App Submission

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Submit your apps to the App Store using App Store Connect.

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Review taking much longer than usual
Hi everyone, Just wanted to ask if anyone else has noticed longer-than-normal review times recently. Our latest app has been sitting in “In Review” for more than a week now. Normally our apps get reviewed much faster, so we’re unsure if this is just a backlog or something else. Currently: No communication from Apple No visible issues in metadata Review status hasn’t changed Curious to know: • Are others seeing similar delays? • Does this usually mean a deeper/manual review? • When should we reach out to Apple? • How do you usually contact App Review for status checks? Would love to hear your experiences. Thanks!
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1st App rejected because it is too similar to my webpage
I received this message "Your app provides a limited user experience as it is not sufficiently different from a web browsing experience." It needs to be more robust and native. When submitting this the app had: Push Notifications Core Location Phone Contact access So now I am adding: Haptic feedback Quick touch actions A more robust add to calendar function. (the app does scheduling) But is this enough for resubmission? I am not really sure what is considered "robust" and "more native".... that is vague.
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App flagged as duplicate/similar after internal testing on another account
Hello everyone, I’m a developer working for a client company, and I’m trying to publish an iOS app from their Apple Developer account. The app is 100% original and fully developed by me and my team (no templates, no third-party source code reuse, no republished app). During development, I previously uploaded internal test builds of the same project to my personal Apple Developer account for testing purposes, using a different Bundle ID. Now that we are ready to release, we submitted the app from the client's account, and the submission appears to be blocked/rejected due to similarity/duplicate detection (Design Spam: 4.3.0). My questions: What is the recommended Apple process in this situation? Is App Transfer required/expected even if the previous builds on my account were only for internal testing and never publicly released? If App Transfer is not applicable, what is the best way to document that this is the same original app, now being published under the client’s account (authorization/ownership)? Does removing/deleting the test app/builds from my personal account help at all, or is it better to leave history as-is and only provide an explanation to App Review? Any guidance from developers who faced a similar issue (or from Apple engineers) would be really appreciated. Thank you.
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Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam
I've been rejected by Apple many times for design spam. I'm confused whether this is because I'm reusing codebase or because my app is similar to other apps on the store. However, very few other apps on the App Store are similar to mine, so I don't think I'm spamming. Could you please tell me how to fix this? Should I refect the codebase or completely redesign the app's features? Thank you for reading!
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Subscriptions stuck in App Store Connect, app versions accepted but no IAP attached
Hi, Anyone else hitting this App Store Connect issue? I have now submitted two app versions. Both get accepted and I can release them, but the subscriptions are never included. What is happening: App versions get approved normally No “In-App Purchases” section appears on the app version review page Subscriptions page shows subscriptions stuck on “In Review” for 10 days Subscription localization is “Rejected” and completely locked I cannot edit, recreate, or resubmit anything related to subscriptions.. Tried submitting a new app version again, same result. App approved, subscriptions still stuck. So I keep releasing without subscriptions every time 🤦‍♂️ Anyone experienced this or found a way to unblock subscriptions when localization is rejected and locked? Thanks!
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Jan ’26
How do individuals complete the VAT ID field when only companies register for VAT?
I have published a number of games under my account so far (before I let my account expire and 2 since I reactivated it) but now that I want to update my latest app I am told I can't submit it for review because my tax information is not up to date Looking at the missing info I see they want my VAT ID. That is the only thing missing on my account. Problem is that I am not a company and thus don't have a VAT ID. Now what? Does this mean I can never publish or update any app on iStore ever again until I change over to a business account and somehow make R50,000 outside of the App Store??? I am honestly stumped and don't know what to do :( Here in South Africa you are required to get a VAT ID if you earned over R1,000,000 in 12 months but you are allowed to voluntarily apply for a VAT ID once you earned over R50,000 for the year. In both cases, though, you have to be a company to apply. Individuals have to use their Tax Reference Number in place of a VAT ID whenever a VAT ID is required. So I try to use my TRN with App Store Connect and it just says my TRN is not valid. I copy paste it directly from the South African Revenue Services website to App Store Connect so it is absolutely correct and yet, Apple is saying "Nope, we don't like that number. Choose another one". So what do I do? 🤷
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Jan ’26
Requesting for response to appeal submitted
On January 1, 2026, we received a notice regarding the potential removal of our app with a 30-day resolution deadline. We treated this matter with immediate urgency and submitted an appeal on the same day. However, two weeks have passed without any feedback or clarification. As we have not yet received specific details regarding the violation, we are unable to identify the exact cause or take the necessary corrective actions. With only two weeks remaining in the compliance window, it is critical for us to understand the issue promptly to resolve it before the deadline. Could you please provide an update on the status of our appeal? We are fully committed to complying with App Store policies. If there are any additional materials required or proactive steps we should take while waiting, please let us know.
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Jan ’26
iOS 18 DeviceActivityReportExtension fails TestFlight validation - No workaround exists?
I'm stuck in an impossible situation with DeviceActivityReportExtension on iOS 18. THE ISSUE: Configuration that works on device (iOS 18.2): Info.plist has only NSExtensionPointIdentifier Swift code uses u/main attribute App installs and runs perfectly Extension works correctly App Store validation FAILS: "Missing NSExtensionPrincipalClass" Adding NSExtensionPrincipalClass (as validation requests): Device installation FAILS with Error 3002 Error says: "NSExtensionPrincipalClass key is not allowed for this extension point" Cannot test on device Validation would likely pass ENVIRONMENT: Xcode 16.2 iOS 18.2 Extension point: com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension EVIDENCE IT'S WIDESPREAD: Apple Forums (3 days ago): https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/812380 Stack Overflow (1+ year): https://stackoverflow.com/questions/77866230/ ROOT CAUSE: iOS 18 changed this extension to use u/main pattern (no NSExtensionPrincipalClass needed). App Store validation hasn't been updated and still expects iOS 17 configuration. WHAT I'VE TRIED: ✅ All deployment targets set to iOS 18.3 ✅ Code follows Apple's WWDC 2022 guidance ✅ All entitlements correct ✅ Info.plist validated ✅ Clean builds ✅ Works perfectly on device No configuration satisfies both device runtime AND App Store validation. Has anyone successfully uploaded an app with DeviceActivityReportExtension to TestFlight on iOS 18? Any workarounds? This is blocking TestFlight deployment completely.
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Jan ’26
It’s been three weeks, why is our app still under review?
We submitted a build on the 26th, but it stayed in “Waiting for Review” until January 3rd. Thinking something was wrong, we withdrew it and resubmitted, but after 5 days it’s still pending. We have an important campaign in January and this delay is seriously affecting us. We also emailed support but haven’t received any reply. How can we resolve this?
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Jan ’26
Validation failed (-19241) The app contains one or more corrupted binaries. Rebuild the app and resubmit.
I am using XCode (Version 26.0.1 (17A400)) -> Archive -> Distribute App (or Validate App) to upload my iOS app into App Store Connect. However I am always getting this error: Uploading SPI errors: Validation failed (409) The app contains one or more corrupted binaries. Rebuild the app and resubmit. NSUnderlyingError : Validation failed (-19241) The app contains one or more corrupted binaries. Rebuild the app and resubmit. code : STATE_ERROR.VALIDATION_ERROR I tried exporting the app as an IPA and uploading with Transporter, but I see the same error. I couldn't find any other useful logs or error messages. More info: I have created the app in App Store Connect and this is my first time uploading. The app can build and run on my physical phone and emulator without any problem. Would be great to get some help! Thanks!
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Jan ’26
App stuck "in review" for 4 days and 20k users waiting for delayed launch
Hello Apple Developer Community and App Review Team, Please help! Our app is "In Review" status for 4 days on a resubmission. We have requested an expedited review on 30 December because we had a launch with 20k users. My Apple ID: 6745441830 SKU: panduoapp This delay has pushed our planned launch back by over a week, impacting more than 20,000 pre-registered users who are waiting to access the app's core features (AI interactions, community, etc.). My developer had never seen this before and he got a new app submitted yesterday and got approved within 3 hours. Is this level of "In Review" time common right now during the post-holiday period? We've seen quick reviews on other similar apps recently, so wondering if this might be stuck or require a nudge. Any advice on next steps (beyond Resolution Center inquiry) or similar experiences? We've double-checked build attachment, IAP config, paywall links, and reviewer notes (including demo access). Thank you!
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Jan ’26
Use of non-public or deprecated APIs
Hello, "This issue is blocking App store approval" I have tried pushing my application to Appstore. However it has been rejected on the following ground: _"As we discussed, the app uses or references the following non-public or deprecated APIs: Frameworks/CommonLibrary.framework/CommonLibrary Symbols: • _SecCertificateIsValid The use of non-public or deprecated APIs is not permitted, as they can lead to a poor user experience should these APIs change and are otherwise not supported on Apple platforms."_ I have scanned the app using "strings" tool & "otool -ov" tool. But they have come out clean. No Non-public or deprecated APIs detected. Please advise which tool can be used to scan the CL to locate where the deprecated API or non-public API lies and also how to rectify the same. Thanks Saikat Bakshi.
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Jan ’26
ITMS-90555: On-Demand Resources exceed 30GB after App Thinning – Need clarification on variant size calculation
Hello, I am encountering the following error when uploading a build to App Store Connect: ITMS-90555: Thinned app size is too large – Your on-demand resources in the universal variant are 30 GB, which exceeds the maximum allowable size. After app thinning, the total size of your on-demand resource asset packs in any variant must be less than 30 GB. Our application includes a large amount of font resources delivered via ODR. Before making structural changes, I need clarification because the documentation does not fully explain how ODR size calculations work per variant. Environment Xcode: (latest stable) Distribution method: App Store submission ODR total size before thinning: approximately (28 GB) Build processing fails immediately with the ITMS-90555 error Questions How exactly does App Thinning compute the size of ODR asset packs per variant? Is ODR size evaluated: Per device-specific variant, Or is the “universal variant” treated as an additional variant that must independently stay under 30GB? The documentation mentions a 30GB limit per variant, but the universal variant error message is ambiguous. If device-specific variants are below 30GB but only the “universal variant” exceeds it, is the build still rejected? In our case: iPhone-only variants appear to be below the limit, But the universal variant exceeds 30GB due to aggregated resources. Is this expected behavior? Best practices for managing very large ODR sets (e.g., fonts) Fonts are small individually, but thousands of them produce very large ODR groups. Is there recommended guidance from Apple for: Structuring ODR bundles to avoid the universal variant exceeding the limit Segmenting ODR by device class / feature sets Any alternative packaging strategies Are there tools or logs that reveal how App Store Connect decides variant groupings and ODR size? At the moment, the failure only shows the ITMS-90555 error without further detail. Case-ID for DTS reference DTS advised submitting this question here. Case-ID: 17273913 Any clarification from Apple engineers or community members who have navigated ODR size limits would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!
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Jan ’26
Experience feedback after an App Store rejection (Guideline 4.3 – Design: Spam)
Hi everyone, my name is Donovan, I am sharing here the official response I received from Apple following my appeal with App Review Board (image attached). For context, I am an independent developer and a student, working alone. This application was originally created as a student project, with a very simple goal: to improve my skills in mobile application development and to understand the entire creation cycle, from the initial idea to a genuinely usable application. What was meant to be an exercise gradually became a real product. Over time, many people tested the project, used it, provided positive feedback, and encouraged me to take it all the way. That is why I decided to continue it, structure it properly, and finalize it with the level of seriousness expected from a public-facing application. Today, the application is a dating and social connection app, entirely free, with no blocking paid features, funded only by light and optional advertising. It follows the rules, works correctly, and offers features that Apple itself acknowledged as useful and informative. And yet, after review, the message is clear: it is not the quality that is being questioned, but the category. Because it is a dating app, a category considered saturated, two years of independent, self-funded work, carried out seriously and in compliance with the rules, can simply be dismissed. What is being judged here is not the work itself. It is the right to enter. The “unique and very high-quality experience” being required appears to be a threshold reserved for those who are already established, visible, or funded. For a serious student project carried by a single developer, the door remains closed, cleanly, politely, definitively. For those who still wish to see what the application looks like, I have attached a few images illustrating the interface and the main features. Unfortunately, this will likely be the only way to discover it on iOS. Under these conditions, the conclusion is pragmatic. Rather than continuing to defend the very existence of an honest and free project, it becomes more coherent to invest my energy where it is genuinely accepted. On its side, Android validated the project without difficulty. It still allows an independent developer to propose an idea, let it evolve, and bring it to completion without requiring prior success just to earn the right to try. It is therefore very likely that these two years of development will never make it to the App Store. Not out of frustration. Out of clarity. I am publishing this message not to provoke, but to inform other independent developers: Apple is a remarkable platform, provided you are already established on it. And this is a reality worth knowing before turning a student project into a life project. Screenshots:
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Dec ’25
DeviceActivity Report Extension cannot pass App Store Connect validation without becoming un-installable on device
I'm running into a contradictory requirement involving the DeviceActivity Report extension (com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension) that makes it impossible to both: upload the app to App Store Connect, and install the app on a physical device. This creates a complete catch-22. 📌 Overview My extension: Path: Runner.app/PlugIns/LoADeviceActivityReport.appex Extension point: com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension Implementation (SwiftUI): import SwiftUI import DeviceActivity @main struct LoADeviceActivityReport: DeviceActivityReportExtension { var body: some DeviceActivityReportScene { // ... } } This is the standard SwiftUI @main DeviceActivityReportExtension template. 🟥 Side A — iOS runtime behavior (device installer) If I add either of these keys to the extension's Info.plist: NSExtensionPrincipalClass NSExtensionMainStoryboard then the app cannot be installed on a real iPhone/iPad. The device installer fails with: Error 3002 AppexBundleContainsClassOrStoryboard NSExtensionPrincipalClass and NSExtensionMainStoryboard are not allowed for extension point com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension. To make the app install and run, I must remove both keys completely. This leaves the extension Info.plist like: NSExtension NSExtensionPointIdentifier com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension With this, the app installs and runs correctly. 🟥 Side B — App Store Connect upload validator However, when I upload the IPA with the runtime-correct Info.plist, App Store Connect rejects it: State: STATE_ERROR.VALIDATION_ERROR (HTTP 409) Missing Info.plist values. No values for NSExtensionMainStoryboard or NSExtensionPrincipalClass found in extension Info.plist for Runner.app/PlugIns/LoADeviceActivityReport.appex. So ASC requires that at least one of those keys be present. 💥 The catch-22 If I add PrincipalClass / MainStoryboard: ✔ App Store Connect validation passes ❌ But the app can NOT be installed on any device (Error 3002) If I remove PrincipalClass / MainStoryboard: ✔ The app installs and runs correctly ❌ ASC rejects the upload with “Missing Info.plist values” There is currently NO Info.plist configuration that satisfies both: Runtime: "NSExtensionPrincipalClass and NSExtensionMainStoryboard are not allowed." App Store Connect: "You must include NSExtensionPrincipalClass or NSExtensionMainStoryboard." 📌 Expected behavior For SwiftUI @main DeviceActivityReportExtension, the documentation and examples suggest the correct configuration is: NSExtensionPointIdentifier com.apple.deviceactivityui.report-extension with no principal class or storyboard at all. If that is correct for runtime, ASC seems to need updated validation rules for this extension type. ❓My Questions What is the officially correct Info.plist configuration for a SwiftUI DeviceActivityReportExtension? Should principal class / storyboard not be required for this extension type? Is this a known issue with App Store Connect validation? Is there currently a workaround that allows: installation on device and successful App Store Connect upload, without violating runtime restrictions?
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Dec ’25
新增In-app Purchase更新App,一直处于In Review,没有结果,如何解决呢?
在已经上架的App,新增In-app Purchase,6小时后正在审核,一周过去了,还是In Review,没有收到结果,发邮件询问,让继续等待,正常都是48小时有结果的,,不知道遇到什么问题, 如何去解决这个问题呢? 挺焦虑的....... On the already listed App, I added "In-App Purchase". It was under Review 6 hours later. A week has passed and it's still "In Review". I haven't received the result yet. I sent an email to inquire and asked to keep waiting. Normally, there is a result within 48 hours. I don't know what problem I encountered and how to solve it. Quite anxious....... Quite anxious.......
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Dec ’25
App Icon - Requirements
I've been able to submit my app without issue so far until today, but it looks like app icon requirements either changed or being enforced differently? Validation failed Missing required icon file. The bundle does not contain an app icon for iPhone / iPod Touch of exactly '120x120' pixels, in .png format for iOS versions >= 10.0. To support older versions of iOS, the icon may be required in the bundle outside of an asset catalog. Make sure the Info.plist file includes appropriate entries referencing the file. See https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information_property_list/user_interface. (ID: 954a36b1-b212-4d7f-8a12-db2d6abe83e2) Validation failed Missing required icon file. The bundle does not contain an app icon for iPad of exactly '152x152' pixels, in .png format for iOS versions >= 10.0. To support older operating systems, the icon may be required in the bundle outside of an asset catalog. Make sure the Info.plist file includes appropriate entries referencing the file. See https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/information_property_list/user_interface. (ID: 7ded4fb3-a0f0-4542-9373-a3dcf9ace3ef) Validation failed Missing app icon. Include a large app icon as a 1024 by 1024 pixel PNG for the 'Any Appearance' image well in the asset catalog of apps built for iOS or iPadOS. Without this icon, apps can't be submitted for review. For details, visit: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/configuring-your-app-icon. (ID: 43a6785a-3917-4ac9-90b1-dc85d5b2fdd8) Contents.json I already have a 1024x1024 PNG for 'Any Apperance' so not sure what that one is about. The others I cannot find slots for, to provide a generic icon even though they wont be used since my app is only for iOS18+ I attempted adding a new icon set "App Icon" with the 120x120 PNG but that did not seem to work so I removed it. Any suggestions? *note I am also using the .Icon file created by Icon Composer (v3)
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Dec ’25
Same app name and Logo
Can multiple apps be published under the same organization that use the same logo and the same app name, but are intended for different regions? Each app will target a specific country or region, and the core functionality will be similar. I could not find any specific App Store Review Guideline stating whether it is allowed to have the same app name and branding for different regional versions. Is it necessary to differentiate the branding or name for each regional version to get approval during App Review?
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Nov ’25