In this post, we'll share tips to help you submit apps that deliver original ideas to your users. When working on your app, focus on creating interesting, unique experiences that aren't already available. Apps that actively try to copy other apps won't pass review, and accounts that repeatedly submit copycat apps or attempt to impersonate a service will be closed. The rules that prevent copycat and impersonator apps from being distributed on the App Store are described in App Review Guideline 4.1: 4.1 Copycats (a) Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers. (b) Submitting apps which impersonate other apps or services is considered a violation of the Developer Code of Conduct and may result in removal from the Apple Developer Program.(c) You cannot use another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name, without approval from the developer. These requirements help make the App Store both a safe place for people to discover apps and a platform for all developers to be successful. Best Practices Here are three best practices that will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1: 1. Submit apps with unique content and features. People want apps that provide unique experiences. Find areas that aren't currently being served and build compelling apps for those audiences. Do: Create apps that provide a new experience or a unique spin on an existing concept. Design original, delightful interfaces that elegantly meet your user's needs. Don't: Don’t imitate the features and functionality of other apps. Don’t copy the look and feel of other apps, such as using an identical user interface design. 2. Make sure App Store metadata only contains relevant information and content you either own or have permission to use. The metadata provided in App Store Connect is used to populate your app's product page on the App Store. People rely on this metadata to learn about your app and what it has to offer. Leveraging the popularity of another brand or app, either by including irrelevant references or protected content, is misleading and won't help your app succeed. Do: Use engaging, descriptive language to describe your unique app. Create original content that best represents your app, such as screenshots showing the actual app in use. Don't: Don't use protected material you do not have the necessary permission to use, such as app icons that are similar to icons of a popular app. Don’t include irrelevant references, such as popular app names or trademarked terms, in any metadata fields. 3. Provide information that is authentic and verifiable. People want to know the developers behind their favorite apps are who they say they are. It's important to continually review and provide up-to-date information, including the developer or company name listed on your Apple Developer Program account, the Support URL listed on your app's product page, and other helpful information. This will enable your users to contact you when they need help and it will also hinder people who may try to impersonate you, your app, or your service. Do: Make sure all information, resources, and documentation related to your account and apps are current and accurate. Don't: Don’t provide inaccurate information or resources, such as directing people to outdated support pages. Don’t provide fraudulent documentation. Accounts that submit fraudulent documentation will be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Support Incorporating these best practices into your app's development will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1. If you need additional assistance, consider taking advantage of one of the following support options available from App Review: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review Appointment to discuss the results of our review. Appointments are subject to availability, and take place during local business hours in your region on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Resources Learn about foundational design principles from Apple designers and the developer community. Learn how to create engaging App Store product pages. Note that apps that violate intellectual property rights are subject to removal through the App Store Content Dispute process. If you believe an app on the App Store violates your intellectual property rights, you can submit a claim.

Here are some tips from App Review for a smooth review experience. We’ve split them into two categories: Before You Submit and After You Submit. We’ve also made an easy-to-follow Submission Guide you can save and reference at any point on your App Store journey. Before You Submit Tips Enable a complete review. Make sure you’ve provided demo accounts or implemented an account demonstration mode before you submit. We’ll need to review the entire app experience, both with and without an account. Provide up-to-date demo account login credentials in the App Review Information section on the app version page in App Store Connect. If your app has multiple account types (such as admin and general users), use the Notes field to provide additional demo account credentials for each account type. If your app requires an authentication code in addition to the login credentials, provide the code in advance in the Notes field. Otherwise, a call may be required to complete the review. Apps that handle sensitive user information, or operate in highly regulated industries, can implement demonstration modes that exhibit full features and functionality while using demonstration data. Use the Notes field in App Store Connect to provide information to App Review. The App Review Information section of App Store Connect includes a Notes field. Provide any information that could be relevant to your submission’s review: Submitting a new app? Tell us about your app's concept, business model, and if your app is designed to only operate in certain locations. Submitting an update? Tell us about what’s changed and where to locate significant new content or features. Connecting to hardware? Attach a video, not a screen recording, that shows both the hardware and the app running on a physical Apple device as they pair and interact. Test your app on physical devices before submitting for review. Use TestFlight to distribute your app for beta testing. App Review evaluates apps the way your users will use them: installed on real devices and connected to networks with real-world conditions. Make sure your pre-submission testing includes running the app on each device platform where it could be used. Users expect the app to function on all the devices where it’s available. TestFlight will help you do quality assurance and beta testing on real devices. Share your beta app with internal testers on your Apple Developer Program account or to external users via an email invite or public link. Configure In-App Purchases for review in the sandbox environment. App Review assesses In-App Purchases in the same sandbox environment Apple provides for testing them. The sandbox lets us use real product data and server-to-server transactions, without incurring any financial charges. Take these steps to prepare your In-App Purchases for review: Accept the Paid Applications Agreement in App Store Connect. Submit the In-App Purchases in App Store Connect that you’d like reviewed. Follow the steps in TN3186: Troubleshooting In-App Purchases availability in the sandbox if your app fails to display your In-App Purchases. Note: In-App Purchases don’t need prior approval from App Review to function in review. Join a Meet with Apple event if you need assistance before you submit for review. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to chat with an App Review expert about how to prepare for review, ask questions about specific guidelines, and discuss other topics related to the review process. Appointments are subject to availability during your local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After You Submit Tips Contact App Review if you need assistance with an ongoing submission. If your submission doesn’t pass review and you have questions, contact App Review directly by clicking Reply to App Review in App Store Connect. You’ll receive a reply from a review specialist who’s familiar with your app. You can also use the Reply to App Review message window to request a call with an Apple representative. Include your preferred time and language for the call and we’ll do our best to accommodate your requests. Use the Bug Fix Submissions process to quickly deliver bug fixes and resolve other issues on the next submission. If an update includes bug fixes and is rejected, you will be given the option to resolve the issues on your next submission, as long as there are no legal or safety concerns. App Review will let you know if your submission is eligible by including this note at the top of the rejection message: Bug Fix Submissions The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. To accept this offer, simply reply to the rejection message in App Store Connect and let App Review know you’ll resolve the issues on the next submission. Share ideas with Apple about how to improve or clarify the App Review Guidelines by submitting guideline feedback. Just as the App Store is always changing and improving to keep up with the needs of customers, the App Review Guidelines may be revised to provide new and updated guidance. If you have ideas for improving or clarifying our requirements you can suggest guideline changes. If your submission was rejected but you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. If your submission didn’t pass review but you have reason to believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, you can submit an appeal to the App Review Board. You can also file an appeal if you think we misunderstood your app or the review was unfair. The App Review Board will contact you as soon as they complete their investigation.

Apple platforms make it easy to distribute your app to a variety of compatible devices, so it’s important to maximize your app experience on each platform you support. Here are some tips from App Review to help you understand how device compatibility impacts your app’s distribution — and how to make sure your apps shine on every platform they’re on. Understand device compatibility There are many ways an app built for one Apple device can run on other Apple devices: Apps designed for iPhone can run on iPad devices in compatibility mode if there are no dependencies on iPhone device capabilities. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Macs with Apple Silicon. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Apple Vision Pro. Xcode provides options to configure settings for apps on multiple platforms. You can specify which platforms your app’s target supports in the Supported Destination field. However, it’s important to note: People may still be able to run your app on a device even if you remove it or don't include it as a Supported Destination in Xcode. For example, as long as an app designed for iPhone doesn’t depend on a capability that’s only available on iPhone, it can be downloaded from the App Store onto iPad. Adding or removing iPad as a Supported Destination in Xcode won’t change that app’s availability on iPad. To view examples of cases where it's appropriate to restrict availability, see Restrict device distribution below. Follow compatibility best practices 1. Plan and test for compatibility modes so your app works on every device where it can be downloaded. Do: Use Xcode simulators to verify basic functionality across different device types. Leverage TestFlight with external testers who have access to a wide range of Apple devices. Don't: Don’t submit for review without testing your app’s behavior in compatibility modes. Don’t assume removing a supported destination in Xcode prevents distribution to that device type. 2. Build adaptive interfaces that work across device variations. Do: Build interfaces that respond to different screen sizes and orientations. Adapt features based on available hardware, providing alternatives for a consistent experience. Don't: Don’t design rigid interfaces that assume only one type of device or input method. Don’t let your app crash or become unusable when optional hardware is unavailable. Restrict device distribution Wherever possible, it’s best to make your app available on multiple platforms to increase its reach and provide people with a consistent experience across devices. But there are cases where it does makes sense to restrict an app’s availability. For example: iPhone apps that rely on iPhone-specific hardware won’t function as expected on iPad. Use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the information property list file to specify hardware dependencies. Note: Apps should only use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key for genuine hardware dependencies, not to indicate distribution preferences. Navigation- or camera-based apps are not well suited for visionOS. Learn more about managing availability of iPhone and iPad apps on Apple Vision Pro. Apps that rely heavily on touch inputs that can’t be replicated on a keyboard are not well suited for macOS. Learn more about restricting distribution to Apple Silicon devices. Learn more about how to configure multiplatform apps in Xcode. Support If you need more assistance, explore these support options: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple. Appointments are available during local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board.

Apple is committed to keeping the App Store a safe place for users to get apps and a great opportunity for all developers to be successful. A reliable review process is critical to this commitment, which is why App Review works around the clock to review at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Updates with minor changes and bug fix submissions typically move swiftly through review, while other reviews may take longer because they require additional verification. In this post, we'll explain when that can happen and how you can best prepare your submission for a thorough review. Why some reviews require more time While most submissions are reviewed within 48 hours, some apps may require additional time because the review involves extra verification steps, such as: Documentation review, where App Review requests and verifies supporting materials such as authorizations, licenses, or partnership agreements before approving the submission. Complex or novel issues, including apps with regulated content, new platform capabilities, entitlements enabled, or other sensitive features, may require greater scrutiny and consideration. Common examples may include: Medical apps involving health data, diagnostic or treatment features, or other medical claims often require documentation supporting those claims or demonstrating regulatory approval. (Guideline 1.4.1) Cryptocurrency exchange apps must be offered by an approved exchange and secure the necessary licensing to operate on each storefront where the app is available. (Guideline 3.1.5) Apps operating in highly regulated industries, such as banking and financial services, air travel, healthcare, and similar sectors, must be submitted by authorized legal entities with supporting documentation. (Guideline 5.1.1(ix)) Apps with third-party intellectual property require verifiable permission to use another party's content, branding, or other protected material. (Guideline 5.2.1) Gambling, lotteries, and real-money gaming apps must provide the necessary licensing and permissions for each storefront where the app is available. (Guideline 5.3.4) If your app falls into one of these categories, the most effective way to reduce your review time is to attach all requisite documentation we'll need for review in the App Review Information section of App Store Connect. Why this matters: Incomplete submissions require additional back-and-forth before we can complete the review. Including everything upfront is the fastest path to a decision. Best practices to minimize delays 1. Provide complete information on every submission. Give App Review everything needed for a complete review, especially for apps with regulated, specialized, or otherwise complex content. Do: Include demo accounts, authentication codes, and any required setup steps in the App Review Information section. Use the Notes field to explain your app's concept, business model, or authorization to operate in regulated industries. Attach all relevant supporting documentation before submitting the app for review. If you're unsure what information is needed for review, schedule an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to discuss your app's concept. Don't: Don't resubmit the app for review until all identified issues are resolved. Why this matters: Resubmitting with unresolved issues will result in the same outcome, meaning the submission spends additional time in the queue without a different result. 2. Only provide authentic and verifiable information on your developer account. Authentic account information and high-quality apps build customer trust and keep your submissions moving smoothly through review. Do: Keep your developer name, Support URL, and account information current. Provide authentic, verifiable documentation whenever it's required. Only submit apps that have been thoroughly tested on physical devices and are ready for distribution. Don't: Don't submit documentation you're not authorized to use, or that can't be independently verified. Don't misrepresent your identity or relationship to other brands or services. Don't submit apps that are low-quality, untested, or include incomplete content or features. When fraud or malicious activity is detected To protect the App Store's high standards for privacy, security, and quality, we have zero tolerance for fraudulent or malicious activity. App Review investigates all reported or identified conduct that falls outside the App Review Guidelines and the Developer Code of Conduct, which requires accurate representation and integrity across the App Store experience. Examples include: Misrepresented developer identity or impersonation, such as providing inauthentic documentation or otherwise pretending to be someone you're not (Guidelines 4.1 and 5.6.2). Manipulation of the App Store experience, including gaming charts, search results, reviews or referrals, or attempting to hide features in review (Guidelines 2.3.1(a) and 5.6.3). Submitting low-quality apps, as indicated by excessive customer reports, such as negative customer reviews, and high-volume refund requests (Guidelines 4.3 and 5.6.4). When these signals appear, we investigate thoroughly, and repeated or serious violations can lead to additional rejections, app removals, and account removal from the Apple Developer Program. Support before or during your review If you have a critical timing issue, such as fixing a critical bug or releasing your app to coincide with an event, you can request an expedited review. If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. You can also reply to request a call with an Apple representative to discuss the outcome of the review. If your app has been rejected and you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Appeals must include specific, detailed explanations for why your app follows each of the guidelines in question.

Hello, My app "Kada: Learn Baybayin" (Apple ID: 6802533511) has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" status since August 19, with no transition to "In Review" as of today. This is the initial submission for version 1.0. Could someone confirm whether this is proceeding normally, or if there's anything needed from my side? Thank you for your time.

Hi all, My app Kindred: Find Your Match was rejected under Guideline 4.3 (Spam) and I'm struggling to understand what specifically triggered it, as I believe the app offers genuinely unique functionality. Kindred is a dating app built around BaZi (八字) — a 3,000-year-old Chinese metaphysical system. Unlike standard dating apps, every user gets a personalised Four Pillars (四柱命盘) chart calculated from their exact birth date and time. Matching is based on elemental compatibility (Day Master, useful god, ten gods) — not a swipe algorithm or questionnaire. Users can also view a full synastry profile showing how their chart interacts with a match's. What frustrates me is that the App Store has hundreds of generic dating apps that are nearly identical to each other — same swipe mechanic, same profile structure, same matching logic — and they're all approved. Yes, the dating app market is saturated. But if we as developers are willing to put ourselves out there, to fight for our chance, to build something with a unique angle and real users behind it — why should Apple be the one to limit us? The barrier shouldn't be "too many dating apps exist." It should be "does this app offer something different?" And Kindred does. The app is already live on the Google Play Store and has been getting downloads daily since launch — real users, real engagement. It's not a throwaway app. It's been tested, refined, and is actively being used. Yet on Apple's side, I've been stuck in review limbo for nearly a month. I submitted on August 6, waited over three weeks just to get a rejection, filed an appeal, waited another week for the appeal board to uphold the rejection — and now I'm back in the queue again with no clear timeline. For an indie developer, this is incredibly discouraging, especially when the rejection reason is vague and no specific guidance was given on what to fix. At this point I'm genuinely asking — should I just give up on the App Store? Has anyone been in a similar situation and managed to get through? Any advice on what Apple looks for when distinguishing a unique app from spam, or how to get more meaningful feedback beyond "the previous rejection was valid," would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hello, My first app submission has been in "Waiting for Review" for 14 days with no movement. App: ORA: Tarot You Talk To Apple ID: 6772842106 Version: 1.0 (build 23) Platform: iOS Submitted: August 11, 2026 at 4:50 PM Submission ID: 73fb4e81-66e3-449c-a009-00400ccfc9aa Developer Support Case ID: 20000147547429 The submission contains the app version, a subscription group, and one auto-renewable subscription. All three items show "Waiting for Review". I have checked App Store Connect and there are no messages, missing information, rejections, or actions required from my side. I contacted Apple Developer Support through the App Review Status form today and received the case ID above. Could someone from Apple please check whether this submission is progressing normally, or escalate if it is stuck in the queue? Thank you

Hi - my app has been "Waiting for Review" for a week now (app id 6764576255). My past experience has been that my apps are normally reviewed within a couple of days. Is this waiting period normal at the moment?

I'm hoping someone from App Review can help escalate an unresolved review issue. App: SlingLab Platform: iOS Timeline: App submitted for review and subsequently rejected. I replied to the App Review message requesting clarification because the rejection appeared to be based on a misunderstanding of how the app is used. It has now been approximately 19 days since that original App Review exchange, with no response to my clarification. I subsequently submitted an Expedited App Review request/appeal approximately 3 days ago, and have not received a response to that request either. I've also attempted to reach Apple Developer Support by phone and have spent significant time on hold without reaching a representative. I'm not looking to bypass the review process or ask for approval without review. I simply need clarification from App Review so I know what, if anything, needs to be changed before resubmitting. At this point I'm concerned that my App Review conversation may simply be stuck or not reaching the appropriate team. Could an Apple representative please look at the existing submission and escalate it to the appropriate App Review team? I'm happy to provide the App ID, Submission ID, and support case information privately if needed. Thank you.

Hello everyone, My app has been stuck in “In Review” for around 10 days without any update. I have not received any rejection, metadata request, or additional information request from the review team. The app is simply remaining in review with no movement. What worries me the most is that I have already contacted the App Review Team multiple times through App Store Connect, but I still have not received any response. Is anyone else experiencing the same situation recently? Have you found any effective way to speed up the review process? Thank you very much.

We are looking for guidance on a new app submission that has not moved from "Waiting for Review". Our first submission was rejected under Guideline 5.1.1(ii). We addressed the issue the same day by updating the purpose strings to clearly describe how the requested data is used, and resubmitted immediately. The status has not changed since. Why this is time-critical: the backend service our current users depend on is being shut down by our provider on August 28, 2026. The submitted app migrates to a new provider and is the continuation of that service. Without it, our existing users will be left without a working app. What we have already tried: Submitted an expedited review request on August 23, 2026 - no response Contacted Apple through the Contact Us module several times since then - no response beyond the automated acknowledgment each time We are not asking to skip the queue for convenience. We simply need to know whether the submission is progressing normally or whether something additional is required from us. We are ready to respond to any questions from App Review immediately, at any hour. Thank you.

Hi, I submitted the first version (1.0) of my iOS app for App Review on August 21, 2026, and it has now been almost 4 days. The submission is still showing “Waiting for Review” and has never changed to “In Review.” There are no messages in the Resolution Center, and I haven’t received any requests for additional information. I understand that review times can vary, especially for a first release, but I was wondering whether anyone else who submitted around August 21 is currently experiencing unusually long waiting times before the review actually starts. Is waiting 4+ days in “Waiting for Review” currently considered normal, or would it be appropriate to contact App Review Support at this point? Thanks!

I've been trying to ship a rename for six weeks and I'm out of channels. Posting the full timeline in case anyone has seen this pattern, or can tell me what I'm missing. After all the research I have done on this, I feel there are no valid reasons for our app to be stuck in this state. Needless to say, I am frustrated. Short version: We shipped an app under a placeholder name because the name we own wasn't available. Apple later released the real name to us. We removed the original app from the App Store, submitted the same product under the new name, and were rejected as a duplicate. The resubmission was then rejected under 2.1 asking what the app does. I answered in Resolution Center 8 days ago, opened a support ticket and have had no reply. studybara The app is a focus-timer study companion with a capybara and a decorable room. Pending USPTO wordmark STUDYBARA, Serial No. 99814163, filed 5/10 (Principal Register) The app has been live on Google Play since 2026: com.mklappdesign.studybara We are the only party with a trademark filing on this mark Timeline (all 2026) Date What happened 5/10 USPTO application filed for STUDYBARA (Serial 99814163) — studybara ships and stays live on Google Play (com.mklappdesign.studybara) — iOS name "studybara" unavailable, so we ship on iOS as study-bara (bundle com.mklappdesign.study-bara, ASC App ID 6772405228). Apple approves it. It goes live and reaches "Ready for Distribution." 7/23 Filed an app name request/dispute with Apple citing the pending trademark and the live Play listing 7/24 Name released to us. The old study-bara record now shows "Removed from App Store" in App Store Connect — before anything new was submitted 7/27–7/29 Submitted app under new name. Final record: studybara, ASC App ID 6795582940, bundle com.mklapps.studybara. Same codebase, same product 8/6 9 days later Rejected under 4.3 as a duplicate/spam app — for being similar to our own app, which by then no longer existed on the store 8/17 Resubmission 1.0 (2) rejected under Guideline 2.1 – Information Needed. Submission ID 46505a3c-48ce-400d-803f-b38ce7a4e16a. Reviewed on iPad Air 11-inch (M3) and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The question: "What are the main features and functionality of the app? We seem only to be able to set up a timer or start a stopwatch." 8/17 Replied same day in Resolution Center with a full feature walkthrough 8/17 Requested expedited review 8/22 Opened a support ticket (Case #20000144802863) 8/25 Still no response to any of it On the duplicate rejection There was never a point where two versions of this app were purchasable on the App Store. App Store Connect's own record shows the original as Removed from App Store as of 7/24, and the replacement was submitted after that. It is the same binary, the same developer account, the same product — a rename that Apple itself made possible by releasing the name to us. If a rename of an already-approved app is supposed to be done some other way — new record vs. reusing the old one, a specific order of operations, something we should have flagged in review notes — I'd genuinely like to know, because nothing in the guidelines describes it. On the 2.1 rejection The app is a focus-timer study companion with a capybara and a decorable room. Beyond the timer and stopwatch it has: A to-do list with priorities and tags, where tasks can be armed to a study session A coin economy — completed focus sessions pay out coins A store for spending coins on room decorations A wardrobe for dressing the capybara (headwear, eyewear, neckwear, clothing), with per-item colorways Room decoration placement — drag, resize, rotate, and layer purchased items in the room Settings — light/dark, display fonts, larger text, clock and date formats, English/Español, ambient audio during sessions Real artwork and zero AI generated art No account, no ads, no in-app purchases, all data local to the device All of it is reachable from the room screen — the circular menu button in the top-left corner expands a row of five shortcuts (to-do, store, wardrobe, room decorations, settings). I'll be candid about one thing, since someone will ask: that menu is disabled while a timer is running. If the reviewer's first action was to start the timer or stopwatch — the most natural thing to do on that screen — the rest of the app becomes unreachable until the timer is stopped. That's on us and we're changing it. But it's a discoverability problem in a five-second interaction, not an app that lacks functionality, and it's the same binary Apple already approved under the previous name. What I'm actually stuck on The 2.1 message says to reply in App Store Connect with detailed answers. I did. Eight days, no response — no follow-up questions, no new rejection, no state change. Expedite request and support ticket both went nowhere. Has anyone gotten a stalled Resolution Center thread moving? Is App Review Board the right escalation once you've already answered a 2.1 and been ignored, or does filing an appeal reset the clock on the reply you're waiting for? Happy to provide the submission ID, both app record IDs, and the trademark serial to anyone from Apple who wants to look at this directly.

I have been waiting 6 days now for my app to be approved, it has been in review the longest but play store and microsoft store has already approved it. Is this normal? Is it stuck or do I need to do anything? The Apple ID of the app is 6788721993

Hello, 【Apple ID：6766467422，Chattoon: Voice Comic Diary】 Our app has been stuck in "In Review" status for 23 days now, and we would really appreciate any guidance or help from an Apple representative who might see this thread. Timeline: Aug 3, 2026: Submitted iOS version 1.3.0 (bug-fix-only update, no new features or permission changes) Submission ID: 993d767d-7020-454b-bf78-457bc8d8dcb7 Aug 11, 2026: Requested expedited review — request was accepted, confirmation email received (Case ID: 20000133567861) Since then: No status change. Still showing "In Review" Resolution Center: No messages, no requests for additional information Follow-up emails sent on Aug 10, Aug 13, and again this week — no response received to any of them This is a bug-fix update for our existing app (Chattoon: Voice Comic Diary), and the extended delay is now affecting our release plans. Has anyone else experienced something similar recently? Any advice on next steps, or could someone from the App Review team help check on the status of this submission? Thank you for your time.

Hello, since July 31st, our app has been stuck in the waiting for review state for a long period of time. We have already taken some actions. July 31: first submission. August 10: after waiting for over a week, we assumed there was a problem with the review queue -> cancel and resubmit. We attempted to submit an expedited request, but there was an issue with Apple service. It keeps saying "Sorry, we didn't receive your request." August 13: request a call with the Support Team. There was a guy named Tony who answered. Unfortunately, even Apple's staff is unable to access their internal system, as he told us that, and "he don't know why"? August 14: request a call again. Apple staff - Andy took up the phone and said he could not do anything about this situation and said... We just have to wait. August 25: rejected the build, upgraded the version, and submitted once more. We're hoping that this build will get out of the stucked queue... Side notes: Attempted to submit another expedited request were unsuccessful, the problem remained, tried several times. Made an appointment for a App Review team. But even the registration is still pending. Does anyone here have suggestions or solutions for this situation? This is the first time we've encountered this situation, and it's quite strange. Isn't that a side effect of the August 8th maintenance?

Hi everyone! I'm back again! 😄 A few months ago I posted here after submitting my first iOS app, after previously publishing it on Google Play. That experience was really helpful, so I'm hoping to get some advice from the community again. I've just submitted my new app, Vaqui, and it's currently Waiting for Review. Vaqui is an expense-sharing app for groups, mainly designed for trips. For example, three friends travel together and pay for different things: Pepe pays for the hotel. Sandra pays for groceries. Marcos pays for dinner. Everyone participates in different expenses. Vaqui calculates the resulting balances and suggests who should transfer money to whom. The app supports multiple currencies and stores the exchange rate used when an expense is recorded. The important part is that Vaqui does not process or hold money. It doesn't provide a wallet, banking account, payment processing, cards, or financial transactions. If someone owes another person money, Vaqui simply tells them something like: "Marcos owes Sandra $15,000." They make the actual transfer themselves using their bank or payment provider, outside Vaqui. The users can then mark the payment as made/received inside the app so the group knows what has already been settled. This made me wonder about something before the review starts: Would an app like Vaqui normally be considered a financial-services app by App Review, simply because it calculates debts/balances between users? Or is it generally treated as an expense-management / expense-sharing utility as long as it doesn't actually process, hold, or transfer money? I'm asking because I want to make sure I've understood the relevant App Review guidelines correctly rather than discovering during review that I've misunderstood something obvious. 😅 The current App Store Connect information is: App: Vaqui Bundle ID: mobi.todoapp.vaqui Apple ID: 6802352647 Status: Waiting for Review Platform: iOS / Flutter If anyone has submitted an app with similar functionality, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience. Thanks! Greetings from Córdoba, Argentina 🇦🇷 And yes... once again I'm waiting for that little "In Review" notification. 🤞😂

Update: received a response, but it appears to misapply Guideline 3.1.1, looking for input Following up on my earlier post about a stuck submission (Submission ID: 1522a8de-defd-44f8-92e8-9edbb0d85c28). After a week of silence, we finally got a response on Aug 25, but it's a rejection under Guideline 3.1.1 that we believe misreads our app. The reviewer flagged our business/organization account registration screen, stating: "The app includes an account registration feature for businesses and organizations, which is considered access to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app," and asked us to remove business/org registration entirely. The screenshot they attached shows only our Company Registration screen, just a work email and password field with a "Create Account" button. There's no purchase flow, pricing, or payment mechanism on that screen or reachable from it. Our app is a B2B marketplace connecting NYS-licensed security agencies with security guards for real, in-person shift coverage. Billing (a subscription for platform access) happens separately, later, and only for agencies that choose to subscribe, similar to how any B2B SaaS tool (Slack, Notion, etc.) lets a business create a free account before selecting a paid tier, without that account-creation step needing to go through in-app purchase. Has anyone dealt with a similar 3.1.1 rejection for a B2B/enterprise account registration flow, where the reviewer seems to conflate account creation with an external purchase mechanism? Curious whether this is a known pattern and what resolved it, a specific citation to reference, particular wording in App Review notes, or an actual call with Apple that got it unstuck. Is there anything else we should try, or can someone from the App Review team take a look at this case? Happy to provide any additional information needed — we just want to understand what's needed to move forward. Apple ID: 6799377443 Submission ID: 1522a8de-defd-44f8-92e8-9edbb0d85c28 Appreciate any insight.

Hi all, Our app has been stuck since a Guideline 3.1.1 / 3.1.3(c) enterprise-services question was raised on Aug 17. We replied the same week with clarification, sent a follow-up on Aug 19 with no response, and resubmitted the build on Aug 21 with the clarification added directly to the App Review Information notes. Still no response as of today. We also opened a Developer Support escalation (Case ID: 20000143108217) confirming they were ready to help, but have not received any follow-up since. Apple ID: 6799377443 Submission ID: 1522a8de-defd-44f8-92e8-9edbb0d85c28 Current status: Waiting for Review Is there anything else we should try, or can someone from the App Review team take a look at this case? Happy to provide any additional information needed — we just want to understand what's needed to move forward. Thanks in advance for any help.

App: Linkbee (Apple ID 6798913756) Submission ID: 745fa6e5-ba33-4687-a4a3-7bb5b12005a3 Resubmitted: August 17, 2026 Our submission has been in Waiting for Review for eight days. Background: on August 14 we received a Guideline 5.6 notice. We replied in Resolution Center on August 16 explaining the cause and the fix, and resubmitted on August 17 with a corrected build. We have had no response to that reply. Is anything further required from us, or is the submission held for additional review? Happy to provide any verification needed.

Timeline Submitted: August 10, 2026 - first submission of a new app Rejected: August 14, 2026 - Guideline 2.1 Information Needed - New App Submission Replied: August 14, 2026, about 17 hours later, in the same thread Current status: Unresolved Issues / Rejected, 7 days with no response Submission ID: 5aa5647f-7c12-4949-ba8e-dfba1bad3047 What happened The rejection asked us to reply in App Store Connect with seven specific items, including a recording captured on a physical device running the latest OS. We replied on the App Review page the same day, about 17 hours after the rejection. All seven items were answered in order and the recording was attached to the reply. Both the reply and the attachment are visible in the thread. We also copied the same seven answers into the Notes field of the App Review Information section, as the message asked. Seven days later there has been no response, and the submission is still showing Unresolved Issues. We have not resubmitted. The rejection asked us to reply rather than resubmit, and resubmitting would close the open thread. Questions Does replying on the App Review page put the item back in front of a reviewer on its own, or is a further step required on the developer side? Is seven days without a response typical once an information request has been answered in full? If it is not, what is the correct way to have the reply picked up? App name, Apple ID and Team ID available on request.

Our App (6799993533) is stuck on "waiting for review" 4 days. The new school term begins on September 1, 2026. To ensure students, teachers, and staff can access the platform on the first day of school without interruption, we kindly request an expedited review of this submission.

A week waiting for a simple update to be reviewed in expedited mode (did not abuse it). Should I just cancel it and submit a new version release, what's going on? App Apple ID 6792364354

Hello, I apologise for posting here. I know this forum is not a support channel, and I would not have posted if I had another way to reach App Review. Apple ID: 6759336435 Submission ID: 59a73f4a-e83b-4fa4-96dc-4c4b6a0ebcc4 Version reviewed: 1.0 (3) In review since: August 10, 2026 Rejection received: August 20, 2026 Our first submission was rejected under Guideline 4.3(a), on the basis that the app shares a similar binary, metadata or concept with apps previously submitted by a terminated Apple Developer Program account. We have no connection to any terminated developer account. RocketIO is not related to any other app, including the other apps on our own account. It is a separate product that we have been designing and writing for several years, on a different technical foundation: 114,817 lines of Dart across 139 files in Flutter, plus the Swift we wrote for the iOS tunnel host and the Network Extension, 187 tests, and 32 fully translated languages. We believe the binary match is a false positive. RocketIO statically links a publicly available open-source proxy core, as every app in this category does. That core is the largest part of the compiled binary, so any two apps linking the same open-source library will share a large amount of identical compiled code no matter how different their own source is — exactly as apps linking OpenVPN or WireGuard do. We cannot remove it, because it is the reason the app exists. RocketIO is also a bring-your-own-configuration client rather than a VPN service. It ships with an empty server list and does nothing until the user supplies a configuration for infrastructure they already own. We operate no servers, sell no subscriptions and carry no traffic. Among the protocols we have implemented are several that very few clients support on any platform, including DNSTT (DNS tunnelling), AnyTLS, ShadowQUIC, Mieru and Juicity, some of them added only recently. We replied in Resolution Center with all of this in detail, and asked which app or account the similarity was matched against, so that we could respond to the specific finding rather than guess. We are still waiting for a response. We have deliberately not resubmitted. We did not want to place another submission in the queue while this conversation is open, and we did not want to send back something that could reasonably be read as unchanged. We have been waiting since August 10, and we will be honest that it has been a difficult wait. We put years of work into this app and we have users who are looking forward to it, and at the moment we cannot tell them anything, because we do not know what specifically we are being asked to change. Could someone from App Review please reply to us there? We are glad to provide our source repository and its full commit history, to take a call at any time convenient to you in English, and to demonstrate the app live. Thank you for your time.