in App Store Connect
App Store Connect displays the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section on your app's version page when your app has an In-App Purchase or subscription with a Ready to Submit status. To locate the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section: In Apps, select the app you want to view. In the sidebar, select the app version. On the version page, scroll down to the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section. For more information, see Submit an In-App Purchase.
0
0
2.4k
Jun ’26
Update to a 10-year-old macOS passport photo app rejected under "Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content"
An update to our 10-year-old passport photo app for macOS was rejected under “Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content.” We have neither changed any of the app's existing features nor added new ones. This update only included minor changes to the user interface and an update to the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect. This is the reason for rejection provided to us by the reviewer: Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content Issue Description The app contains content or features that are misleading, intended to deceive users, or are otherwise fraudulent. Specifically, the app provides services for editing photos for government documents. Note that adding a disclaimer to the app description is not sufficient if the rest of the metadata and the app are misleading. Next Steps It would be appropriate to remove any content or features from the app that could be misleading or enable fraudulent activity before resubmitting for review. We are having difficulty understanding how Guideline 1.1.6 applies to our app. The app is simply a tool for creating passport photos. Users select their own portrait photo and manually position and crop it to the required photo dimensions. The app does not manipulate the content of the photo, change facial features, or alter a person's appearance. The app has been available for approximately 10 years and is also used as a professional tool by photographers around the world to prepare and print passport and ID photos for their customers. It does not edit passports, ID cards, visas, or any other government documents. The output is simply a portrait photo in the selected dimensions that can be saved or printed. The country-specific presets provide the required photo dimensions as well as a visual mask for head size and positioning, based on publicly available specifications published by the relevant authorities in each country. These presets are used only to help the user manually align and crop the portrait photo according to those published requirements. They are not templates for government documents. We have submitted an appeal, as we believe there may be a misunderstanding about what the app actually does. Has anyone else encountered a rejection under Guideline 1.1.6 for a passport photo or similar photo-formatting app? We would particularly appreciate any insight into the statement that providing services for “editing photos for government documents” falls under Guideline 1.1.6. Is there a specific App Review policy regarding passport photo apps that we may have overlooked? For additional context, this particular app does not include background replacement or automatic cropping. However, even if an app did offer such features, passport-style photos are not used exclusively for passports or government-issued identity documents. They can also be used for driver's licenses, student IDs, fishing licenses, membership cards, employee IDs, and many other purposes. For some of these use cases, background replacement may be perfectly acceptable. Requirements also vary depending on the country, authority, and intended use of the photo. It would therefore seem reasonable for users to decide how to prepare their photos based on the requirements applicable to their particular use case. We would be very interested to hear how other developers interpret this guideline and whether anyone has encountered a similar situation. Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.
0
0
39
2h
First app stuck in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days despite expedited review
Hi everyone, I’m looking for guidance regarding an unusually long App Review delay. My first iOS app, EmpowerFI, has been in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days. In two days, it will reach a full month without moving to “In Review.” During this period, I have contacted Apple Developer Support several times. After my initial contact, Apple submitted an expedited review request as a one-time exception for my app. However, the status did not change. I contacted support again and received the following response: “We have confirmed that your app review is proceeding normally, and there is no further action you need to take.” I have followed up multiple times since then, explaining that I am not asking Apple to guarantee a review or approval date. I am simply trying to understand why this particular submission has remained in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month. Unfortunately, I continue to receive essentially the same standard response. There are no pending actions visible in App Store Connect, and Apple Support has explicitly confirmed that there is nothing further required from me. I fully understand that review times vary and that some apps may require additional scrutiny. However, almost 30 days without even moving from “Waiting for Review” to “In Review” seems exceptionally long, particularly after an expedited review request was submitted. I also know developers who submitted apps during this period and received a review response within approximately two days, so I am trying to understand whether there could be something specific affecting my submission. Has anyone recently experienced a similar delay with a first app submission? More importantly, is there any other appropriate escalation path when Developer Support confirms that everything is normal but the app remains in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month? I am not looking to bypass App Review or request guaranteed approval. I would simply like someone to investigate whether there is an issue affecting this submission or explain why it has remained in the queue for such an exceptional amount of time. Any guidance from Apple staff or developers who have experienced this recently would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,
3
0
614
22h
Previous developer accounts terminated without explanation — how to protect my current memberships?
Hi everyone, I'm an iOS developer based in Türkiye. Over the years, some of my Apple Developer accounts have been blocked/terminated, and I was never able to regain access or find out the reason — even the termination emails didn't give me a clear explanation. Right now I'm a member of three teams: my personal (individual) account and two organization accounts belonging to companies I work for. I regularly update and release apps on all of them, so losing access again would put me and my employers in a very difficult position. Support hasn't been able to tell me why the previous accounts were closed, and I feel quite alone in this. Has anyone been through something similar? What steps do you recommend to: Avoid account termination in the first place, and Get a proper response from Apple Developer Support if it happens again? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
0
0
81
23h
Unable to enroll in Apple Developer Program – Invalid State/Region value for Kosovo
Hello, I am trying to enroll in the Apple Developer Program, but I cannot complete the payment. During the purchase process, I receive the following error: We are unable to complete your order. There was an issue when we processed your order. An invalid value '1549' was provided for State, Province, or Region. My details: Country: Kosovo State/Province/Region: Kosovo Region (selected from the available option) I have verified my information multiple times, but the error appears every time. I have contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times over the past month.I have not received any response (positive or negative). I need to complete enrollment to publish my apps, and this delay is blocking my work.
3
3
1.1k
1d
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?
4
2
710
1d
Appeal Submitted Over 30 Days Ago – No Response Yet (Pending Termination Notice)
Hello, I’m posting here to ask for guidance and to see if anyone has experienced a similar situation. More than 30 days ago, I submitted an appeal to the App Review Board after receiving a Pending Termination Notice for my Apple Developer Program account. However, I have not received any response or update since submitting the appeal. In the notice, Apple mentioned that my account was associated with “dishonest or fraudulent activity” related to app submissions. I want to clarify that I did not intentionally attempt to bypass the App Review process. The only change I made around that time was editing some app metadata (subtitle keywords) while trying to optimize my Apple Search Ads campaign. Looking back, I now understand that some of those keywords may have been interpreted as referencing content that Apple considers inappropriate for the App Store. After realizing this might have caused an issue, I immediately: Canceled the latest app submission that contained those metadata changes Explained the situation clearly in my appeal to the App Review Board Confirmed that I would avoid using similar metadata in the future Despite providing this explanation in my appeal, I have not received any reply or update for over a month, so I’m unsure about the current status of the appeal. If anyone here has gone through a similar process, could you share: How long it took to receive a response from the App Review Board? Whether it’s normal for appeals to take this long? Also, if any Apple staff happens to see this post, I would sincerely appreciate any guidance on whether my appeal is still under review or if there is anything further I should provide. Thank you very much for your time and help.
4
1
574
1d
Developer Program account terminated under Section 3.2(f) — no response to reinstatement request after two weeks
Hello, Our organization's Apple Developer Program account was terminated on 23 August 2026 under Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. All of our apps were removed from the App Store the same day. The notice did not identify any specific app, submission, date or transaction, so we have not been able to determine what triggered it. We submitted a reinstatement request through developer.apple.com/contact/apple-account/ on 24 August 2026. It has now been more than two weeks with no response. We also cannot use the normal Contact Us page: developer.apple.com/contact/ redirects to developer.apple.com/register/agree/ and that page loads blank, presumably because a terminated account cannot accept the Developer Agreement. Is there another way to follow up on a reinstatement request, or to confirm that it has been received? I can provide the Team ID and account details privately to anyone from Apple who is able to look into it. Thank you.
1
0
96
1d
Apple Developer Organization Migration Pending for Months — No Clear Resolution or Feedback
Hello Apple Developer Support / Developer Community, I’m looking for some guidance regarding an issue with my Apple Developer account and App Store publishing. I have been trying to resolve an account/membership issue so that we can properly publish and manage our product on the App Store. Unfortunately, this process has been taking an unusually long time, and we still have not received a clear explanation or resolution from Apple. My Apple Developer account is currently enrolled as an Individual, and I have been asked to migrate the membership from Individual to Organization. The Developer portal currently shows: “You’ve asked for your membership to be migrated from an individual to an organization.” It also provides the “Continue migration” option and asks for our organization information. However, despite providing the required information and contacting Apple Developer Support multiple times, the process is still not completed. I currently have open Apple Developer Support cases under Membership and Account → Account Information Update: Case ID: 102952447898 — latest communication: September 3, 2026 Case ID: 102945341942 — previous communications: July 18, July 21, and July 27, 2026 The older case has already been open for a significant amount of time, and although we have followed up, we still don't have a clear resolution or actionable feedback. Our main concern We need to understand: What is currently preventing the Individual → Organization migration from being completed? Is any additional information or verification required from us? Is there an issue with our organization information that needs to be corrected? Why is the process taking so long despite the support cases and follow-ups? Can an Apple Developer Relations/support specialist review and escalate this case? This situation is becoming very difficult for our team because we are unable to move forward normally with our App Store publishing process. We completely understand that Apple needs to perform verification and security checks. We are happy to provide any additional documentation or information required. However, after multiple support contacts and a long waiting period, we would really appreciate a clear status update and specific instructions on what we need to do next. If anyone from Apple Developer Support or Developer Relations can look into this or advise us on the correct escalation process, we would sincerely appreciate it. Case IDs: 102952447898 102945341942 Thank you for your time and assistance.
1
0
36
1d
No payout ever issued since May 2026: every fiscal month shows Balance Carried Forward, Finance support not responding
Hello, Our developer account (Organization) has never received a payout. Every fiscal month since sales started shows "Balance Carried Forward" in Payments and Financial Reports, and Payables shows "You don't have any invoices or reports to view at this time". Fiscal months and 45-day payment windows: May 2026: closed May 30, window ended July 14 (57 days overdue) June 2026: closed June 27, window ended August 11 (29 days overdue) July 2026: closed August 1, window ends September 15 August 2026: report updated September 3, still carried forward Everything on our side is Active with no "action required" banner: Paid Apps Agreement (effective May 4, 2026), bank account, all tax forms (Brazil Tax Form, Brazil Tax Info, W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner) and DSA compliance. The minimum payout threshold for Brazil is negligible, so that is not the cause. We opened two Finance Support cases via Contact Us > Reports and Payments > Payments and Financial Reports (August 17 and September 1). Both only received the automatic acknowledgment, and a follow-up reply sent on September 8 also got no response. Is there any way to get someone from Apple to check whether the account is under review or on hold, and what is needed to release the funds? Thank you.
0
0
32
1d
My app rejected under Guideline 5.6 for “Developer Code of Conduct”
Hello everyone, I’m looking for advice from developers who have experienced a similar App Store rejection under Guideline 5.6 – Developer Code of Conduct. My app is called Al-Saqar. It is a specialized marketplace and auction platform for falconry enthusiasts. The app includes: Falcon listings and physical product sales Falcon food and accessories Real-world falcon auctions Live auction viewing and bidding Falcon farms and clinics directory Search and filtering User accounts and account deletion All products and auction items are physical goods. There are no digital goods or subscriptions being sold through the app. For auctions, users can view the auction and watch the bids. To participate, they need to complete identity verification and pay a security deposit. The deposit and final payment are handled outside the app through our support team and bank transfer because these are real-world, high-value transactions. Apple rejected the app under Guideline 5.6 with the following message: “We've identified a pattern of unusual behavior with the app that is commonly associated with fraudulent activity. Specifically, the app contains features that appear to have been intentionally hidden during the review process.” The problem is that Apple did not identify which feature, screen, account state, or behavior they believe was hidden. There are no hidden features intended to be shown only to normal users. The functionality available to users is the same functionality available during review. I have already tried to clarify this with Apple and provided additional information and a screen recording demonstrating the functionality on a real device. I have also submitted an App Review Board appeal, but I am still trying to understand what could be triggering this rejection. Another thing I noticed is that the review appears to have happened extremely quickly, which makes me wonder whether some automated detection or account/runtime behavior could be involved. I obviously cannot confirm that this is the case. I have been trying to publish this app since August 18, 2026, and I have now reached a point where I don't know what I should actually change because Apple has not identified the specific issue. Has anyone experienced this exact Guideline 5.6 rejection, especially the wording about: “features that appear to have been intentionally hidden during the review process” and successfully resolved it? If so, I would really appreciate knowing: What was actually causing the rejection? Did Apple eventually identify the specific feature or behavior? Was it related to remote configuration, server-side logic, feature flags, account states, device/region checks, dynamic content, or third-party SDKs? Did contacting Apple Support or requesting an App Review appointment help? Did you need to submit an appeal, or did a new build eventually resolve the issue? I am not looking to bypass App Review. I simply want to understand what Apple is detecting so I can fix the actual problem instead of making random changes and repeatedly submitting builds. Any experience or advice from developers who have gone through the same situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
1
0
163
1d
Submission stuck for 11 days after providing all requested info (Guideline 2.1) — App ID 6805385809
Hi, our new app Amisoria (App ID 6805385809, Submission ID 95e40745-299b-4467-b9f6-8dd5ca907b02) was submitted Aug 29. On Aug 30 we received a Guideline 2.1 "Information Needed" message; we replied Aug 31 with all eight requested items including a screen recording, and followed up on Sep 3. We also opened Developer Support case 102955409950 on Sep 7. There has been no response of any kind since Aug 30. Could someone from App Review please take a look? The app is a client for a self-hosted AI gateway; a built-in demo mode lets reviewers test it without any server. Thank you.
0
0
39
1d
Organization enrollment stuck 2+ weeks — sole director of UK company, documents submitted, no response (Case 20000149144709)
I'm the sole Director, Shareholder, and PSC of a UK-registered limited company (Companies House verified, D-U-N-S number obtained), enrolling in the Apple Developer Program as an Organization. Apple requested additional verification documents to confirm my identity and association with the entity. On 17/08/2026, I submitted a complete package: Government-issued passport Certificate of Incorporation (UK Companies House) Official Companies House officer record showing my role as Active Director, with "Verification requirements complete" A signed declaration confirming my authority as sole Director/Shareholder/PSC, and explaining that as a newly incorporated company with no employees other than myself, no separate employment reference is available Apple confirmed receipt of these documents by email. Since then: I followed up via support ticket on 27/08/2026 — Case ID: 20000149144709 No response as of today, several business days later Enrollment ID: 6HDSQCQU98 Could someone from the Apple Developer Relations team please advise on the status of this case, or point me to the correct escalation path? Happy to provide any further information needed to resolve this.
3
0
1k
1d
App is not showing up in search results
Hello Everyone, I have published my app few months back . The app does not show up in search when I search with the app name . It's a social media app and i provided the right key words . FYI- But when I search the app with combining the company name and app name it shows up. I am in contact with apple support for last 1 month and all the time , i get the an answer that the engineers are woking on it. They even suggested me to include the app name in the Key words, which I did , but no results. Today the supervisor suggests that support team might not be able to do much and I have to revisit my settings. I don't know what else to change other than the key words. . He also highlighted that since Language EN was chosen and the my app name is not an english word, could be also the reason for it not showing up in the search. Can someone please help to provide a solution to this.
2
0
1k
2d
New app stuck in "Waiting for Review" since August 30, no messages, no rejection
Hello, I would like to ask the App Review team to look into a first submission that has not moved for nine days. Apple ID: 6792008109 Platform: iOS Submission: version 1.0, submitted August 30, 2026 Current status: Waiting for Review (has never transitioned to In Review) There is nothing pending on my side: No rejection and no message in the Resolution Center No metadata issue flagged No request for additional information Agreements, Tax and Banking complete App Privacy completed and working demo credentials provided I have also submitted an expedited review request through the Contact Us form. I understand review times vary with submission volume, and I am not asking to skip the queue. I am asking for visibility on whether this submission is queued normally or sitting in an error state, since nine days with no transition is well outside the expected range. Could the App Review team please investigate? Thank you.
1
0
91
2d
App stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 10 days (Submitted Aug 13)
Hi all, My app has been stuck in the "Waiting for Review" status since August 13 (US Time), and today is August 23. It has been 10 days without any status updates or messages from the App Review team. App ID: 6800282515 Submission Date: Aug 13, 2026 Developer Support Request Submitted: Aug 19 (No response yet) Expedited Review Requested: Aug 20 (No response yet) Current Status: Waiting for Review Since both support inquiries and expedited requests haven't received a reply after several days, I am concerned there might be an internal system hold or communication breakdown regarding this submission. Could someone from Apple please look into this or advise if any additional documentation/action is needed from my side? Thanks for your help!
8
1
1.4k
2d
Sandbox allows free trial again on resubscribe to the same subscription
Title: Sandbox allows free trial again on resubscribe to the same subscription Hi everyone, I'm testing an auto-renewable subscription using App Store Connect with a Sandbox tester (not a local StoreKit configuration file). My subscription has an introductory free trial configured. Scenario: Purchase the subscription for the first time using a Sandbox Apple ID. The user receives the introductory free trial as expected. Let the subscription expire. Purchase the same subscription product again using the same Sandbox Apple ID. I receive an App Store Server Notification with Notification Type = RESUBSCRIBE, and the transaction appears to have a price of 0, making it look like the user received another free trial. From Apple's documentation, my understanding is that an introductory offer can only be redeemed once per subscription group per Apple ID. Based on that, I expected the second purchase to be charged immediately rather than receive another free trial. My questions are: Is this expected behavior in the Sandbox environment? Does Sandbox sometimes allow introductory offers to be redeemed multiple times for testing? Or am I misinterpreting the RESUBSCRIBE notification and the $0 transaction? I did not intentionally reset the Sandbox tester's introductory offer eligibility, and I'm purchasing the same product in the same subscription group with the same Sandbox Apple ID. Has anyone observed this behavior or can clarify whether this is expected in Sandbox versus production? Thanks!
1
0
340
2d
Publishing Multiple Apps Impersonating Major Services – Guideline 4.1
I would like to report a serious and repeated pattern of potentially misleading and impersonating applications published on the Mac App Store under the seller/developer name Mihai Graure. This is not a complaint about one isolated app. The same developer has published multiple applications using the names, branding, interfaces, and visual presentation of major services including LinkedIn, Zoom, Google Drive, Twitch, X/Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Gmail. Reported applications: Desktop App for LinkedIn https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-linkedin/id6786838795?mt=12 Desktop App for Zoom https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-zoom/id6796387421?mt=12 App for Google Drive & Docs https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-google-drive-docs/id6792317542?mt=12 App for Twitch https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-twitch/id6797809667?mt=12 Desktop App for X (Twitter) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-x-twitter/id6786838258?mt=12 App for TikTok https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-tiktok/id6783051609?mt=12 App for Facebook https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-facebook-%C2%BA/id6770487788?mt=12 Apps for Instagram https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apps-for-instagram/id6778116535?mt=12 Desktop App for Gmail https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-gmail/id6770216468?mt=12 My main concern is the overall presentation of these apps to customers. The developer uses the names of globally recognized services directly in the app titles. A user searching for Gmail, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Zoom, TikTok, Twitch, Google Drive, or X could reasonably believe these are official desktop apps or apps authorized by the companies that operate those services. The concern is not limited to the names. The apps also appear to reproduce or closely imitate the official user interfaces, layouts, navigation, branding style, and visual presentation of the services they reference. The App Store screenshots appear identical or extremely similar to the official interfaces users already recognize. This combination can create a very strong impression of legitimacy: the official product name is used in the title, the screenshots closely resemble the real service, the UI looks like the official product, and the app is presented as a dedicated “Desktop App” or “App for” that service. I specifically request that Apple compare the screenshots and the actual installed apps side-by-side with the official websites and applications of the corresponding companies. Apple should verify whether the developer has authorization to use these product names, trademarks, branding, interface elements, screenshots, layouts, graphics, and other protected material. Some listings may contain a non-affiliation statement, but this appears only at the end of the description, after the customer has already seen the app name, icon, screenshots, branding, and official-looking UI. In my view, a statement buried at the end of the description does not remove the misleading impression created by the rest of the listing. Many customers make download decisions from search results, titles, icons, screenshots, and the first part of a description. Apple should therefore review the complete presentation rather than treating an end-of-description disclaimer as sufficient where the rest of the listing may strongly imply official affiliation. This also appears to be a systematic developer-account-level pattern. The same seller has published at least nine apps targeting unrelated major brands operated by different companies, including Microsoft/LinkedIn, Zoom, Google, Amazon/Twitch, X Corp., ByteDance/TikTok, and Meta. The repeated strategy appears very similar across the portfolio: use the established service name, present the product as a dedicated desktop app, and reproduce or closely resemble the official interface and visual identity. Because the same pattern is repeated across many unrelated brands, I ask Apple to investigate the entire developer account rather than reviewing each listing in isolation. I believe these apps warrant investigation under App Review Guideline 4.1 — Copycats, as well as any applicable rules concerning intellectual property, misleading metadata, impersonation, trademark use, spam, and developer conduct. Please investigate whether: the apps impersonate or closely imitate established services; another company’s brand or product name is being used without authorization; the UI substantially reproduces the official product experience; App Store screenshots reproduce or closely imitate official interfaces; users could reasonably mistake these apps for official or authorized products; the developer has permission from each affected company; protected trademarks, graphics, layouts, screenshots, or visual assets are being used without authorization; this represents repeated copycat or misleading behavior across one developer account; the overall presentation is designed to benefit from confusion with established brands. I respectfully request that Apple App Review, Trust & Safety, and the appropriate Developer Program enforcement team conduct a full investigation of this developer account and all associated apps. Please review the actual installed applications, not only the written descriptions. The UI, screenshots, naming, branding, and full customer experience are important when determining whether these apps are misleading or impersonating legitimate services. Apple should also require the developer to demonstrate valid authorization from the companies whose names, products, and visual identities are being used. If Apple determines that these apps involve unauthorized brand use, repeated impersonation, copycat behavior, misleading presentation, intellectual-property misuse, or other Developer Program violations, I request removal of the affected applications and appropriate account-level enforcement, including termination of the Apple Developer Program account if warranted. This appears to be a repeated pattern involving multiple major brands, not an isolated naming mistake. I therefore ask Apple to investigate the complete developer portfolio and take appropriate action to protect Mac App Store users and preserve trust in App Store search results and developer identity.
1
0
132
3d
New iOS App stuck at Ready for Review
I am new and submitted an app which got reviewed twice over the last 2 weeks. I tried adding IAP in the 2nd submission but it didn't get attached. I created 3rd submission and the status says Ready for Review. The IAP says (Unable to Submit for Review To submit your items for review, add an app version for the selected platform.). There is no option to cancel the submission and restart. Previous review cycles showed "Waiting for Review" and "In Review" before I got response on reasons for rejecting the app submission. But now it appears to be stuck. I requested email support. Is there any solution that I am missing? Thanks for your help! Raja
0
0
51
3d
Handling ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest
An ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest rejection email looks as follows: ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest- Your app includes "<path/to/SDK>", which includes , an SDK that was identified in the documentation as a privacy-impacting third-party SDK. Starting February 12, 2025, if a new app includes a privacy-impacting SDK, or an app update adds a new privacy-impacting SDK, the SDK must include a privacy manifest file. Please contact the provider of the SDK that includes this file to get an updated SDK version with a privacy manifest. For more details about this policy, including a list of SDKs that are required to include signatures and manifests, visit: https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. Glossary ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest: An email that includes the name and path of privacy-impacting SDK(s) with no privacy manifest files in your app bundle. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. : The specified privacy-impacting SDK that doesn't include a privacy manifest file. If you are the developer of the rejected app, gather the name of the SDK from the email you received from Apple, then contact the SDK's provider for an updated version that includes a valid privacy manifest. After receiving an updated version of the SDK, verify the SDK includes a valid privacy manifest file at the expected location. For more information, see Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK. If your app includes a privacy manifest file, make sure the file only describes the privacy practices of your app. Do not add the privacy practices of the SDK to your app's privacy manifest. If the email lists multiple SDKs, repeat the above process for all of them. If you are the developer of an SDK listed in the email, publish an updated version of your SDK that includes a privacy manifest file with valid keys and values. Every privacy-impacting SDK must contain a privacy manifest file that only describes its privacy practices. To learn how to add a valid privacy manifest to your SDK, see the Additional resources section below. Additional resources Privacy manifest files Describing data use in privacy manifests Describing use of required reason API Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK TN3182: Adding privacy tracking keys to your privacy manifest TN3183: Adding required reason API entries to your privacy manifest TN3184: Adding data collection details to your privacy manifest TN3181: Debugging an invalid privacy manifest
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
7.5k
Activity
Mar ’25
Locate the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions Section in App Store Connect
App Store Connect displays the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section on your app's version page when your app has an In-App Purchase or subscription with a Ready to Submit status. To locate the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section: In Apps, select the app you want to view. In the sidebar, select the app version. On the version page, scroll down to the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section. For more information, see Submit an In-App Purchase.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
2.4k
Activity
Jun ’26
Update to a 10-year-old macOS passport photo app rejected under "Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content"
An update to our 10-year-old passport photo app for macOS was rejected under “Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content.” We have neither changed any of the app's existing features nor added new ones. This update only included minor changes to the user interface and an update to the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect. This is the reason for rejection provided to us by the reviewer: Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content Issue Description The app contains content or features that are misleading, intended to deceive users, or are otherwise fraudulent. Specifically, the app provides services for editing photos for government documents. Note that adding a disclaimer to the app description is not sufficient if the rest of the metadata and the app are misleading. Next Steps It would be appropriate to remove any content or features from the app that could be misleading or enable fraudulent activity before resubmitting for review. We are having difficulty understanding how Guideline 1.1.6 applies to our app. The app is simply a tool for creating passport photos. Users select their own portrait photo and manually position and crop it to the required photo dimensions. The app does not manipulate the content of the photo, change facial features, or alter a person's appearance. The app has been available for approximately 10 years and is also used as a professional tool by photographers around the world to prepare and print passport and ID photos for their customers. It does not edit passports, ID cards, visas, or any other government documents. The output is simply a portrait photo in the selected dimensions that can be saved or printed. The country-specific presets provide the required photo dimensions as well as a visual mask for head size and positioning, based on publicly available specifications published by the relevant authorities in each country. These presets are used only to help the user manually align and crop the portrait photo according to those published requirements. They are not templates for government documents. We have submitted an appeal, as we believe there may be a misunderstanding about what the app actually does. Has anyone else encountered a rejection under Guideline 1.1.6 for a passport photo or similar photo-formatting app? We would particularly appreciate any insight into the statement that providing services for “editing photos for government documents” falls under Guideline 1.1.6. Is there a specific App Review policy regarding passport photo apps that we may have overlooked? For additional context, this particular app does not include background replacement or automatic cropping. However, even if an app did offer such features, passport-style photos are not used exclusively for passports or government-issued identity documents. They can also be used for driver's licenses, student IDs, fishing licenses, membership cards, employee IDs, and many other purposes. For some of these use cases, background replacement may be perfectly acceptable. Requirements also vary depending on the country, authority, and intended use of the photo. It would therefore seem reasonable for users to decide how to prepare their photos based on the requirements applicable to their particular use case. We would be very interested to hear how other developers interpret this guideline and whether anyone has encountered a similar situation. Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
39
Activity
2h
First app stuck in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days despite expedited review
Hi everyone, I’m looking for guidance regarding an unusually long App Review delay. My first iOS app, EmpowerFI, has been in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days. In two days, it will reach a full month without moving to “In Review.” During this period, I have contacted Apple Developer Support several times. After my initial contact, Apple submitted an expedited review request as a one-time exception for my app. However, the status did not change. I contacted support again and received the following response: “We have confirmed that your app review is proceeding normally, and there is no further action you need to take.” I have followed up multiple times since then, explaining that I am not asking Apple to guarantee a review or approval date. I am simply trying to understand why this particular submission has remained in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month. Unfortunately, I continue to receive essentially the same standard response. There are no pending actions visible in App Store Connect, and Apple Support has explicitly confirmed that there is nothing further required from me. I fully understand that review times vary and that some apps may require additional scrutiny. However, almost 30 days without even moving from “Waiting for Review” to “In Review” seems exceptionally long, particularly after an expedited review request was submitted. I also know developers who submitted apps during this period and received a review response within approximately two days, so I am trying to understand whether there could be something specific affecting my submission. Has anyone recently experienced a similar delay with a first app submission? More importantly, is there any other appropriate escalation path when Developer Support confirms that everything is normal but the app remains in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month? I am not looking to bypass App Review or request guaranteed approval. I would simply like someone to investigate whether there is an issue affecting this submission or explain why it has remained in the queue for such an exceptional amount of time. Any guidance from Apple staff or developers who have experienced this recently would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
614
Activity
22h
Previous developer accounts terminated without explanation — how to protect my current memberships?
Hi everyone, I'm an iOS developer based in Türkiye. Over the years, some of my Apple Developer accounts have been blocked/terminated, and I was never able to regain access or find out the reason — even the termination emails didn't give me a clear explanation. Right now I'm a member of three teams: my personal (individual) account and two organization accounts belonging to companies I work for. I regularly update and release apps on all of them, so losing access again would put me and my employers in a very difficult position. Support hasn't been able to tell me why the previous accounts were closed, and I feel quite alone in this. Has anyone been through something similar? What steps do you recommend to: Avoid account termination in the first place, and Get a proper response from Apple Developer Support if it happens again? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
81
Activity
23h
Unable to enroll in Apple Developer Program – Invalid State/Region value for Kosovo
Hello, I am trying to enroll in the Apple Developer Program, but I cannot complete the payment. During the purchase process, I receive the following error: We are unable to complete your order. There was an issue when we processed your order. An invalid value '1549' was provided for State, Province, or Region. My details: Country: Kosovo State/Province/Region: Kosovo Region (selected from the available option) I have verified my information multiple times, but the error appears every time. I have contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times over the past month.I have not received any response (positive or negative). I need to complete enrollment to publish my apps, and this delay is blocking my work.
Replies
3
Boosts
3
Views
1.1k
Activity
1d
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?
Replies
4
Boosts
2
Views
710
Activity
1d
Appeal Submitted Over 30 Days Ago – No Response Yet (Pending Termination Notice)
Hello, I’m posting here to ask for guidance and to see if anyone has experienced a similar situation. More than 30 days ago, I submitted an appeal to the App Review Board after receiving a Pending Termination Notice for my Apple Developer Program account. However, I have not received any response or update since submitting the appeal. In the notice, Apple mentioned that my account was associated with “dishonest or fraudulent activity” related to app submissions. I want to clarify that I did not intentionally attempt to bypass the App Review process. The only change I made around that time was editing some app metadata (subtitle keywords) while trying to optimize my Apple Search Ads campaign. Looking back, I now understand that some of those keywords may have been interpreted as referencing content that Apple considers inappropriate for the App Store. After realizing this might have caused an issue, I immediately: Canceled the latest app submission that contained those metadata changes Explained the situation clearly in my appeal to the App Review Board Confirmed that I would avoid using similar metadata in the future Despite providing this explanation in my appeal, I have not received any reply or update for over a month, so I’m unsure about the current status of the appeal. If anyone here has gone through a similar process, could you share: How long it took to receive a response from the App Review Board? Whether it’s normal for appeals to take this long? Also, if any Apple staff happens to see this post, I would sincerely appreciate any guidance on whether my appeal is still under review or if there is anything further I should provide. Thank you very much for your time and help.
Replies
4
Boosts
1
Views
574
Activity
1d
Developer Program account terminated under Section 3.2(f) — no response to reinstatement request after two weeks
Hello, Our organization's Apple Developer Program account was terminated on 23 August 2026 under Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. All of our apps were removed from the App Store the same day. The notice did not identify any specific app, submission, date or transaction, so we have not been able to determine what triggered it. We submitted a reinstatement request through developer.apple.com/contact/apple-account/ on 24 August 2026. It has now been more than two weeks with no response. We also cannot use the normal Contact Us page: developer.apple.com/contact/ redirects to developer.apple.com/register/agree/ and that page loads blank, presumably because a terminated account cannot accept the Developer Agreement. Is there another way to follow up on a reinstatement request, or to confirm that it has been received? I can provide the Team ID and account details privately to anyone from Apple who is able to look into it. Thank you.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
96
Activity
1d
Apple Developer Organization Migration Pending for Months — No Clear Resolution or Feedback
Hello Apple Developer Support / Developer Community, I’m looking for some guidance regarding an issue with my Apple Developer account and App Store publishing. I have been trying to resolve an account/membership issue so that we can properly publish and manage our product on the App Store. Unfortunately, this process has been taking an unusually long time, and we still have not received a clear explanation or resolution from Apple. My Apple Developer account is currently enrolled as an Individual, and I have been asked to migrate the membership from Individual to Organization. The Developer portal currently shows: “You’ve asked for your membership to be migrated from an individual to an organization.” It also provides the “Continue migration” option and asks for our organization information. However, despite providing the required information and contacting Apple Developer Support multiple times, the process is still not completed. I currently have open Apple Developer Support cases under Membership and Account → Account Information Update: Case ID: 102952447898 — latest communication: September 3, 2026 Case ID: 102945341942 — previous communications: July 18, July 21, and July 27, 2026 The older case has already been open for a significant amount of time, and although we have followed up, we still don't have a clear resolution or actionable feedback. Our main concern We need to understand: What is currently preventing the Individual → Organization migration from being completed? Is any additional information or verification required from us? Is there an issue with our organization information that needs to be corrected? Why is the process taking so long despite the support cases and follow-ups? Can an Apple Developer Relations/support specialist review and escalate this case? This situation is becoming very difficult for our team because we are unable to move forward normally with our App Store publishing process. We completely understand that Apple needs to perform verification and security checks. We are happy to provide any additional documentation or information required. However, after multiple support contacts and a long waiting period, we would really appreciate a clear status update and specific instructions on what we need to do next. If anyone from Apple Developer Support or Developer Relations can look into this or advise us on the correct escalation process, we would sincerely appreciate it. Case IDs: 102952447898 102945341942 Thank you for your time and assistance.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
36
Activity
1d
No payout ever issued since May 2026: every fiscal month shows Balance Carried Forward, Finance support not responding
Hello, Our developer account (Organization) has never received a payout. Every fiscal month since sales started shows "Balance Carried Forward" in Payments and Financial Reports, and Payables shows "You don't have any invoices or reports to view at this time". Fiscal months and 45-day payment windows: May 2026: closed May 30, window ended July 14 (57 days overdue) June 2026: closed June 27, window ended August 11 (29 days overdue) July 2026: closed August 1, window ends September 15 August 2026: report updated September 3, still carried forward Everything on our side is Active with no "action required" banner: Paid Apps Agreement (effective May 4, 2026), bank account, all tax forms (Brazil Tax Form, Brazil Tax Info, W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner) and DSA compliance. The minimum payout threshold for Brazil is negligible, so that is not the cause. We opened two Finance Support cases via Contact Us > Reports and Payments > Payments and Financial Reports (August 17 and September 1). Both only received the automatic acknowledgment, and a follow-up reply sent on September 8 also got no response. Is there any way to get someone from Apple to check whether the account is under review or on hold, and what is needed to release the funds? Thank you.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
32
Activity
1d
My app rejected under Guideline 5.6 for “Developer Code of Conduct”
Hello everyone, I’m looking for advice from developers who have experienced a similar App Store rejection under Guideline 5.6 – Developer Code of Conduct. My app is called Al-Saqar. It is a specialized marketplace and auction platform for falconry enthusiasts. The app includes: Falcon listings and physical product sales Falcon food and accessories Real-world falcon auctions Live auction viewing and bidding Falcon farms and clinics directory Search and filtering User accounts and account deletion All products and auction items are physical goods. There are no digital goods or subscriptions being sold through the app. For auctions, users can view the auction and watch the bids. To participate, they need to complete identity verification and pay a security deposit. The deposit and final payment are handled outside the app through our support team and bank transfer because these are real-world, high-value transactions. Apple rejected the app under Guideline 5.6 with the following message: “We've identified a pattern of unusual behavior with the app that is commonly associated with fraudulent activity. Specifically, the app contains features that appear to have been intentionally hidden during the review process.” The problem is that Apple did not identify which feature, screen, account state, or behavior they believe was hidden. There are no hidden features intended to be shown only to normal users. The functionality available to users is the same functionality available during review. I have already tried to clarify this with Apple and provided additional information and a screen recording demonstrating the functionality on a real device. I have also submitted an App Review Board appeal, but I am still trying to understand what could be triggering this rejection. Another thing I noticed is that the review appears to have happened extremely quickly, which makes me wonder whether some automated detection or account/runtime behavior could be involved. I obviously cannot confirm that this is the case. I have been trying to publish this app since August 18, 2026, and I have now reached a point where I don't know what I should actually change because Apple has not identified the specific issue. Has anyone experienced this exact Guideline 5.6 rejection, especially the wording about: “features that appear to have been intentionally hidden during the review process” and successfully resolved it? If so, I would really appreciate knowing: What was actually causing the rejection? Did Apple eventually identify the specific feature or behavior? Was it related to remote configuration, server-side logic, feature flags, account states, device/region checks, dynamic content, or third-party SDKs? Did contacting Apple Support or requesting an App Review appointment help? Did you need to submit an appeal, or did a new build eventually resolve the issue? I am not looking to bypass App Review. I simply want to understand what Apple is detecting so I can fix the actual problem instead of making random changes and repeatedly submitting builds. Any experience or advice from developers who have gone through the same situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
163
Activity
1d
Submission stuck for 11 days after providing all requested info (Guideline 2.1) — App ID 6805385809
Hi, our new app Amisoria (App ID 6805385809, Submission ID 95e40745-299b-4467-b9f6-8dd5ca907b02) was submitted Aug 29. On Aug 30 we received a Guideline 2.1 "Information Needed" message; we replied Aug 31 with all eight requested items including a screen recording, and followed up on Sep 3. We also opened Developer Support case 102955409950 on Sep 7. There has been no response of any kind since Aug 30. Could someone from App Review please take a look? The app is a client for a self-hosted AI gateway; a built-in demo mode lets reviewers test it without any server. Thank you.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
39
Activity
1d
URGENTLY: Apple, please review my app
Hello, Apple! I accidentally uploaded a version with a critical bug. Apple, please accept my new version—it’s urgent. Thank you very much.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
297
Activity
1d
Organization enrollment stuck 2+ weeks — sole director of UK company, documents submitted, no response (Case 20000149144709)
I'm the sole Director, Shareholder, and PSC of a UK-registered limited company (Companies House verified, D-U-N-S number obtained), enrolling in the Apple Developer Program as an Organization. Apple requested additional verification documents to confirm my identity and association with the entity. On 17/08/2026, I submitted a complete package: Government-issued passport Certificate of Incorporation (UK Companies House) Official Companies House officer record showing my role as Active Director, with "Verification requirements complete" A signed declaration confirming my authority as sole Director/Shareholder/PSC, and explaining that as a newly incorporated company with no employees other than myself, no separate employment reference is available Apple confirmed receipt of these documents by email. Since then: I followed up via support ticket on 27/08/2026 — Case ID: 20000149144709 No response as of today, several business days later Enrollment ID: 6HDSQCQU98 Could someone from the Apple Developer Relations team please advise on the status of this case, or point me to the correct escalation path? Happy to provide any further information needed to resolve this.
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
1k
Activity
1d
App is not showing up in search results
Hello Everyone, I have published my app few months back . The app does not show up in search when I search with the app name . It's a social media app and i provided the right key words . FYI- But when I search the app with combining the company name and app name it shows up. I am in contact with apple support for last 1 month and all the time , i get the an answer that the engineers are woking on it. They even suggested me to include the app name in the Key words, which I did , but no results. Today the supervisor suggests that support team might not be able to do much and I have to revisit my settings. I don't know what else to change other than the key words. . He also highlighted that since Language EN was chosen and the my app name is not an english word, could be also the reason for it not showing up in the search. Can someone please help to provide a solution to this.
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
1k
Activity
2d
New app stuck in "Waiting for Review" since August 30, no messages, no rejection
Hello, I would like to ask the App Review team to look into a first submission that has not moved for nine days. Apple ID: 6792008109 Platform: iOS Submission: version 1.0, submitted August 30, 2026 Current status: Waiting for Review (has never transitioned to In Review) There is nothing pending on my side: No rejection and no message in the Resolution Center No metadata issue flagged No request for additional information Agreements, Tax and Banking complete App Privacy completed and working demo credentials provided I have also submitted an expedited review request through the Contact Us form. I understand review times vary with submission volume, and I am not asking to skip the queue. I am asking for visibility on whether this submission is queued normally or sitting in an error state, since nine days with no transition is well outside the expected range. Could the App Review team please investigate? Thank you.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
91
Activity
2d
App stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 10 days (Submitted Aug 13)
Hi all, My app has been stuck in the "Waiting for Review" status since August 13 (US Time), and today is August 23. It has been 10 days without any status updates or messages from the App Review team. App ID: 6800282515 Submission Date: Aug 13, 2026 Developer Support Request Submitted: Aug 19 (No response yet) Expedited Review Requested: Aug 20 (No response yet) Current Status: Waiting for Review Since both support inquiries and expedited requests haven't received a reply after several days, I am concerned there might be an internal system hold or communication breakdown regarding this submission. Could someone from Apple please look into this or advise if any additional documentation/action is needed from my side? Thanks for your help!
Replies
8
Boosts
1
Views
1.4k
Activity
2d
Sandbox allows free trial again on resubscribe to the same subscription
Title: Sandbox allows free trial again on resubscribe to the same subscription Hi everyone, I'm testing an auto-renewable subscription using App Store Connect with a Sandbox tester (not a local StoreKit configuration file). My subscription has an introductory free trial configured. Scenario: Purchase the subscription for the first time using a Sandbox Apple ID. The user receives the introductory free trial as expected. Let the subscription expire. Purchase the same subscription product again using the same Sandbox Apple ID. I receive an App Store Server Notification with Notification Type = RESUBSCRIBE, and the transaction appears to have a price of 0, making it look like the user received another free trial. From Apple's documentation, my understanding is that an introductory offer can only be redeemed once per subscription group per Apple ID. Based on that, I expected the second purchase to be charged immediately rather than receive another free trial. My questions are: Is this expected behavior in the Sandbox environment? Does Sandbox sometimes allow introductory offers to be redeemed multiple times for testing? Or am I misinterpreting the RESUBSCRIBE notification and the $0 transaction? I did not intentionally reset the Sandbox tester's introductory offer eligibility, and I'm purchasing the same product in the same subscription group with the same Sandbox Apple ID. Has anyone observed this behavior or can clarify whether this is expected in Sandbox versus production? Thanks!
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
340
Activity
2d
Publishing Multiple Apps Impersonating Major Services – Guideline 4.1
I would like to report a serious and repeated pattern of potentially misleading and impersonating applications published on the Mac App Store under the seller/developer name Mihai Graure. This is not a complaint about one isolated app. The same developer has published multiple applications using the names, branding, interfaces, and visual presentation of major services including LinkedIn, Zoom, Google Drive, Twitch, X/Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Gmail. Reported applications: Desktop App for LinkedIn https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-linkedin/id6786838795?mt=12 Desktop App for Zoom https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-zoom/id6796387421?mt=12 App for Google Drive & Docs https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-google-drive-docs/id6792317542?mt=12 App for Twitch https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-twitch/id6797809667?mt=12 Desktop App for X (Twitter) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-x-twitter/id6786838258?mt=12 App for TikTok https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-tiktok/id6783051609?mt=12 App for Facebook https://apps.apple.com/us/app/app-for-facebook-%C2%BA/id6770487788?mt=12 Apps for Instagram https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apps-for-instagram/id6778116535?mt=12 Desktop App for Gmail https://apps.apple.com/us/app/desktop-app-for-gmail/id6770216468?mt=12 My main concern is the overall presentation of these apps to customers. The developer uses the names of globally recognized services directly in the app titles. A user searching for Gmail, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Zoom, TikTok, Twitch, Google Drive, or X could reasonably believe these are official desktop apps or apps authorized by the companies that operate those services. The concern is not limited to the names. The apps also appear to reproduce or closely imitate the official user interfaces, layouts, navigation, branding style, and visual presentation of the services they reference. The App Store screenshots appear identical or extremely similar to the official interfaces users already recognize. This combination can create a very strong impression of legitimacy: the official product name is used in the title, the screenshots closely resemble the real service, the UI looks like the official product, and the app is presented as a dedicated “Desktop App” or “App for” that service. I specifically request that Apple compare the screenshots and the actual installed apps side-by-side with the official websites and applications of the corresponding companies. Apple should verify whether the developer has authorization to use these product names, trademarks, branding, interface elements, screenshots, layouts, graphics, and other protected material. Some listings may contain a non-affiliation statement, but this appears only at the end of the description, after the customer has already seen the app name, icon, screenshots, branding, and official-looking UI. In my view, a statement buried at the end of the description does not remove the misleading impression created by the rest of the listing. Many customers make download decisions from search results, titles, icons, screenshots, and the first part of a description. Apple should therefore review the complete presentation rather than treating an end-of-description disclaimer as sufficient where the rest of the listing may strongly imply official affiliation. This also appears to be a systematic developer-account-level pattern. The same seller has published at least nine apps targeting unrelated major brands operated by different companies, including Microsoft/LinkedIn, Zoom, Google, Amazon/Twitch, X Corp., ByteDance/TikTok, and Meta. The repeated strategy appears very similar across the portfolio: use the established service name, present the product as a dedicated desktop app, and reproduce or closely resemble the official interface and visual identity. Because the same pattern is repeated across many unrelated brands, I ask Apple to investigate the entire developer account rather than reviewing each listing in isolation. I believe these apps warrant investigation under App Review Guideline 4.1 — Copycats, as well as any applicable rules concerning intellectual property, misleading metadata, impersonation, trademark use, spam, and developer conduct. Please investigate whether: the apps impersonate or closely imitate established services; another company’s brand or product name is being used without authorization; the UI substantially reproduces the official product experience; App Store screenshots reproduce or closely imitate official interfaces; users could reasonably mistake these apps for official or authorized products; the developer has permission from each affected company; protected trademarks, graphics, layouts, screenshots, or visual assets are being used without authorization; this represents repeated copycat or misleading behavior across one developer account; the overall presentation is designed to benefit from confusion with established brands. I respectfully request that Apple App Review, Trust & Safety, and the appropriate Developer Program enforcement team conduct a full investigation of this developer account and all associated apps. Please review the actual installed applications, not only the written descriptions. The UI, screenshots, naming, branding, and full customer experience are important when determining whether these apps are misleading or impersonating legitimate services. Apple should also require the developer to demonstrate valid authorization from the companies whose names, products, and visual identities are being used. If Apple determines that these apps involve unauthorized brand use, repeated impersonation, copycat behavior, misleading presentation, intellectual-property misuse, or other Developer Program violations, I request removal of the affected applications and appropriate account-level enforcement, including termination of the Apple Developer Program account if warranted. This appears to be a repeated pattern involving multiple major brands, not an isolated naming mistake. I therefore ask Apple to investigate the complete developer portfolio and take appropriate action to protect Mac App Store users and preserve trust in App Store search results and developer identity.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
132
Activity
3d
New iOS App stuck at Ready for Review
I am new and submitted an app which got reviewed twice over the last 2 weeks. I tried adding IAP in the 2nd submission but it didn't get attached. I created 3rd submission and the status says Ready for Review. The IAP says (Unable to Submit for Review To submit your items for review, add an app version for the selected platform.). There is no option to cancel the submission and restart. Previous review cycles showed "Waiting for Review" and "In Review" before I got response on reasons for rejecting the app submission. But now it appears to be stuck. I requested email support. Is there any solution that I am missing? Thanks for your help! Raja
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
51
Activity
3d