App Review

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App review is the process of evaluating apps and app updates submitted to the App Store to ensure they are reliable, perform as expected, and follow Apple guidelines.

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Apple review team unable to fetch subscriptions
Hello, New app with a simple subscription is being rejected in review, apparently because the subscription's IAP products are unavailable in the review environment. Subscription purchases work correctly in TestFlight. The only description of the problem supplied by the reviewer is "Specifically, error processing IAPs" – no screenshots or description of symptoms. However I can see from app diagnostics they are getting the log error "Subscription store should include at least one auto-renewable subscription", which implies the products cannot be loaded. There is nothing I can change at my end to resolve this. Please help. This seems to be a regular problem, reading this forum. FYI: Subscriptions work in TestFlight using the sandbox Subscription products were attached to the app version for review Subscription products have status "Waiting for review" The paid agreement is active and bank information is present I have also deleted and re-created the products with new group and product ids after a previous similar rejection. The submitted build uses these new products of course.
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May ’25
Apps still not review after 9 days
We submitted our apps on May 19, 2025, in order to make them available to our new customers. To date, we have heard nothing from the AppStore Connect team. We tried to delete the submission of one of our apps and try again the process on May 23, but this too was unsuccessful. The availability of these apps on the store is vital to the operation of our company, since our customers are eagerly awaiting their use, which is a drag on our sales. It's frustrating not to have a faster service, especially as we pay an annual fee, without having more information on potential slowdowns such as during the Christmas period. Any help or visibility would be appreciated Wishing you a good day and good luck to my fellow developers if you're in the same situation. Best regards,
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May ’25
App update "Waiting for review" for a week
Hi! We have a critical in-app launch coming soon and already missed one due to longer than expected review process. I even requested an expedited review last Saturday, but it's still "Waiting for review". We also have a patch version waiting that we would send to review right after the current one is approved. Or should we reject the current submission and submit the patched version (and request expedited review) or would that just drop us back to the end of the line? Help appreciated, thank you. 🙏
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May ’25
App Review Delay – 6 Days Without Feedback, Urgent Launch Approaching
Hello Apple Developer Support, Please we are writing to respectfully seek your assistance regarding the current status of our app submission. As of today, it has been six (6) full days since we received the last correspondence through our Apple Developer account. In that last message, we were informed that our app and the information we submitted had been successfully acknowledged, and we were kindly asked to allow additional time for the review process. While we absolutely understand and respect the importance of a thorough app review — especially for ensuring compliance, security, and overall app quality on the App Store — the extended delay without further updates has become a serious concern for us, and we are reaching out in hopes of getting some clarification or an approval update. Our situation is quite time-sensitive. We have been preparing for our app launch for a long time, and we have communicated a specific release date to our users and clients. Unfortunately, with no update from the review team and our planned launch date fast approaching, we are now in a position where we might miss this window. This could lead to broken promises to our users and potentially damage the trust we’ve worked hard to build with them. We are not trying to rush or pressure the team — we deeply respect the process and the work that goes into it. Rather, we are simply trying to understand where things currently stand so we can better manage expectations on our side, and possibly make informed decisions if any contingency plans are needed. We have reviewed all communications thoroughly and have ensured that no additional information was requested from our side. If there is any action needed on our end, we would be more than happy to respond immediately and provide anything that could assist in moving the review process forward. We sincerely hope this message can help prompt a follow-up or at least help us understand what the next steps might be. If there is a known backlog or expected delay duration, even having that context would go a long way in helping us communicate transparently with our users and stakeholders. We’re excited to bring our app to the App Store and share the hard work we’ve put into its development with the iOS community. We appreciate your time, support, and the dedication the App Review team gives to making the App Store a safe and high-quality environment for all users. Thank you in advance for your help.
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May ’25
Guideline 3.2.1(viii) - domain ownership issue despite Admin email match
Hi everyone, I’m having a recurring issue with App Review under Guideline 3.2.1(viii). Our app provides loan services, and we’re using a custom domain on our app's Product Page (e.g. support URL, marketing URL). To comply with the requirement that the domain must be clearly under our control and associated with Apple Accounts, we’ve: Verified the domain (e.g. exampleloanservice.com) via the apple-app-site-association file. Added an Admin user to our App Store Connect team with an email like admin[at]exampleloanservice.com. All URLs listed in the App Store metadata (support, marketing, privacy policy) use that same domain. The Account Holder is still using a personal email like companyname[at]gmail.com. Despite this, the app is still being rejected with the same message: "domains used on the Product Page must be under your control or ownership" My questions are: Is having an Admin user with the correct domain email enough? Or does the Account Holder email also need to be on the same domain to pass review? Would really appreciate insights from anyone who’s faced this and solved it. Thanks!
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May ’25
Repeated Rejection Due to Guideline 4.3(a) – Need Help Understanding the Issue
Hello everyone, We’re currently facing an issue with getting our app, approved in the App Store. The app keeps getting rejected under Guideline 4.3(a) with the explanation that it appears too similar in concept, binary, or metadata to other apps on the App Store. We’ve responded to Apple multiple times explaining that: -Our app is built from scratch with unique design and code. -We do not use any templates or prebuilt frameworks. -The app offers real-time support and a working, stable VPN connection. -Notifications are limited to rare, essential updates. -Metadata (title, description, keywords, screenshots) were crafted individually. -We’ve also thoroughly reviewed the App Review Guidelines, the Human -Interface Guidelines, and the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, and we believe our app fully complies. However, we continue to receive the same general rejection response, without specific feedback on what exactly needs to be changed. We’ve requested clarification from the App Review team, but haven’t received actionable details. We would really appreciate if anyone from the developer community — especially those who’ve gone through similar experiences — could provide advice on how to move forward. -What has worked for you in resolving a 4.3(a) rejection? -Are there specific changes we should make to the app’s metadata or user experience that helped in your case? -Would adding significantly new features or in-app purchase options help distinguish the app more clearly? -Any insights or guidance would be extremely helpful! Thank you in advance for your support!
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May ’25
Clarification on Use of exit(0) in iOS App for Fatal Error Recovery
I am reaching out to seek clarification on the usage of exit(0) within an iOS application under specific circumstances, as I have not been able to find concrete guidance on this in the App Store Review Guidelines Context of Our Application: We are developing a mobile game using Cocos2d-JS (Cocos2d-x JavaScript bindings). The game is built in C++ with JavaScript used for game logic, and it runs on both Android and iOS. Occasionally, due to an unrecoverable fatal JavaScript error (e.g., corrupted state or unexpected runtime crash), the game’s screen goes completely black. When this occurs, the rendering engine halts, user interaction becomes impossible, and the app enters a non-functional state. From this point, the only way to return to a working state is to manually terminate and relaunch the app. We are exploring a user-friendly solution where, upon detecting such a critical failure, we present a native UIAlertController to the user explaining the issue and informing them that the app needs to restart. Upon confirmation (i.e., tapping “OK”), we call exit(0) to gracefully close the app, so the user can relaunch it in a working state. Our Question: Is it acceptable to use exit(0) in this very limited and clearly explained context? The intention is to improve the user experience during unrecoverable fatal states that cannot be handled through standard UI or engine resets. I understand that the use of exit(0) is generally discouraged, but in our case: The user explicitly initiates the exit via a native prompt. The app is not quitting on its own or in response to a policy violation. We are not using exit(0) to bypass App Review or circumvent system behavior. There is no mention in the App Review Guidelines explicitly stating whether or not exit(0) is disallowed in such edge cases. Please confirm whether this approach aligns with Apple's policies, or suggest an alternative method for cleanly handling such irrecoverable errors on iOS? Looking forward to your guidance.
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May ’25
App not finished being reviewed for more than 3 weeks
Hi everyone, I submitted my app for review nearly 3 weeks ago, and it’s still stuck in “Waiting for Review” status. My intended launch date was May 20, which I’ve now missed due to this delay. This has already impacted user acquisition and visibility. I’ve submitted a request for expedited review (with a valid reason), but I haven’t received any update. I also emailed support at the two-week mark and only received a vague response. This is incredibly frustrating, especially considering the annual fee we pay to use App Store Connect. I would appreciate any insight from others who’ve dealt with similar delays—or any advice on how to escalate this properly. Any help or visibility on this would be appreciated.
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May ’25
App Stuck In Review For 8 Days, Repeated Board Escalations Severely Impacting Release Cycle
Dear App Review Team, I am writing to express deep concern over the repeated and prolonged delays the app is facing during the App Review process. Once again, a recent build—submitted on May 12—has been stuck in the "In Review" state for over a week. I have been informed that, as has become routine, the submission has been escalated to the App Review Board without any clear timeline or communication. This is not an isolated incident. Nearly every feature update submitted is referred to the board, resulting in unpredictable, weeks-long delays that severely disrupt the development and release cycle. These escalations consistently happen without clear reasoning, and without any proactive outreach or follow-up from the review team. The app is currently one of the highest-performing indie titles on the visionOS App Store, and I am committed to delivering the highest quality experience for users on Apple platforms. However, the current review process is making it increasingly difficult to operate responsibly or efficiently. The lack of transparency and responsiveness is not only frustrating—it is actively harming product stability, user trust, and overall business health. I am requesting immediate attention and action on this matter. Specifically: Clear communication on the status of the current review. An explanation as to why the updates are repeatedly escalated to the board. A path toward a more predictable and professional review process moving forward. I am fully committed to maintaining a positive and productive relationship with Apple, but the current pattern is unsustainable. App ID: 6737148404
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May ’25
Guideline 3.2.1(viii) - Business - Other Business Model Issues - Acceptable
Our company owns multiple financial apps, and each app has provided its own ICANN WHOIS domain certificate. However, the app submission was still rejected with the following reason: "The app provides loan services, but the domains listed on the app's Product Pages are still not clearly under your control or ownership. Since users may use these domains to contact you to request support, the domains used on the Product Page for loan apps must be under your control or ownership. Next Steps Update the Product Page metadata in App Store Connect to only include domains that you both own and are used as email domains for Apple Accounts registered to your developer account. You can review the email domains and Apple Accounts registered to your developer account in the Users and Access section of App Store Connect. Account Holder and Admin users should use emails with domains that identify the company providing loan services.“ Actions we’ve taken: Removed unrelated personnel accounts. Updated developer information to use company-owned domain names. Submitted relevant domain ownership certificates. Despite these steps, the rejection persists for the same reason. We would like to request guidance on how to resolve this issue. Specifically: How can we ensure compliance with App Review Guideline 3.2.1(viii) regarding domain ownership and financial service provider requirements? Are there additional steps or documentation needed to validate domain control for Apple’s review process?
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May ’25
Our App stuck "In Review" Process
We urgently need clarification on why the review of our app, is taking so long. We submitted the update on May 4, and while it moved to "In Review" within a few days, there has been complete silence since then—no updates, no visibility into the process. We can’t afford further delays—users are waiting for these features, and the lack of progress is disrupting our rollout plans. Please advise us immediately on how we can move this forward or escalate the review. Almost every day we contact (email) the Apple Reviewer Team but the reply doesn't have a clear reason . It makes us frustated while waiting the feeback meanwhile our users can't wait longer .
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May ’25
about “Guideline 3.2.1(viii) - Business - Other Business Model Issues - Acceptable”,the domains listed not clearly under your control or ownership.
The audit opinion mentioned that there are uncontrollable domain names on the product metadata page. We uploaded relevant certificates related to these domain names, which is sufficient to indicate that they are under our control.  However, this reason was still rejected and no further audit opinion was provided. Therefore, we cannot solve this problem, even though we believe that the domain name control has been explained through the domain name certificate.  Therefore, I would like to consult with all of you on how you have resolved this issue?
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May ’25
Appeal stuck in “Waiting for Review” for almost 1 month – not yet opened, no response
Hello everyone, I’m hoping the community (and maybe someone from App Review) can point me in the right direction. I submitted my new game on 22 April 2025. The build was rejected, so I filed an appeal the same day and re‑submitted it twice after that. The appeal has shown “Waiting for Review” ever since, and I’ve never received the usual “We got your appeal” email, just the generic “We’re seeing higher volume” message. Although this is a fresh developer account, I’ve shipped 50+ apps for other organizations over the years and never ran into a delay like this, so I’m pretty sure the hold‑up isn’t about the actual build. Why it’s urgent:
Influencer promos, community streams, and some paid ads were all timed around the original launch window. After four weeks of silence people assume the game’s been cancelled, and traffic/comments are sliding fast. What I’ve tried so far: Emailed App Review → same volume auto‑reply Used the Contact Us form twice Added a short note in Resolution Center every few days If anyone from App Review sees this or if another dev has broken out of a similar appeal limbo any tip or nudge would be hugely appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.
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May ’25
App Stuck in “Waiting for Review” for Over a Week After Previous Rejections – Urgent Launch Deadline Approaching
Hello, We’re seeking urgent help or guidance regarding a serious issue with our app review process. We submitted our iOS app last month. It was rejected three times for various reasons, and each time we promptly resolved the issues and resubmitted. After the most recent resubmission (over a week ago), the app has been stuck in the “Waiting for Review” status. The last communication we received from Apple was: We’ve tried to follow up multiple times via email, as phone support is not available in our country. However, we’ve only received automated responses saying that the review requires additional time. No actual progress or update has been communicated since then. Our launch date is now critically close, and we're concerned that we may miss it due to the continued delay and lack of visibility into the review timeline. If anyone from the App Review team is reading this, or if any developers have been through a similar situation and can share advice, we would deeply appreciate your input. Thank you for your time and support.
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May ’25