We have had a small number of users of our mac app complaining that the app suddenly can't detect their subscription or previous purchase history. These users are not new, and have been using the app successfully for some time.
In the app we do this using the following (very standard) code at app startup:
let result: VerificationResult<AppTransaction> = try await AppTransaction.shared
For those users experiencing the failure, the result is coming back as unverified.
So far we've been unable to find the cause or a solution, but it seems to have become worse with the release of macOS 15.4.
We've tried resetting, rebooting and reinstalling the app.
It's worth adding the (probably obvious) that it's impossible to test or fault-find with this, because we can't replicate the issue in a development environment.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
In-App Purchase
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Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to get advice or hear from anyone with similar experiences.
Our app Pixllove was originally rejected under Guideline 4.3 (“Spam”).
We were later invited to an App Review call with Erica, who reviewed everything and confirmed verbally and in writing (April 8, 2025) that the spam classification was removed. She acknowledged that our app uses a unique concept and only required us to implement a pre-chat consent popup.
We implemented exactly that:
• A popup appears before any chat starts, displaying the match’s name, age, and distance.
• Users must actively accept before the chat begins.
• We show this clearly in our new demo video.
• Full reporting/blocking/moderation is in place.
However, after submitting the updated build, we were again rejected under a different interpretation of 1.2, with the reasoning that our app “connects users randomly.”
This appears to be a misunderstanding, since no match occurred during their test – and it takes at least 2 users online for a match to happen.
We explained this and even submitted a screenshot of the consent popup, which had been explicitly requested by Erica.
Sadly, the reviewer ignored our message and Erica’s previous confirmation and labeled us as spam again.
We replied and asked them to please review Erica’s note from April 8, but we haven’t received a response yet.
We’re lucky to have a second review meeting scheduled for Tuesday, but this experience has been extremely frustrating and honestly, quite unprofessional — especially after being told the issue had been resolved.
Has anyone experienced something similar?
What can be done to ensure prior Apple Review decisions are respected by future reviewers?
Thanks so much in advance,
Emilija
Pixllove Team
Topic:
App Store Distribution & Marketing
SubTopic:
App Review
Tags:
App Review
App Store Connect
In-App Purchase
TestFlight
Hello Community,
My application was rejected by Apple App Review, citing Guideline 4.7 and "non-embedded," which I believe is incorrect. All transactions are signed and sent directly through the app with explicit user permission. Additionally, there's an issue with min apps where users can access the functionality via a browser to interact with the service. This feature has been part of my old application and hasn't changed in the new update. It’s the same functionality as used by popular wallets like
Metamask
Uniswap
Coinbase
Which also employ web3 technology.
Over the past two weeks, I've tried to communicate with Apple's support team but have been ignored or received only generic rejection emails. This has left me frustrated and concerned about the time and resources I’ve invested in developing and supporting this app.
Could you please help me find a solution? Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!
We sell magazines through a third party app platform called Pocketmags and our website. The magazines have Print, Digital and Combo options available for purchase. Also, this third party app provides the platform to read the digital version of the magazines.
Once a user buys a subscription on the website, he/she receives the email with the login information on PocketMags, where he registers his login details and can start reading his subscription. With us, the customer shares his billing/shipping address along with their email id while they make payment.
Now we have our own app where through which we want to sell these magazines and have to integrate In-App purchase for selling these digital subscriptions. How do we send the 3rd party subscription access details on email to the user if they do in app purchase?
I am unable to sign in to a Sandbox Apple Account, where this issue occurs only via Simulator.
Under Settings > Developer, I tap "Sign In" under Sandbox Apple Account. I enter my account credentials, and after bringing me back to the Developer page, the Sign In button briefly appears as disabled, before being re-enabled, without signing in to the account. (The account credentials are also recognized as correct, as I will receive an alert popup if incorrect.) See screenshots below:
After signing in, Sign In button appears disabled...
... then is re-enabled without actually signing in to the account.
I have now tried setting up multiple sandbox accounts via App Store Connect with various permutations (no confirmation of Apple Account email, confirming Apple Account email, logging in to iCloud and accepting terms of service), running different device simulators, running simulators on different Mac computers... none of which yield a different result.
By contrast, I can sign in to the Sandbox Apple Account without issue on a physical device. The problem occurs only via Simulator.
Hello,
I have submitted my app for review what seems like countless times. With my first submission, i created five consumable in app purchases and submitted those for review alongside my build.
My app keeps getting rejected because the reviewer cannot find the in app purchase in my app. I keep telling them that my app screen is dynamic and only shows available products. All of my submitted in app purchases are still in the "Waiting for Review" state and therefore do not show up.
This is a chicken or the egg scenerio. I need the purchases approved so they show up in the app and can be tested by the reviewer but for whatever reason they are not being approved and the reviewer is only looking at my build and rejecting it.
How do others get around this? This seems like a broken process (submitting in app purchases with builds instead of independently).
I desperatly want to get out of this submit->rejection cycle.
Over the past month I've been seeing a recent spate of customers suddenly having IAP problems where they are not getting their purchase because Apple is not providing an up to date receipt.
To be clear, this is for consumable IAPs.
This is super frustrating because nothing has changed from our side. Apple developer support have refused to investigate and say they aren't technical support.
Yes I've told the customer to uninstall/restart/reinstall the app from the MAS which should force an up to date receipt but it still doesn't work.
One customer went through the Apple support process and was simply given a refund, which is totally unhelpful because we've already had to manually add the purchased product and now we've lost the revenue and it doesn't get the problem fixed.
Anyone else having similar problems?
Topic:
App Store Distribution & Marketing
SubTopic:
General
Tags:
In-App Purchase
App Store Receipts
I have an app which is already on App Store with In-app purchase. Now I want to integrate In-app purchase in my another app for the same products as in the existing app. Both the apps are using same Apple Account. Can I reuse those Product Ids from the first app in the second one. If yes, what is the ways to use them.
Thank you in advance.
Hello,
I am writing this because the behavior of the App Store Server Notification that our server receives is problematic in the Sandbox environment.
I have two questions in total.
When purchasing a Free Trial subscription, after receiving the SUBSCRIBED / INITAL_BUY Notification, DID_RENEW should be sent when it expires, but DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW/GRACE_PERIOD is sent.
The EXPIRE Notification is sent after the subscription expires or DID_CHANGE_RENEWAL_STATUS/AUTO_RENEW_DISABLED is sent, but it does not arrive.
The first problem is that I recently heard that automatic payments after a free trial require the user's consent via email. Is this the reason?
If so, I am curious about how I can test it in the Sandbox environment.
Is the second problem a bug?
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Notifications
Tags:
Subscriptions
In-App Purchase
App Store Server Notifications
New subscriptions have been failing to renew in the sandbox for 3 days. I am seeing multiple posts and comments from people that appear to be experiencing the same issue. But I haven't seen any feedback from Apple representatives.
I really do not want to launch a new app without seeing functioning renewals in the sandbox.
Is there somewhere else we are intended to seek assistance?
I am testing sandbox subscribe but I always recieve DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW
I try to create new sandbox account and clear purchase history but not work
can anyone help?
We're experiencing an issue with in-app purchases in our React Native iOS app where RNIap.getProducts() is consistently returning an empty array, preventing users from making purchases.
Technical Details:
Using react-native-iap library
Product ID: '[REDACTED]'
Platform: iOS
Product Type: Consumable (one-time payment, NOT subscription)
Error in logs: "No products returned from App Store. Check App Store Connect."
Debugging shows: Products Fetched: []
Steps to Reproduce:
Open app and navigate to the quiz feature
Attempt to purchase additional quiz attempts
Modal opens but fails to load product information
What We've Confirmed:
IAP Connection initializes successfully
No error is thrown during product fetch, just an empty array returned
App is configured with correct Bundle ID
Using Apple Sandbox test account
We are implementing consumable purchases (one-time payments)
Potential Issues to Investigate:
Product configuration in App Store Connect
Ensure product is set as "Consumable" type in App Store Connect
Sandbox tester account permissions/activation
Bundle ID matching between app and App Store Connect
Product ID case sensitivity or typos
Yesterday I noticed that if I purchase a free trial subscription in my app using a sandbox account, when the subscription expires I see a “Billing Problem” message every time I open the app.
”allow purchases & renewals“ setting is ON so this shouldn’t happen.
has anyone else seen this or knows how to resolve?
observed on iOS 18.3.2 & 16.7.10
thanks
Hello everyone,
I am facing an issue with in-app subscriptions while submitting my app for review.
I have created subscriptions properly in App Store Connect.
Coding-wise, everything is implemented correctly on both the application side and backend side.
I have ensured that banking and tax information is complete, and all necessary agreements are active.
I followed the correct procedure to create and submit subscriptions for review.
Problem: App Review Team Can't See Product IDs
When I submitted my first Product ID for review with the new app binary, the app got rejected because the App Review team is unable to see the product IDs in the purchase flow.
They are trying to make a purchase using Sandbox, but the SKProducts array is coming back empty from the App Store.
Since the product IDs are not activated, the app cannot fetch them, leading to a failed purchase attempt.
This is causing a loop where the App Review team can't approve the IAP because they can't see the products.
Additional Information:
The app is not fetching SKProducts even in the development environment.
I have verified the Product IDs in App Store Connect, and they exist in the correct App Bundle ID.
There are no pending agreements or missing tax/banking details.
The in-app purchases have been submitted along with the app for review.
Request for Help:
Is there any additional step required to activate the subscriptions for App Review?
Why might the SKProducts array be empty even in development?
Has anyone faced a similar issue, and how did you resolve it?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Topic:
App Store Distribution & Marketing
SubTopic:
App Review
Tags:
Subscriptions
In-App Purchase
App Store Receipts
Hello, I'm currently experiencing issues with IAP subscription setup.
The following error appears:
"Billing Problem, There was a problem with your subscription renewal. To resolve, turn on Allow Purchases & Renewals, or leave off to test failed in-app purchase attempts and subscription renewals."
I'm testing with a sandbox account, and automatic subscription renewal is turned on in the sandbox settings.
A notification screen appears at the OS level, and consequently, a DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW error occurs on our payment server.
I cannot determine the cause at all, so I would appreciate your assistance in checking this issue.
I would like to inquire about an error that has started occurring while debugging AppStore billing. (In sandbox environment)
This error occurs after entering a password and completing the purchase process, and in this case, no completion alert appears. The error doesn't seem to depend on the purchase item, sandbox account, or device, and shows unstable behavior - sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing.
Additionally, this error started occurring after special debugging where the network was disconnected during the purchase process. Moreover, the same error occurs in the TestFlight version of our already released normal (supposedly) version.
I think this might be a sandbox-specific error where the system has temporarily become unstable, but what do you think? If so, how can I resolve this issue?
I would appreciate your insights on the cause and appropriate response.
Error details below:
<SKPaymentQueue: 0x283b3d070>: Payment completed with error: Error Domain=ASDErrorDomain Code=500 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x28364d770 {Error Domain=AMSErrorDomain Code=305 "Purchase Failed" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Purchase Failed, AMSStatusCode=200, AMSServerPayload={
"cancel-purchase-batch" = 1;
customerMessage = "Unauthorized_message";
failureType = "";
"m-allowed" = 0;
pings = (
);
}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=Server canceled the purchase}}, storefront-country-code=JPN, client-environment-type=Sandbox}
I would like to inquire about an error that has started occurring while debugging AppStore billing. (In sandbox environment)
This error occurs after entering a password and completing the purchase process, and in this case, no completion alert appears. The error doesn't seem to depend on the purchase item, sandbox account, or device, and shows unstable behavior - sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing.
Additionally, this error started occurring after special debugging where the network was disconnected during the purchase process. Moreover, the same error occurs in the TestFlight version of our already released normal (supposedly) version.
I think this might be a sandbox-specific error where the system has temporarily become unstable, but what do you think? If so, how can I resolve this issue?
I would appreciate your insights on the cause and appropriate response.
Error details below:
<SKPaymentQueue: 0x283b3d070>: Payment completed with error: Error Domain=ASDErrorDomain Code=500 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x28364d770 {Error Domain=AMSErrorDomain Code=305 "Purchase Failed" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Purchase Failed, AMSStatusCode=200, AMSServerPayload={
"cancel-purchase-batch" = 1;
customerMessage = "Unauthorized_message";
failureType = "";
"m-allowed" = 0;
pings = (
);
}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=Server canceled the purchase}}, storefront-country-code=JPN, client-environment-type=Sandbox}
I would like to inquire about an error that has started occurring while debugging AppStore billing. (In sandbox environment)
This error occurs after entering a password and completing the purchase process, and in this case, no completion alert appears. The error doesn't seem to depend on the purchase item, sandbox account, or device, and shows unstable behavior - sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing.
Additionally, this error started occurring after special debugging where the network was disconnected during the purchase process. Moreover, the same error occurs in the TestFlight version of our already released normal (supposedly) version.
I think this might be a sandbox-specific error where the system has temporarily become unstable, but what do you think? If so, how can I resolve this issue?
I would appreciate your insights on the cause and appropriate response.
Error details below:
<SKPaymentQueue: 0x283b3d070>: Payment completed with error: Error Domain=ASDErrorDomain Code=500 "(null)" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x28364d770 {Error Domain=AMSErrorDomain Code=305 "Purchase Failed" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Purchase Failed, AMSURL=https://sandbox.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZBuy.woa/wa/inAppBuy?guid=d743a4b05f8f6a6c4f3**********************, AMSStatusCode=200, AMSServerPayload={
"cancel-purchase-batch" = 1;
customerMessage = "Unauthorized_message";
failureType = "";
"m-allowed" = 0;
pings = (
);
}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=Server canceled the purchase}}, storefront-country-code=JPN, client-environment-type=Sandbox}
Fellow developers, have you ever faced this situation? You’ve worked hard on a cross-platform app, finally ready to launch on the App Store—only to find yourself stuck in an endless policy loop that makes approval impossible.
Apple’s “No-Win” Formula
Let’s break down Apple’s brilliantly engineered review process:
Want to use Apple’s IAP? Sure! But you must first create an in-app purchase (IAP) item.
Created an IAP? Not so fast! Apple requires your first IAP to be submitted together with a new app version, but your version 1.0 can’t submit an IAP.
Okay, let’s submit 1.0 without IAP first? Nope! Rejected under 3.1.3(b) because your app has in-app purchases on other platforms, so iOS must have them too.
Fine, I’ll use a third-party payment system (like WeChat Pay) for now. Nice try! Rejected under 3.1.1 because third-party payment systems aren’t allowed.
So, no matter what you do, your app gets rejected.
Is This Really a “Mistake”? Or…
Apple is a company full of brilliant minds—they surely see this contradiction. This isn’t a bug; it’s a feature. This policy ensures that cross-platform apps are either fully locked into Apple’s IAP or kept out of the App Store entirely.
Think about it: If this were just an oversight, why hasn’t it been fixed? Why does Apple remain completely unresponsive to appeals? Why can they adjust policies elsewhere but refuse to budge when it comes to IAP revenue?
Developers, What Can We Do?
I’ve already sent multiple appeals, all ignored by Apple. If you’ve encountered the same issue, let’s discuss it here. Maybe together, we can find a workaround—or better yet, apply pressure to Apple to explain why launching a cross-platform app on iOS feels less like a review process and more like an impossible puzzle.
Hi - I've added in-app purchases (Quarterly and Yearly
) to my app and submitted it for TestFlight. The app is available, but in my Developer account, the in-app purchases section still shows the products as 'Waiting for Review.'
When I test the app for in-app purchase, the dialog does not appear. Is this issue of "Approval" of the in-app purchase product?
If YES, how can I get approval for these in-app purchase products?
FYI: I have attached a screenshot of the in-app purchase products.
Please suggest
Thanks,
Sushil