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.

My app was reviewed and approved on Feb 3rd, and still does not show in app store. I have submitted a ticket to Apple Feb 3rd, and still have not received a reply. I get either 404, or "this app is not available your country or region". This does it for me, and anyone I've asked to try it. This is very confusing - please someone help! https://apps.apple.com/us/app/exp-lights/id6758403863

Hi Everyone 🙌 Who knows, additional content that downloads in install time are summarized to total app size in App Store page ? If yes, additional size going to WiFi/Cell download recommendations ? And what the limit ? Will be appreciate of all information, maybe someone using Background Asset extension :pray:

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.

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.

We have a legacy mobile application (bundle.identifier.1) and a new mobile application (bundle.identifier.2). They are nearly the exact same mobile app, but re-written in a new modern framework. We want to temporarily have both apps published and gracefully transition users from the old app to the new over several months so users can upgrade as they are ready. Once the legacy users are cut over, we want to transition all the legacy Ratings and Reviews to the new app. Is it possible to transfer Ratings and Reviews from the legacy app (bundle.identifier.1) to the new app (bundle.identifier.2)? I found lots of documentation on app transfers, but these are two separate apps in the same Developer Account and Account Holder. We want to have a flexible transition process but don't want to lose out on well established ratings and reviews.

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

I needed to change the bundleid in my app, so I created a new app and used the build I created with the same source code and deleted my old app completely, but my app is rejected for spam

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.

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!

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.

Good day, I've uploaded a build to TestFlight, but received an automated response with the following error: ITMS-90426: Invalid Swift Support - The SwiftSupport folder is missing. Rebuild your app using the current public (GM) version of Xcode and resubmit it. Our project started in Objective-C and have mixed swift class and pods. The last uploaded build without any automated response was Nov 8, 2023. I'm using XCode Version 26.0.1 (17A400). I've tried every way i found in internet and i'm not able to find any solution for this. ALWAYS_EMBED_SWIFT_STANDARD_LIBRARIES = YES use_frameworks! :linkage => :dynamic (in pods) We would appreciate any assistance in clarifying why this issue is occurring and how we should proceed to address it. Your guidance would mean a lot. Thank you.

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?

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.

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.

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?

I understand that private APIs are not permitted under Apple’s App Review Guidelines. However, our application requires I²C communication, and we are currently using the following APIs: IOAVServiceReadI2C IOAVServiceWriteI2C IOI2CSendRequest.These api's are not permitted by apple. I didnt found any alternative public api to achieve I²C communication. please suggest any public api's for the same or any chance to use this private api.

Hi, I recently built an app and I’m planning to publish it on the App Store. Since the Swift Student Challenge (SSC) is coming up, I’m also considering submitting the same project by converting it into a Swift Playground (with some content trimmed to meet the rules). I believe both I and the project are eligible. My question: if I publish the app on the App Store first and then submit it to SSC, could that violate the rules or lead to rejection? I also have a concern: because I’m a minor, Apple requires the App Store developer name to be my mother’s. However, the app was entirely developed by me. my mother and anyone else did not participate(My mother can't even use a computer.). I’m worried this might create confusion and make judges think I copied someone else’s work, which I did not. Would you recommend publishing on the App Store now, waiting until after SSC, or taking a different approach? Thank you.

Hello, When I recently distributed my app, I received the following warning message: "Starting April 2026, all visionOS apps must be built with the visionOS 26 SDK or later, included in Xcode 26 or later, in order to be uploaded to App Store Connect or submitted for distribution." However, the Apple Developer News page dated February 3 (https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=ueeok6yw) states that apps submitted to the App Store must meet the version 26 requirement starting April 28, 2026. I need to clarify whether the mandatory enforcement begins on April 1, 2026, or April 28, 2026. As the major specification changes in version 26 are significantly impacting our current app development, the exact deadline is critical for us to determine our updated development schedule. https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/814892 Thank you.

Hi All! I'm being asked to migrate an app which utilizes iCloud KVS (Key Value Storage). This ability is a new-ish feature, and the documentation about this is sparse [1]. Honestly, the entire documentation about the new iCloud transfer functionality seems to be missing. Same with Game Center / GameKit. While the docs say that it should work, I'd like to understand the process in more detail. Has anyone migrated an iCloud KVS app? What happens after the transfer goes through, but before the first release? Do I need to do anything special? I see that the Entitlements file has the TeamID in the Key Value store - is that fine? <key>com.apple.developer.ubiquity-kvstore-identifier</key> <string>$(TeamIdentifierPrefix)$(CFBundleIdentifier)</string> Can someone please share their experience? Thank you! [1] https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/transfer-an-app/overview-of-app-transfer