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. 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.

Hello everyone, I am writing to seek help with a critical App Review issue for a new application. My app has been in the "In Review" status for 29 consecutive days (since October 1st) without any change or feedback. This is on an experienced developer account with 5 other apps already live on the App Store. Here is the timeline of the current submission: Sep 30: Submitted new binary. Oct 1: Status changed to "In Review". Oct 9: After inquiring about the long delay, Developer Support kindly granted an expedited review (Case ID 102702095699). Oct 30 (Today): The app is still "In Review". It has now been 21 days since the expedited review was applied, and 29 days total. The core problem: My primary concern is that based on our server metrics, there has not been a single login attempt or health check from the App Review team since October 1st. This strongly suggests the app is technically "stuck" in the queue and has not even been opened or tested by a reviewer. We have been in constant contact with Developer Support, who have been very responsive and confirmed they escalated this internally with urgency. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the app's status remains unchanged. This delay is now critical. We had firm, paid promotional integrations scheduled with partners for the first week of November, which were all dependent on an approval by our deadline of October 29th. We have now missed this deadline entirely, which is resulting in direct financial losses and reputational damage with our partners. Has anyone else experienced an app being "stuck" like this, where even an expedited review fails to get the app looked at? Is there any known technical glitch or a different path to get this specific blockage resolved? Thank you for any insights.

Hi all, I have two apps stuck in "In Review" status with no response from Apple: Future Kid App Apple ID: 6754333416 In Review since: October 15th, resubmitted on October 21st, still in review as of October 22nd, 12:12 AM. Trade AI Apple ID: 6753766459 In Review since: October 27th, 9:31 PM, still no update. Team ID: CQNXC8J5R4 Both apps have been stuck for a long time with no feedback. Has anyone faced similar delays or know how to resolve this? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm developing an application for a client. This app is intended to be sold with a subscription. My client wants that at the time of registration, the user's data (name, date of birth, address, etc.) be sent to a server to be saved in a database for commercial purposes. What is Apple's policy knowing that the user will have the ability to give their consent

Hi we tried submitting our app , but the reviewer keeps rejecting the app multiple times stating that "your app was still loading indefinitely after we had tapped on the “LOGIN” button" after this we have inspected on our backend, we found that there were no request on our server. My testers didn't run into errors when testing our app with Testflight. Below is the URL of my server https://mobile.shcilservices.net/Mobile_1/Hello.html It should give response as : "Hello World !" I have been rejected multiple times,I wonder if anyone has same experience and the way to resolve it. Thank you.

I have been spending countless amounts of time making sure my application abides by the rules laid out by Apple App Guidelines. Most recently I got this rejection from App Review: _**Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase ** 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. **Next Steps ** Remove the account registration features for business and organizations._ After asking for the review to clarify what they mean they said: _"Regarding guideline 3.1.1, users were still able to create an entirely independent business account, when they create a new account without the invite code. To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to remove the account registration features for business and organizations."_ But the problem is that There are no different account types in our app. ALL users create company accounts - there is no individual vs business distinction. Users either join existing companies (with invite codes) or create new companies (without invite codes), but the account type is identical in both cases. I think the App Review has a problem that I am using the word "Company" during registration but users do not sign up business accounts. they are all the same. there are MANAGER users and MEMBER users. Managers can upgrade and they MUST use Apple's IAP to upgrade (I have it set up so there's no other way they can upgrade without using Apple's IAP). Members are just assigned to Manager teams/company/organization (what ever you want to call the group). I think they are getting completely hung up on the word when in reality it's fine. Any help here? Please this has been going on for weeks. I am happy to meet with Support too.

I'm experiencing a confusing situation and need guidance. SITUATION: Oct 12-15: Rejected 3 times with identical automated message (4.3a) Oct 15: Submitted appeal (saw "Successfully submitted") NO confirmation email, NO case number in "My Requests" Oct 23: Status inquiry → no response HOWEVER: Oct 18 & 22: US-based IP addresses systematically tested my app (confirmed in GA4) Clear reviewer activity pattern in analytics QUESTION: How can my app be under review if the appeal isn't in the system? Possible explanations: Appeal WAS received but UI bug prevents me from seeing it? Automatic re-review process separate from appeals? Submission failed but triggered something else? What should I do: Should I resubmit the appeal? If the appeal was properly received and is under review, should I wait? Is this a known system issue and normal behavior? Any insights appreciated. I don't want to disrupt an active review by resubmitting, but I have no record of my submission at all. My App id is 6753706909 Thanks for any advice.

Hi, I am developing a Reader App, and am about to submit it for review, and complete the External Link Account Application. The application form asks a series of questions & my app ticks all the boxes and the final question is whether I have submitted the app for review. No answer means I don't get to submit. The instructions for External Link Account says, I should first get approval and then add this entitlement and code it. However, I can't get it till I submit the app for review. Does this mean, I should first submit the app without the External Link Account feature? However, this will not allow the reviewer to fully test the app, as my app is a reader app and uses my website for account set-up which allows for digital content to be seen in the app. Perhaps I should anticipate approval and build in the External Link Account entitelement in the version that I submit for review. Can someone clarify?

I've got rejected 3 times because of this: Guideline 1.2 - Safety - User-Generated Content We found in our review that your app includes user-generated content but does not have all the required precautions. Apps with user-generated content must take specific steps to moderate content and prevent abusive behavior. To resolve this issue, please revise your app to implement the following precautions: A mechanism for users to block abusive users My app already includes a full blocking mechanism. Users can block others at any time — once blocked, both users are restricted from viewing each other’s content, profiles, and interactions within the app. Additionally, administrators (marked with a verified checkmark) cannot be blocked, as they are responsible for moderating user-generated content and maintaining community safety. This is an intentional design choice to ensure compliance with moderation and safety requirements. Any ideas if I'm doing anything wrong?

Hello, I submitted a detailed appeal for our app on October 22nd but haven’t received any response or follow-up yet. Could someone from the App Review team please confirm whether the appeal is being evaluated or advise on typical response times? The delay is significantly impacting our operations. Thank you for your help - any update would be greatly appreciated.

I have a .saver file. I want to sell it. Apparently, Guideline 2.4.5(ii) states that apps “cannot install code or resources in shared locations”. Can I sell a disk image that has the .saver file and instructions to the user to double-click it? Are there any other ways of doing this? Thank you, —bc

Dear App Review Team, We are respectfully requesting an expedited review for our app,Tonomy ID, (Submission ID : 0635f631-10d4-49fb-a9d6-bc3dab197624 , Version: 2.2.5). The app has been in the review state since [Last Thursday's Date, e.g., October 23th]. We have a scheduled, public launch set for today, [Today's Date, e.g., October 28th]. The release of this version is critical for a coordinated go-live announcement that has been communicated to our users. A delay in approval would directly impact the success of this launch and our business commitments. We have ensured the app meets all App Store Review Guidelines and are ready to immediately address any questions you may have. Thank you for your time and consideration. We greatly appreciate your support in helping us meet this critical deadline. Thank you,

Hi everyone, I’m looking for clarification regarding App Store Review Guideline 4.3 (Spam) and how it applies to unlisted apps. The guideline mentions that “Apps that are duplicates of others, or that spam the App Store with similar content, may be removed from the App Store or from the Apple Developer Program.” In my case, I’m considering distributing several unlisted apps that share a similar codebase but are customized for different clients (for example, with distinct branding and configurations). These apps would not be searchable or publicly listed on the App Store — they would only be accessible through direct links. Could anyone confirm whether Guideline 4.3 still applies to unlisted apps in the same way it does to publicly listed apps? If not, what is the recommended approach for distributing such client-specific builds while remaining compliant with Apple’s policies? Thanks in advance for any clarification.

I submitted a puzzle app called “Anime Jigsaw” to App Store Connect. The App Store Connect team initially rejected the app due to minor errors. I then fixed the errors and resubmitted it, but this time they said it violated “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats” and that I didn't write the code. I responded that I wrote the code and could prove it. They rejected it again, citing "Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats,“ and I explained that my app was different from other puzzle apps because you solve puzzles while listening to Lo-Fi music. But this time, they issued a ”Pending Termination Notice“ and started saying ”Evidence of Dishonest or Fraudulent Activity." I am definitely not a scammer. I am trying to communicate with the App Store Connect team, but they are trying to close my account and label it as “Fraudulent Activity.” Why are you doing this? How can I resolve this? My account will be closed in 30 days, and I can't communicate with anyone. Team ID: 93LGGK4LG4 Apple ID: 6751961511 Please Apple Team Help Me.

Hello, Our app (App ID: 6740894324), submitted on October 14, 2025 11:38pm,is still waiting for review with no status change in App Store Connect.a Could someone from the App Review team please check if this app might be stuck in the review queue or let us know if any action is required from our side? Thank you for your time and assistance.

I have two apps on my account. Both apps are older than 3-4 months, and I have published a few updates as well. However, since last week, I've tried to update both apps, and they've been showing "Waiting for Review." Since this was happening for both apps, I resubmitted them and requested an expedited review. Now only one has been accepted for expedited review and its status changed to "In Review," but it's still not ready for sale. I've been trying to update both of my apps for two weeks now, but there's been no progress from "Waiting for Review." Has anybody else faced this issue? Can anyone help?

I'm hoping that others may be able to assist with my first app submission. **Guideline 2.1 - Performance - App Completeness Issue Description** The app still exhibited one or more bugs that would negatively impact App Store users. Bug description: The app did not load its content. Review device details: Device type: iPad Air (5th generation) OS version: iPadOS 18.3.1 The app pulls in a website embedded to allow them to login to their accounts/place orders. I've tested it on multiple physical devices and using the simulator. It works fine and loads without any issues. The review team would not give me any other information or support to help get this app approved. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello Apple Review Team, We recently submitted an urgent update to our app (App ID: 6736983550) to fix a critical signup bug that prevented all new users from registering on the platform. The app initially showed “Waiting for Review”, but since October 21, its status has changed to “In Review” without any progress or feedback. Given that this update directly impacts user access and onboarding, we kindly request that the review process be prioritized or expedited as a matter of urgency. Please advise if any additional details are required to facilitate the review. Thank you for your attention and assistance. Kind regards,

Hi everyone, I am developing a mobile application designed for rug cleaning businesses. The app allows businesses to register, subscribe, and use various tools to manage their daily operations — such as job tracking, rug status updates, and team coordination. Essentially, our platform provides a SaaS solution specifically for professional rug cleaning companies, not for general consumers. I have a couple of questions: Since the app is meant only for registered businesses, and users must have a valid business account to access the core features — what are the chances of the app being rejected during App Store review? If I integrate Apple In-App Purchase (IAP) for subscription instead of using an external payment method (like Stripe), would that reduce the chances of rejection, or could there still be issues since it’s a B2B app? Any guidance or real experiences with similar business-use apps would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Dinesh

Hello, my app has been in review since October 21, 2025, at 11:00 PM Istanbul time, and there hasn’t been any tester activity yet. Has anyone experienced similar delays recently?

Hi Apple Review Team, The app I submitted last week thursday has been in "waiting for review" for several days, but there has been no result yet. Could you please help with the progress of the review? App Name: Garcia Sports Shop Bundle ID: garciasports.shop.app