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

App Still “Waiting for Review” Since Feb 2 – Is This Normal?
Hello everyone, I submitted my app USDT Miner – Rig Manager to App Store Connect on February 2, and it has been in “Waiting for Review” status since then. I understand that review times can vary, but it has now been several days without any status change or feedback. This is my first submission for this app, and there are no resolution center messages or rejection notices so far. I wanted to ask: Is this delay normal at the moment? Are there any known review backlogs or factors that could cause an extended “Waiting for Review” status? Is there anything recommended to do from the developer side, or should I simply continue waiting? Any insights from Apple staff or fellow developers who’ve experienced similar delays would be appreciated. Thank you.
1
0
87
Feb ’26
Remove/delete current version and create new version
I had to create a new version (26.01.1) for my app in order to provide updates to the age ratings prior to the end of January, 2026. The problem is that this version wasn't production/release ready, but nonetheless I created this version to answer the updated age ratings. I now have a production ready version (26.02.1), but I do not see any way to cancel/delete this current version in order to create a new version with the 26.02.1 build I've uploaded. What are my options? Must I submit 26.01.1 for review and distribute it and then I will see the + icon to be able to create a new release?
0
0
91
Feb ’26
Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 11 Days - Missed Critical Launch Date
I am looking for some insight into current App Store review times. The Situation: I submitted my new app for its first review on February 3rd. It has been sitting in the "Waiting for Review" state for 11 days now and has not moved to "In Review." The Impact: We had a major launch event planned for today (Feb 14). We have marketing campaigns live and users waiting, but we have officially missed our launch window because the app is still sitting in the queue. My Questions: Is anyone else experiencing wait times this long (10+ days) just to enter the review stage? How much time does it typically take for a first-time submission to go live once it finally enters review? Is there any way to flag this delay if it has exceeded the standard 48-hour window? We are losing marketing budget every hour this is delayed. Any advice on how to get this moving would be appreciated. Thanks.
6
4
372
Feb ’26
Pending Termination - No Response to Appeal, App In Review
Dear Apple Team, I am writing regarding our pending account termination. Timeline: January 25, 2026: Received Pending Termination Notice January 25, 2026: Submitted appeal and corrective update February 5, 2026: Responded to DPLA compliance notice February 10, 2026: Submitted follow-up via Review Board and Contact Us Current: Corrective update remains In Review, no response received We have submitted corrective updates addressing all identified issues. The corrected version is currently In Review. With the February 24 deadline approaching and no feedback received through any channel, we are concerned about the status of our appeal. We remain fully committed to compliance and respectfully request confirmation that our appeal is being reviewed. Thank you.
1
0
118
Feb ’26
Would practical ASO sessions help developers improve results?
I see many developers struggling with ASO where AI written content does not deliver results, performance analysis is unclear, localization is ignored, App Store optimization is incomplete, and keywords are often poorly chosen. I am considering running two simple group sessions to share practical tips and show clear ways to improve ASO with real effort involved, and I would like feedback on this idea whether offered for a small fee or even for free.
1
1
59
Feb ’26
Rejoining iOS development after long break what updates matter most
Hey everyone, I’ve been building iOS apps since 2011, released several, took a four-year break, and recently launched two new apps, but the ecosystem feels very different now. Earlier, new apps saw strong first-day downloads and fast Google indexing, while today my App Store pages took weeks to appear and show almost no organic traction without promotion, so I’m curious if others notice this and how developers now gain discovery.
2
0
184
Feb ’26
New App Submission Stuck in “Waiting for Review” for 6 Days
Hello, I’m looking for guidance regarding a new app submission that has been in “Waiting for Review” status for 6 days now, with no change or additional communication. This is a brand-new app submission (not an update). There have been no metadata changes or rejections — it has remained in the waiting state since submission. I completely understand that review times can vary depending on workload and complexity. I just wanted to check whether this timeframe is currently normal, or if there may be something specific I should verify on my end. The app is an educational medical application, and all content is original. There are no unusual entitlements, external payment systems, or restricted APIs involved. If anyone from Apple or fellow developers has insight into whether extended “Waiting for Review” times are currently common, I would appreciate your input. Thank you in advance.
1
0
86
Feb ’26
App is stuck in "Waiting for review" for more than a month, going past my launching deadline
Hi, I'm here hoping for some help or advice in terms of a critical situation I'm currently facing. I've submitted an iOS app more than one month ago, it was quickly got review and rejected twice, and when I re-submit the third time with new build, it then was stuck in the "Waiting for review" status for about 3 weeks. Then, I decided to withdraw the submission and re-submit again, but it doesn't work and remain "Waiting for review" status until now. During these waiting period, I’ve contacted Apple Support multiple times through mails, and received confirmation that my expedited review request was approved. However, no progress has been made since then. Here is a quick summary of the timeline Initial submission: July 29, 2025 Rejected due to Guideline 4.2.2 & 2.1: July 30, 2025 Second submission: Aug 4, 2025 Rejected due to Guideline 4.2.2 & 4.2.0: Aug 6, 2025 Third submission: Aug 6, 2025 Withdraw third & create forth submission: Aug 25, 2025 If anyone from the App Review team sees this post, or if any developers have experienced a similar situation and can offer advice, we would be truly grateful. Thank you in advance for your time and support.
2
0
186
Feb ’26
Archiving Asset Pack for App B caused archive for App A Asset Pack
Hello, I've just been unfortunate enough to discover a critical issue. I have two apps using Asset Packs, and I believe both apps had an Asset Pack with the same identifier. In App Store Connect for App B, I archived this Asset Pack. However, the Asset Pack has been archived for both Apps. This shouldn't happen.
3
0
204
Feb ’26
App stuck in “In Review” status for over 7 days – normal delay?
Hello everyone, I wanted to check if anyone else has experienced longer App Review delays recently. Our recent app submission has been in the “In Review” status for more than 7 days (since Jan 15, 10:44 PM). In our previous submissions, reviews usually started or completed within a few days, so this delay feels unusual. Current situation: No messages or rejection notes from Apple No metadata or compliance issues flagged Status remains “In Review” without updates I’d appreciate guidance from the community: • Is this type of delay normal these days? • Could this indicate a manual or extended review? • At what point should we contact App Review directly? • What is the best way to contact App Store / App Review support regarding a stuck review? If anyone has faced a similar delay and can share their experience or advice, it would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your help.
2
1
290
Feb ’26
Why isn’t my app showing up in App Store search results?
I recently released the first version of my app, and it was discoverable via App Store search. After pushing an update with bug fixes and improved keywords/category, the new version went live and showed as “Ready for Sale” within hours. However, since the update, the app no longer appears in App Store search results - even when searched using its exact name. It’s still accessible through the direct link. Any insights or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
2
0
179
Feb ’26
Is iOS ASO mainly about optimizing the title subtitle and keyword fields
I have been exploring App Store Optimization and noticed that Apple primarily uses the App Name, Subtitle, and Keyword field as the main text based ranking signals according to official and third party sources. Are these the only factors that truly impact iOS ASO, or do elements like the app description and promotional text indirectly influence visibility, conversion, or ranking updates over time, and how frequently should subtitles and keywords be revised after launch.
2
0
204
Feb ’26
ITMS-90426: Invalid Swift Support
Hi,Having issues uploading our build to App Store Connect for use in TestFlight. We get a success when building through Xcode, but we get an email after it uploads via archive manager stating "ITMS-90426: Invalid Swift Support - The SwiftSupport folder is missing. Rebuild your app using the current public (GM) version of Xcode and resubmit it.". We have confirmed that we don't have any Swift dependencies and that we are running the latest Xcode (v11.3.1). We've also tried to build/deploy this on multiple computers with the same error. Our app was built using Unity, then brought into Xcode to build/deploy from there. We have never had any Swift dependencies in our project. We are able to deploy directly to our devices, but it seems that the only time we run into issues is trying to. Any help is appreciated.
8
1
15k
Feb ’26
Approved app stuck in “Ready for Distribution” — release controls disabled
My iOS app has passed App Review and is marked “Ready for Distribution,” but App Store Connect does not allow me to release it because the App Store Version Release controls are disabled. App Review is closed and the Resolution Center is unavailable. I have submitted multiple Apple Developer Support cases and called phone support, but the issue remains unresolved. This appears to be an App Store Connect backend state issue affecting a first-time app with subscriptions. Can Apple engineering assist in unlocking release permissions for iOS version 1.0?
1
0
175
Feb ’26
Cloud signing: Validation failed (409) Invalid Signature. Code failed to satisfy specified code requirement(s)
I'm attempting to use Cloud Signing to export the Release version of 3 different apps for App Store, as described in https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2021/10204/ The process completes successfully, and appears to be signed correctly, with a newly-created certificate in the developer portal of type "Distribution Managed". When I upload to App Store Connect however, I see the following error for several third-party Swift packages, distributed as frameworks: Validation failed (409) Invalid Signature. Code failed to satisfy specified code requirement(s). The file at path “MyApp.app/Frameworks/MyFramework.framework/MyFramework” is not properly signed. Make sure you have signed your application with a distribution certificate, not an ad hoc certificate or a development certificate. Verify that the code signing settings in Xcode are correct at the target level (which override any values at the project level). Additionally, make sure the bundle you are uploading was built using a Release target in Xcode, not a Simulator target. If you are certain your code signing settings are correct, choose “Clean All” in Xcode, delete the “build” directory in the Finder, and rebuild your release target. For more information, please consult https://developer.apple.com/support/code-signing. If I have a manually created Distribution certificate installed in the keychain at the point of export, the same archive is signed with that certificate, and is accepted by App Store Connect without issue. The xcodebuild command I am using (roughly): xcodebuild -exportArchive \ -archivePath "$ARCHIVE_PATH" \ -exportPath "$EXPORT_PATH" \ -exportOptionsPlist "$EXPORT_OPTIONS" \ -authenticationKeyPath "$API_KEY" \ -authenticationKeyID "$API_KEY_ID" \ -authenticationKeyIssuerID "$API_KEY_ISSUER" \ -allowProvisioningUpdates The plist: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "<http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd>"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>method</key> <string>app-store-connect</string> <key>teamID</key> <string>$TEAM</string> <key>uploadSymbols</key> <true/> <key>signingStyle</key> <string>automatic</string> </dict> </plist> Is what I’m trying to do supported? Is this a bug?
0
0
132
Feb ’26
How can responding to user reviews effectively contribute to improving ASO performance?
Responding to reviews helps ASO because it encourages better user sentiment, improves rating recovery, and builds trust for new users checking your app. Converting negative reviews into positive ones has a strong impact on ranking. Engaging consistently with users is one of the simplest ways to strengthen overall ASO performance.
2
1
162
Feb ’26
Did Apple adjust ASO ranking factors? Metadata and rankings appear impacted.
Noticed a sudden drop in my keyword rankings recently and after some digging, it looks like Apple rolled out a major ASO update, which a lot of developers seem to be talking about. Curious if anyone has insights on what specifically changed - it seems like the app title may no longer hold the same weight in keyword rankings.
2
1
171
Feb ’26
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?
0
0
105
Feb ’26
App Still “Waiting for Review” Since Feb 2 – Is This Normal?
Hello everyone, I submitted my app USDT Miner – Rig Manager to App Store Connect on February 2, and it has been in “Waiting for Review” status since then. I understand that review times can vary, but it has now been several days without any status change or feedback. This is my first submission for this app, and there are no resolution center messages or rejection notices so far. I wanted to ask: Is this delay normal at the moment? Are there any known review backlogs or factors that could cause an extended “Waiting for Review” status? Is there anything recommended to do from the developer side, or should I simply continue waiting? Any insights from Apple staff or fellow developers who’ve experienced similar delays would be appreciated. Thank you.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
87
Activity
Feb ’26
Remove/delete current version and create new version
I had to create a new version (26.01.1) for my app in order to provide updates to the age ratings prior to the end of January, 2026. The problem is that this version wasn't production/release ready, but nonetheless I created this version to answer the updated age ratings. I now have a production ready version (26.02.1), but I do not see any way to cancel/delete this current version in order to create a new version with the 26.02.1 build I've uploaded. What are my options? Must I submit 26.01.1 for review and distribute it and then I will see the + icon to be able to create a new release?
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
91
Activity
Feb ’26
Stuck in "Waiting for Review" for 11 Days - Missed Critical Launch Date
I am looking for some insight into current App Store review times. The Situation: I submitted my new app for its first review on February 3rd. It has been sitting in the "Waiting for Review" state for 11 days now and has not moved to "In Review." The Impact: We had a major launch event planned for today (Feb 14). We have marketing campaigns live and users waiting, but we have officially missed our launch window because the app is still sitting in the queue. My Questions: Is anyone else experiencing wait times this long (10+ days) just to enter the review stage? How much time does it typically take for a first-time submission to go live once it finally enters review? Is there any way to flag this delay if it has exceeded the standard 48-hour window? We are losing marketing budget every hour this is delayed. Any advice on how to get this moving would be appreciated. Thanks.
Replies
6
Boosts
4
Views
372
Activity
Feb ’26
Pending Termination - No Response to Appeal, App In Review
Dear Apple Team, I am writing regarding our pending account termination. Timeline: January 25, 2026: Received Pending Termination Notice January 25, 2026: Submitted appeal and corrective update February 5, 2026: Responded to DPLA compliance notice February 10, 2026: Submitted follow-up via Review Board and Contact Us Current: Corrective update remains In Review, no response received We have submitted corrective updates addressing all identified issues. The corrected version is currently In Review. With the February 24 deadline approaching and no feedback received through any channel, we are concerned about the status of our appeal. We remain fully committed to compliance and respectfully request confirmation that our appeal is being reviewed. Thank you.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
118
Activity
Feb ’26
Would practical ASO sessions help developers improve results?
I see many developers struggling with ASO where AI written content does not deliver results, performance analysis is unclear, localization is ignored, App Store optimization is incomplete, and keywords are often poorly chosen. I am considering running two simple group sessions to share practical tips and show clear ways to improve ASO with real effort involved, and I would like feedback on this idea whether offered for a small fee or even for free.
Replies
1
Boosts
1
Views
59
Activity
Feb ’26
Rejoining iOS development after long break what updates matter most
Hey everyone, I’ve been building iOS apps since 2011, released several, took a four-year break, and recently launched two new apps, but the ecosystem feels very different now. Earlier, new apps saw strong first-day downloads and fast Google indexing, while today my App Store pages took weeks to appear and show almost no organic traction without promotion, so I’m curious if others notice this and how developers now gain discovery.
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
184
Activity
Feb ’26
New App Submission Stuck in “Waiting for Review” for 6 Days
Hello, I’m looking for guidance regarding a new app submission that has been in “Waiting for Review” status for 6 days now, with no change or additional communication. This is a brand-new app submission (not an update). There have been no metadata changes or rejections — it has remained in the waiting state since submission. I completely understand that review times can vary depending on workload and complexity. I just wanted to check whether this timeframe is currently normal, or if there may be something specific I should verify on my end. The app is an educational medical application, and all content is original. There are no unusual entitlements, external payment systems, or restricted APIs involved. If anyone from Apple or fellow developers has insight into whether extended “Waiting for Review” times are currently common, I would appreciate your input. Thank you in advance.
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
86
Activity
Feb ’26
App is stuck in "Waiting for review" for more than a month, going past my launching deadline
Hi, I'm here hoping for some help or advice in terms of a critical situation I'm currently facing. I've submitted an iOS app more than one month ago, it was quickly got review and rejected twice, and when I re-submit the third time with new build, it then was stuck in the "Waiting for review" status for about 3 weeks. Then, I decided to withdraw the submission and re-submit again, but it doesn't work and remain "Waiting for review" status until now. During these waiting period, I’ve contacted Apple Support multiple times through mails, and received confirmation that my expedited review request was approved. However, no progress has been made since then. Here is a quick summary of the timeline Initial submission: July 29, 2025 Rejected due to Guideline 4.2.2 & 2.1: July 30, 2025 Second submission: Aug 4, 2025 Rejected due to Guideline 4.2.2 & 4.2.0: Aug 6, 2025 Third submission: Aug 6, 2025 Withdraw third & create forth submission: Aug 25, 2025 If anyone from the App Review team sees this post, or if any developers have experienced a similar situation and can offer advice, we would be truly grateful. Thank you in advance for your time and support.
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
186
Activity
Feb ’26
Archiving Asset Pack for App B caused archive for App A Asset Pack
Hello, I've just been unfortunate enough to discover a critical issue. I have two apps using Asset Packs, and I believe both apps had an Asset Pack with the same identifier. In App Store Connect for App B, I archived this Asset Pack. However, the Asset Pack has been archived for both Apps. This shouldn't happen.
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
204
Activity
Feb ’26
Can not access App Store Connect or use any service from Apple Developer Account
Currently, I have purchased the Apple Developer Program for 4 days. However, I can not access or hear any news from Apple team that where I was wrong or do my account have any problems.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
49
Activity
Feb ’26
App stuck in “In Review” status for over 7 days – normal delay?
Hello everyone, I wanted to check if anyone else has experienced longer App Review delays recently. Our recent app submission has been in the “In Review” status for more than 7 days (since Jan 15, 10:44 PM). In our previous submissions, reviews usually started or completed within a few days, so this delay feels unusual. Current situation: No messages or rejection notes from Apple No metadata or compliance issues flagged Status remains “In Review” without updates I’d appreciate guidance from the community: • Is this type of delay normal these days? • Could this indicate a manual or extended review? • At what point should we contact App Review directly? • What is the best way to contact App Store / App Review support regarding a stuck review? If anyone has faced a similar delay and can share their experience or advice, it would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your help.
Replies
2
Boosts
1
Views
290
Activity
Feb ’26
Why isn’t my app showing up in App Store search results?
I recently released the first version of my app, and it was discoverable via App Store search. After pushing an update with bug fixes and improved keywords/category, the new version went live and showed as “Ready for Sale” within hours. However, since the update, the app no longer appears in App Store search results - even when searched using its exact name. It’s still accessible through the direct link. Any insights or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
179
Activity
Feb ’26
Is iOS ASO mainly about optimizing the title subtitle and keyword fields
I have been exploring App Store Optimization and noticed that Apple primarily uses the App Name, Subtitle, and Keyword field as the main text based ranking signals according to official and third party sources. Are these the only factors that truly impact iOS ASO, or do elements like the app description and promotional text indirectly influence visibility, conversion, or ranking updates over time, and how frequently should subtitles and keywords be revised after launch.
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
204
Activity
Feb ’26
ITMS-90426: Invalid Swift Support
Hi,Having issues uploading our build to App Store Connect for use in TestFlight. We get a success when building through Xcode, but we get an email after it uploads via archive manager stating "ITMS-90426: Invalid Swift Support - The SwiftSupport folder is missing. Rebuild your app using the current public (GM) version of Xcode and resubmit it.". We have confirmed that we don't have any Swift dependencies and that we are running the latest Xcode (v11.3.1). We've also tried to build/deploy this on multiple computers with the same error. Our app was built using Unity, then brought into Xcode to build/deploy from there. We have never had any Swift dependencies in our project. We are able to deploy directly to our devices, but it seems that the only time we run into issues is trying to. Any help is appreciated.
Replies
8
Boosts
1
Views
15k
Activity
Feb ’26
Approved app stuck in “Ready for Distribution” — release controls disabled
My iOS app has passed App Review and is marked “Ready for Distribution,” but App Store Connect does not allow me to release it because the App Store Version Release controls are disabled. App Review is closed and the Resolution Center is unavailable. I have submitted multiple Apple Developer Support cases and called phone support, but the issue remains unresolved. This appears to be an App Store Connect backend state issue affecting a first-time app with subscriptions. Can Apple engineering assist in unlocking release permissions for iOS version 1.0?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
175
Activity
Feb ’26
Cloud signing: Validation failed (409) Invalid Signature. Code failed to satisfy specified code requirement(s)
I'm attempting to use Cloud Signing to export the Release version of 3 different apps for App Store, as described in https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2021/10204/ The process completes successfully, and appears to be signed correctly, with a newly-created certificate in the developer portal of type "Distribution Managed". When I upload to App Store Connect however, I see the following error for several third-party Swift packages, distributed as frameworks: Validation failed (409) Invalid Signature. Code failed to satisfy specified code requirement(s). The file at path “MyApp.app/Frameworks/MyFramework.framework/MyFramework” is not properly signed. Make sure you have signed your application with a distribution certificate, not an ad hoc certificate or a development certificate. Verify that the code signing settings in Xcode are correct at the target level (which override any values at the project level). Additionally, make sure the bundle you are uploading was built using a Release target in Xcode, not a Simulator target. If you are certain your code signing settings are correct, choose “Clean All” in Xcode, delete the “build” directory in the Finder, and rebuild your release target. For more information, please consult https://developer.apple.com/support/code-signing. If I have a manually created Distribution certificate installed in the keychain at the point of export, the same archive is signed with that certificate, and is accepted by App Store Connect without issue. The xcodebuild command I am using (roughly): xcodebuild -exportArchive \ -archivePath "$ARCHIVE_PATH" \ -exportPath "$EXPORT_PATH" \ -exportOptionsPlist "$EXPORT_OPTIONS" \ -authenticationKeyPath "$API_KEY" \ -authenticationKeyID "$API_KEY_ID" \ -authenticationKeyIssuerID "$API_KEY_ISSUER" \ -allowProvisioningUpdates The plist: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "<http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd>"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>method</key> <string>app-store-connect</string> <key>teamID</key> <string>$TEAM</string> <key>uploadSymbols</key> <true/> <key>signingStyle</key> <string>automatic</string> </dict> </plist> Is what I’m trying to do supported? Is this a bug?
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
132
Activity
Feb ’26
How Are Indie iOS Developers Coping with ASO Challenges in 2025?
ASO often feels like a constant uphill battle for indie iOS devs - the rules keep shifting, results are unpredictable, and competing with big-budget apps can be discouraging. Has anyone here actually figured out what truly works for indie apps, or is ASO just a never-ending grind we all face?
Replies
2
Boosts
1
Views
143
Activity
Feb ’26
How can responding to user reviews effectively contribute to improving ASO performance?
Responding to reviews helps ASO because it encourages better user sentiment, improves rating recovery, and builds trust for new users checking your app. Converting negative reviews into positive ones has a strong impact on ranking. Engaging consistently with users is one of the simplest ways to strengthen overall ASO performance.
Replies
2
Boosts
1
Views
162
Activity
Feb ’26
Did Apple adjust ASO ranking factors? Metadata and rankings appear impacted.
Noticed a sudden drop in my keyword rankings recently and after some digging, it looks like Apple rolled out a major ASO update, which a lot of developers seem to be talking about. Curious if anyone has insights on what specifically changed - it seems like the app title may no longer hold the same weight in keyword rankings.
Replies
2
Boosts
1
Views
171
Activity
Feb ’26
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
0
Boosts
0
Views
105
Activity
Feb ’26