There’s still debate on what drives App Store rankings, but some confirmed factors include app name, subtitle, keyword field, downloads, ratings, and in-app events. Likely influences are stability, retention, conversion rate, and user behavior. Search relies most on metadata, Top Charts focus on download velocity, and Featured spots are editorially chosen. Elements like promo text, long description, and release notes don’t impact rankings.

Hello! My application written with CPP and using StoreKit2 functionality based on bridging CPP-ObjectiveCPP-Swift. The question is in correct project properties for adding this library to application. Configuring library by attaching project.entitlement file (within in-app purchase key) to the library project. Question is how to add library to the application correctly: Is there requirements to write another one entitlement for Application and switch on 'in-app purchase' in application too or it's enough to add it only to the library? Is there any examples of using StoreKit2 in libraries and attaching it to the projects? Is there any requirements for configuring library within StoreKit2 if it's going to be reused in different applications?

Hi, I am experiencing a critical issue with my app (dbMobil) in its published state. When the app is installed via TestFlight, it works without any problems and no errors can be detected. However, when downloading the same app from the App Store, it immediately crashes for many users without displaying any error message, directly at app start. This issue also occurs on my own test devices: TestFlight version: works flawlessly App Store version: crashes immediately upon launch It appears that there must be a difference between the version I submitted and published via TestFlight and the one currently available on the App Store. Could you please provide me with feedback on what differences may exist between these two versions and where the cause of this issue might lie? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Hi，I am facing the 21002 issue.Have you went through it? If you have resolved it, please dive me a hand. Below is my code,and I Have tested in sand box environment. NSURL receiptURL = [[NSBundle mainBundle] appStoreReceiptURL]; if (![[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:[receiptURL path]]) { SKReceiptRefreshRequest receiptRefreshRequest = [[SKReceiptRefreshRequest alloc] initWithReceiptProperties:nil]; receiptRefreshRequest.delegate = self; [receiptRefreshRequest start]; return; } NSData data = [NSData dataWithContentsOfURL:receiptURL]; / receipt_data/ NSString *receipt_data = [data base64EncodedStringWithOptions:0]; After I test the purchase procedure, use the above receipt-data to verify on the server https://sandbox.itunes.apple.com/verifyReceipt,which always response 21002.I have no idea to deal with it.Thanks.

It looks like we've had a couple product refunds in the last 90 days. How do we find out WHY the people requested a refund? It would be good to know if there's a problem that these customers experienced.

Is it possible to submit updates to our App Store content (such as new screenshots, Promotional text, or description) using a previously approved build, without submitting a new binary? Essentially, we want to ensure that metadata updates can be reviewed independently and won’t need to be coupled with a feature update. This is primarily because we’d like to avoid a situation where a feature update gets delayed or rejected due to issues in the metadata. Could you please confirm if this is supported? And if so, are there any best practices or guidelines we should follow when submitting metadata only updates?

Hi good day, I uploaded my APP a second time, the first time it took 2 months to have someone look at it. Now it is taking over 3 weeks. Can someone please share with me why my Review keeps getting looked over?

I have a few issues. Support consultants responded to my review file by saying they wanted the image. 1- I logged in with the sandbox account I used for testing and took a screenshot of the Paywall screen. However, they said this screenshot wasn't accepted. The documentation explains how to log in to Testflight with a sandbox account and test it, but even though I tried testing on two different devices, I couldn't log in to Testflight or get the image they requested. 2- I closed my privacy policy and terms of use, and there's no problem. What else should I do? I'm stuck on the Testflight and sandbox sections. Can you help ?

Hey Everyone! I recently submitted an app that aggregates publicly available information from the web. The app does not access device contacts, social graphs, or any private user data. Instead, it only takes user-inputted queries (such as a name and location) and organizes information already available on public websites. During review, I received feedback under Guideline 5.1.2 (Privacy – Data Collection and Storage), stating that the app collects information about third parties without consent. I want to make sure I fully understand the scope of this guideline. Since the app is only aggregating information that is already public, and not accessing private sources or contacts, does this still fall under 5.1.2? If so, are there recommended approaches or wording changes to make sure such apps are compliant? Any insights from other developers or Apple staff would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi, We’re reaching out to the community because we’re stuck in a situation that’s becoming critical for our launch timeline and could really use some advice. We submitted our app on August 11, 2025. Over the following days, we worked closely with App Review, made revisions, and provided every piece of information they requested. On August 19, 2025, we finally received this message: “Your submission’s review will require additional time as we take this new information into account. We do not require any further information at this time. Once we have thoroughly reviewed your submission, we will either contact you in App Store Connect to communicate any issues found, or your submission will be approved.” We followed up days later and got this response: “We apologize for the delay. Your submission is still in review but is requiring additional time. We will provide further status updates as soon as we are able.” It’s been 12+ days with no updates, and the app is still stuck in “Unresolved Issue” status. This delay has now pushed us past our launch deadline, and we’re unsure why the process is taking so long. We completely understand that expedited reviews aren’t always possible, but given the urgency and importance of this project, we’re doing everything we can to move forward. If anyone from App Review happens to see this, or if any developers have gone through something similar and can share advice, we’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Hello. I'm recently approved as an Apple developer and our company is wondering what the timeline is from app submission to Apple publishing in the app store. Thank you.

Hello everyone, I’ve been struggling with App Store Review regarding my delivery app, and I’m hoping someone here can shed light on whether my app actually requires In-App Purchase (IAP) under Apple’s guidelines. Here’s my situation: My app connects riders with delivery jobs. We have two rider payment models: Commission Plan (10%) – Riders don’t pay upfront, but 10% is deducted per completed delivery. Fixed Subscription Plan – Riders pay a fixed monthly fee in advance, which allows them to keep 100% of their delivery earnings. The challenge: Apple Review has rejected my app multiple times, insisting that I must use IAP for these payments. I’ve written back and forth with them several times explaining that: The commission plan isn’t a digital feature, it’s simply a revenue share from physical delivery work. The fixed plan is more like a business service fee for using the platform, not for unlocking content or digital features. Despite this, the Review Team continues to state that my app “requires IAP.” My questions are: Based on Apple’s official guidelines, do apps like mine (delivery/logistics with commission/subscription for riders) really fall under IAP rules? Has anyone here had a similar issue with a marketplace or service-based app? If this does require IAP, what’s the reasoning — since the payments are tied to real-world services, not digital content? I’d appreciate advice, shared experiences, or even clarification from someone who has successfully passed review with a similar model. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I currently have two apps stuck in TestFlight beta review for over 30 days without any progress: App ID: 6749024874 — Case ID: 102673603146 App ID: 6749025418 — Case ID: 102673604516 I contacted Apple Support, but they told me this situation is “normal.” From my experience, TestFlight reviews usually take a day or two, sometimes up to a week, but not this long. Has anyone else experienced such long delays with TestFlight beta reviews? Is there anything I should do (cancel and resubmit, escalate further, or just wait)? I would also like to request support from the App Review team to look into these case IDs and provide clarification. Thank you.

I got this email from Apple "Due to the discontinuation of content associated with your vendor number x, your payments have been paused. We will continue to monitor this account and release your payments once customer refunds have been settled." Does anyone know what happened? I didn't discontinue any content.

Hi there, the company I work for recently decommissioned our app. Unfortunately, due to an acquisition a couple of years ago and staffing changes, we no longer have access to the original account that would have posted our app on the app store. Any idea how we can go about getting the app removed so we don't continue to have clients downloading an app that no longer works? Thank you!

Most ASO tools I’ve found, like Appfigures, are effective but too expensive for my current app income. I’m exploring cheaper alternatives such as Astro—has anyone used it or compared it with tools like Appfigures or Appvector?

My app has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" status since July 25, 2025 (24 days and counting), far exceeding Apple’s typical review timeline. Despite multiple checks, I’ve received no updates or communication from App Review. Is this delay related to a known system issue? How can I escalate this to Apple’s review team? (Email/phone options?) Are there hidden rejections or metadata problems not shown in App Store Connect? Hopefully get help. Best regards!

Trying to upload an iOS26 app archive with Xcode 26 beta 7 and getting ITMS-90717: Invalid large app icon, meaning my app is not eligible for TestFlight testing. My App contains an IconComposer .icon asset, so I'm not sure what it's complaining about. I'm not seeing anything in the release notes about this, and I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or not.

My app has been stuck on 'Waiting for review' for over 4 days. Unlike before, I will get feedback within 48 hours, but now I have been 4 days in and no one seems to have checked the app at all. Any advice?

This is my first iOS app release and I’m a bit confused. The initial version was reviewed in under 12 hours (rejected), and the corrected version was approved just as quickly. But my Product Page Optimization with only screenshots has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” for four days. Do these get reviewed only with new versions, or should I just wait it out?