I'm trying to submit a macOS window manager app to the Mac App Store. The app uses the Accessibility API (AXUIElement) to read and write window positions, which requires the user to grant Accessibility permission in System Settings.
My submission is being rejected by the automated checker with error 90296: "App sandbox not enabled."
If we enable App sandbox then the app does not work at all.
However, I can see at least one currently-shipping Mac App Store app in the same category (window management) that does not have the com.apple.security.app-sandbox entitlement set to true, yet it was clearly approved and continues to receive updates built with current versions of Xcode.
The AXUIElement write API (AXUIElementSetAttributeValue) does not function correctly within the App Sandbox, even when the user has granted Accessibility permission. This makes the sandbox requirement incompatible with the core functionality of window manager apps.
My questions:
- Is there an entitlement or exception available for apps that require Accessibility API write access?
- Is there a way to request a sandbox exemption for this category of app? I cant even upload it.
- Is the existing app on the store grandfathered, and if so, how do new window manager apps get approved?
- Any guidance appreciated.
Thanks