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.

I am using "Application Loader" to upload ipa file to iTune store but I keep getting a message "Cannot verify client error 3000". This used to work earlier. The certificate & provisioning files are correct. Can some one help as what does this error means and how to rectify it.

I'm receiving the following errors and warning when uploading my archive to iTunes Connect via Xcode. There appears to be an issue with the embedded framework. I've run out of ideas on what exactly is causing the issue. Any ideas?ERROR ITMS-90087: “Unsupported Architectures. The executable for zulily.app/Frameworks/ChasePaymentech.framework contains unsupported architectures ‘[x86_64, i386]’.”ERROR ITMS-90209: “Invalid Segment Alignment. The app binary at ‘zulily.app/Frameworks/ChasePaymentech.framework/ChasePaymentech’ does not have proper segment alignment. Try rebuilding the app with the latest Xcode version.”ERROR ITMS-90125: “The binary is invalid. The encryption info in the LC_ENCRYPTION_INFO load command is either missing or invalid, or the binary is already encrypted. This binary does not seem to have been built with Apple’s linker.”WARNING ITMS-90080: “The executable ‘Payload/zulily.app/Frameworks/ChasePaymentech.framework’ is not a Position Independent Executable. Please ensure that your build settings are configured to create PIE executables. For more information refer to Technical Q&A QA1788 - Building a Position Independent Executable in the iOS Developer Library.”

I submitted an Mac Appstore App which has an embedded Java JRE. The first upload with ApplicationLoader went fine, but was automatically rejected due to a code signing error, which is now corrected. But I cannot upload the corrected build, getting "ITMS-90511: "CFBundleidemtifier Collision. The Info.plist CFBundleidentifier value 'com.oracle.java.8u45.jdk' of MyApp.app/Contents/Plugins/jdk1.8.0_45.jdk' is already in use by another application".Any suggestions are highly appreciated.Thanks, Manfred

I'm currently working on an OSX app that requires a user to have Spotify installed. (If the user doesn't have Spotify, the app will still run–it will just be useless) It seems like this sort of thing is allowed because I see plenty of apps in the Mac App Store that use Spotify, but do I need to make any special notes of this in my app submission to make sure it's approved?

I would remove an app I created this in Prepare for Submission, but does not appear the option to delete the app.VisibleMore > About this app and More > View on app storeHow do I delete the application Prepare for Submission?

Hi,When I browse the AppStore, I see the Chrome application with a version composed of 4 period-separated integers (e.g 44.0.2403.67). So I suspect that the Bundle Short Version of Chrome is composed of 4 period-separated integers.But when I try to submit an application with the same format, XCode shows an alert explaining that the Bundle Short Version should be composed of 3 period-separated integers.Do you know how it is possible?Thanks in advance.Romain

I just submitted my App to Apple review. I clicked for Manual release and I changed the date to December tempoprary date in pricing. I need promo codes that's why I did it. I didn't see anywhere in iTunes Connect that asked me if i'd want promo codes, so I'm assuming Apple will give them to me if review goes well and they approve it or did I have to ask for the promo codes before I clicked submit?Also, just now I submitted my app for review, how long should I expect this review to take assuming all goes well? Can I do anything to speed up my review process maybe by contacting App review team if I can?

I have an app in the store, called "App A". However I have developed a new app (seperate app, not the a new version of the existing app) that I want to call "App A" instead. I do not, however, want to delete the existing app.Can I rename "App A" to be "App B" and then submit for review my new app, with the name "App A"?

Hi,My iOS Swift app contains a in-house built framework (A), which is also using Swift. This framework includes 2 in-house built frameworks (B and C) using Objective-C."Embedded Content Contains Swift Code" is set to YES for the app and to NO for the A, B and C frameworks.When I try to submit the app to iTC, I get these errors:ERROR ITMS-90205: "Invalid Bundle. The bundle at 'yourapp.app/Frameworks/A.framework' contains disallowed nested bundles."...ERROR ITMS-90206: "Invalid Bundle. The bundle at 'yourapp.app/Frameworks/A.framework' contains disallowed file 'Frameworks'."...How can I fix those?

I'm getting this error when trying to activate testflight external beta testing with a universal app submitted with Xcode 7 GM.The app in question doesn't use launch storyboards as the UI is significantly different between the iPhone/iPad versions (and multiple launch story boards are not supported). The app does have all the launch images defined for both iPhone and iPad.Is this an itunes connect bug or is there a way to dismiss this error and distribute the app for external testing?Thanks

Hello Guys,I got a problem when uploading a new version of an existing app. The error messages were as below:ERROR ITMS-90347: "Bad bundle identifier. The bundle identifier "com.mycompany..share" of the application extension xxx.app/Plugins/shareExtension.appex should start with the application's bundle identifier "com.mycompany." and not contain more than one period "." after the application bundle ID.Before someone make a judement that "there are two dots", I shall explain some more background.Bundle Id of our app: com.mycompany. (please pay attention to the last dot, it is part of the bundle id)Bundle Id of extension: com.mycompany..shareApp Bundle Id may appear a bit weired but that is a historical story and has no problem.This app has been online for several years. And we started using extension since last year. All worked fine till this Sep.According to the error message, bundle id of extensions should comply with the following format:<app bundle id> + "." + <extension name>So our extension "com.mycompany..share" should be complied with that format, that is, only one dot between app bundle id and extension name.But why suddenly it failed to upload? Anyone has similar issue, or can someone give me some advice? Thank you all in advance!!PS: Changing app bundle id should be not a good idea as it will cause great impacts to users. So we are looking for other solutions.

Any suggestions about using app maker software like como or appypie

Hi,We are developing a dating app and there is a feature like Tinder where you can "rate" users in order to match with them and startOur app has been available in the AppStore with this feature for more than one year.With our last update for iOS9, our app has been rejected because it does not comply with point 14.1 of Apple guidelines: “Any App that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual or group in harm's way will be rejected”. Apple judges that this feature rates other users and can result in offensive or mean-spirited content. I sent a couple of messages to explain that this feature allows users to match and that users who have been “disliked” are not notified nor aware of it, but the app is still rejected. When I asked Apple what I could modify in order to comply with the guidelines, they answered with some App Review, Human interface guidelines and Licence Agreement. This feature exist in so many other dating apps like Tinder, Lovoo, Badoo, etc, I really don’t understand why mine has been rejected.Can somebody help me solving this crucial issue?Thanks guys

My app has previously been approved twice with no isses. This last update I get the following8.5 - Apps may not use protected third party material such as trademarks, copyrights, patents or violate 3rd party terms of use. Authorization to use such material must be provided upon request 8.5 Details Your app includes content or features that resemble one or multiple third-party mark(s) without the necessary authorization. - Album cover artMy app is a MEDIA PLAYER . . . . is cover art suddenly illegal? Either the songs are owned by the user or they're streaming from Apple Music AND I provide a link to purchase any songs they don't own in accordance with the Search API TOSThis is my first app and I'm having a hard time understanding the arbitrary nature of this process. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of media apps in the store with cover art in the screenshots.

My submission is stuck at “Prepare for submission”.I inadvertently uploaded a build created with XCode 7.1 beta. Therefore, if I try to Submit for Review in iTunes Connect I get an error message stating that the app cannot be uploaded with a beta version of the SDK. So I prepared a new buildusing the current version of Xcode and try to upload. But the upload in XCode failed with the error “ERROR ITMS-4238:Redundant Binary Upload. There already exists a binary upload with build version ‘2.1’ for train ‘2.1’” at SoftwareAssets/PreReleaseSoftwareAsset”.iTunes Connect does not give me the option to delete the uploaded build. And the + sign under My Apps in iTunes Connect does not allow me to create a new version. If I anyway attempt to upload a newer version from XCode, iTunes Connect sees the uploaded version but doesn't five me the option to submit it for review. Therefore, my submission process is completely stuck. Any advice?

I have an app in the public App Store but I want to remove it and create a new app that is a B2B only. The catch is I want to reuse the same name. According to Apple Documentation, it is not possible to delete and app and resuse the same name in the same organization.https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/TransferringAndDeletingApps.htmlDoes this mean I would have to use a different name for the B2B app, even if I delete the existing app from the store and iTunes Connect?If the above is true and I cannot reuse the same name then can I rename the existing public App Store app and then reuse the same name? Example steps:1. Rename exisitng public App Store app.2. Submit new version of the app so that the new name becomes effective.3. Delete the old veresion of the app that uses the old name--the name I want to use for a B2B app.4. Create the B2B using the name I want.Thank you,Brian

Hello,How can I resubmit an app for review once it has been fixed after it has been rejected?When I have done it before, the app goes back into the regular review queue rather than just back to the reviewer to see the fix.ThanksDamien

Hi Everyone,I am a bit confused. Apple got back to me regarding to my app with an "Information Needed" mark asking about the advertisements (why did not it showed up during their review phase). Reviewer also did not find the In App Purchase Restore button, so the binary got rejected.I am confused what to now, as they were asking me to reply regarding to the Ads (which I did, and also explained where is the Restore button). However, do I also need to appeal the rejection? How long it takes until they read my answer and review it accordingly?Thanks,Tamas

I am creating an educational contest app but they complained when I said all ages. They said it has to be put in the 17+ category.1000's of chess competititons happen every year and children as young as 5 enter those competitions and they pay $20+ for entry fee. My entry fee was $1 for the educational contest and they said I had to be in the 17+ category? Is there anyway to contest that?Thanks!

Hi,I've been unable to upload a build for the last several hours. Xcode spins for a while on "Fetching list of teams from the Developer Portal..." and then reports "The request timed out".This is not a new app or a new account; I've uploaded about 70 previous builds.Frank