Hey everyone,
I’m looking for advice from anyone who’s been through something similar.
My Apple Developer account was recently terminated due to what Apple described as “concept or feature switching.” After digging into it more, I believe this happened because I made updates to my app after it was approved without submitting a new version for review.
Here’s what I changed:
Added a new screen (friends list) that required navigation changes
Updated parts of the UI (visual improvements)
Added a feature (button that helps users structure a plan)
Enabled Google sign-in
I did not change payments, subscriptions, or the core purpose of the app.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand that these kinds of changes (especially anything affecting navigation or features) need to go through a new App Store submission rather than being updated remotely. I now understand how Apple could see this as bypassing the review process.
Since then, I’ve:
Stopped all over-the-air/runtime updates
Made sure the app matches the last reviewed version
Put a plan in place to use proper versioning for all future changes
I submitted an appeal, but it was denied and my account has now been terminated. Apple mentioned I can submit a petition for reinstatement.
I’d really appreciate any guidance on:
Has anyone successfully gotten their account reinstated after something like this?
What helped your case?
Anything I should emphasize (or avoid) in the reinstatement petition?
I’m trying to fully align with the guidelines moving forward and just want to handle this the right way.
Thanks in advance 🙏