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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Handling ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest
An ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest rejection email looks as follows: ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest- Your app includes "<path/to/SDK>", which includes , an SDK that was identified in the documentation as a privacy-impacting third-party SDK. Starting February 12, 2025, if a new app includes a privacy-impacting SDK, or an app update adds a new privacy-impacting SDK, the SDK must include a privacy manifest file. Please contact the provider of the SDK that includes this file to get an updated SDK version with a privacy manifest. For more details about this policy, including a list of SDKs that are required to include signatures and manifests, visit: https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. Glossary ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest: An email that includes the name and path of privacy-impacting SDK(s) with no privacy manifest files in your app bundle. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. : The specified privacy-impacting SDK that doesn't include a privacy manifest file. If you are the developer of the rejected app, gather the name of the SDK from the email you received from Apple, then contact the SDK's provider for an updated version that includes a valid privacy manifest. After receiving an updated version of the SDK, verify the SDK includes a valid privacy manifest file at the expected location. For more information, see Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK. If your app includes a privacy manifest file, make sure the file only describes the privacy practices of your app. Do not add the privacy practices of the SDK to your app's privacy manifest. If the email lists multiple SDKs, repeat the above process for all of them. If you are the developer of an SDK listed in the email, publish an updated version of your SDK that includes a privacy manifest file with valid keys and values. Every privacy-impacting SDK must contain a privacy manifest file that only describes its privacy practices. To learn how to add a valid privacy manifest to your SDK, see the Additional resources section below. Additional resources Privacy manifest files Describing data use in privacy manifests Describing use of required reason API Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK TN3182: Adding privacy tracking keys to your privacy manifest TN3183: Adding required reason API entries to your privacy manifest TN3184: Adding data collection details to your privacy manifest TN3181: Debugging an invalid privacy manifest
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Appeal for App Rejected Under 4.3(b) – Looking for Insight on Short Video + AI Dating App
Hi all, I’ve been working on an innovative dating app — it focuses on short videos and AI-powered recommendations, rather than static profiles/images and swipe interactions. It includes: Short-form video feeds instead of pictures AI-generated summaries from uploaded videos (hobbies, personality, etc.) AI-driven feed recommendations based on user "like" behavior Free, unlimited messaging between mutually interested users Inclusive for all genders, non-swipe-based UI Despite these features, the app has been repeatedly rejected under Guideline 4.3(b): Design – Spam. The review feedback refers to "duplicative functionality in a saturated category." I’ve filed an appeal and previously raised this in the forums — where I received helpful feedback. I would love any insights, examples, or advice from others who’ve built in saturated categories while navigating this rule. I genuinely believe the app brings something innovation and unique experience to dating app users on iPhone. And it's bringing some freshness to this saturated category. If any Apple team member is monitoring this thread, I’d greatly appreciate guidance or further clarification. Thank you!
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App rejection post upgrade from min version iOS 12 to iOS 17 citing syscall presence
Dear Community, We are facing an issue in our production App where we recently upgraded app min version from iOS 12 to iOS 17 in order to integrate a private API Entitlement. Due to upgrade, app review is rejecting the same app citing syscall presence like mentioned below : • syscall: open_dprotected_np • syscall: getsockname • syscall: fork • syscall: modwatch They suggested using strings command and otool command to find such syscalls presence but we were not able to find any such syscall presence. We are on Cordova platform (hybrid application) and are using Mobile First Platform (MFP8). If anyone has faced such an issue, please help us in finding these syscalls so that we can take action on them. Regards, Aditya
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App Review with Older SDK: Can I Publish After April 24th and How Long Can It Stay in 'On Hold' Status?
I submitted my iOS app for review with the "On Hold" status, but I uploaded the build using an older SDK version. According to the guidelines, starting April 24th, apps need to be built with the updated SDK. If my app is approved and ready for release, will I be able to release it after April 24th, even though it uses the older SDK? Also, how long can the app remain in the "On Hold" status before I need to take further action?
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App Build Not Appearing in App Store Connect After Successful Upload
Dear Apple Developer Community, I am facing an issue where my Flutter app build is not appearing in App Store Connect after a successful upload. Issue Details: I archived and uploaded my app using Xcode without any errors. The build appears under my app in App Store Connect. However, when I go inside the Build section to select it for submission, there is no build available. The message displayed: "If your app uses encryption, you're required to upload export compliance documentation..." I already completed the encryption compliance but the build still does not show up. I uploaded images/screenshots, yet the issue persists. I waited over 3 days, but the build has not appeared. Environment: Xcode Version: Latest macOS Version: Latest Flutter Version: Latest Has anyone else encountered this issue? Is there any workaround or additional step required? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
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Stuck in "Information Submitted" Status in Apple Review for Weeks - How to Expedite?
Hello everyone, my application has been stuck in the "Information Submitted" status of Apple's review process for several weeks now. The system shows "Thanks for providing additional information—it is currently processing and will be reviewed shortly," but there has been no progress. During this time, I cannot access App Store Connect, and payments may be delayed. This situation has continued for weeks, seriously affecting my development and operational plans. Has anyone experienced a similar situation? Are there any methods to contact Apple to expedite the process or understand the specific reason for the delay? What additional information should I provide to move the review process forward? Thank you for your suggestions and help! @Apple
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Notification of Apple Developer Program License Agreement (“DPLA”) violation
I received an email from app_notification @apple.com about violating section 11.2 roughly 21 days ago. There is nothing in resolution center (there doesnt seem to be a way for me to access resolution center). I have tried ringed apple dev support but they dont know anything about it and suggested replying to the email. I have replied to the email and had no response. The 30 days is almost up. Is it possible to speak to somebody about this please as it is very urgent? Thank you
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Prolonged App Review Delay Despite Resolving Issues
Hi everyone, I’m experiencing an unexpected delay in the review process for my app (RadioBar), and I’d appreciate your guidance. Here’s the timeline: March 24: Received feedback from the review team stating that identified issues could be resolved in the next update. Same day (March 24): Fixed the issues immediately and resubmitted the app. March 24–28: App remained in "In Review" status with no updates. March 28: Resubmitted the app again, assuming possible system issues. Status returned to "In Review." March 31: Requested an expedited review via the Resolution Center due to urgent bug fixes impacting users. As of April 2, the app remains stuck in "In Review" with no progress. This delay is disrupting my development schedule and affecting users awaiting critical fixes. Steps taken: Ensured compliance with all guidelines. Responded promptly to initial feedback. Submitted expedited review request. Could you kindly investigate the delay and prioritize the review? Any clarification or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
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The UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the Info.plist is still set up in such a way that the app will not install on the device used in review.
I've seen other similar posts with no clear answers and solutions. My Unity app has been rejected several times with this message: The UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the Info.plist is still set up in such a way that the app will not install on the device used in review. Review device details: Device type: iPhone 13 mini OS version: iOS 18.4 Next Steps Please check the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key to verify that it contains only the attributes required for the app features or the attributes that must not be present on the device. Attributes specified by a dictionary should be set to true if they are required and false if they must not be present on the device. I have made sure the submitted app has only one value for UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities, arm64, which is required by Unity. Initially Metal was listed as well, but I've removed it in trying to fix this problem. Additionally, I've ran the app through TestFlight and it functions fine. I'm not sure what else to try to fix this issue, though I've seen from other posts that indicate this type of rejection could possibly be a bit of a red herring and the real issue could be something else. Any help would be appreciated
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TestFlight Distribution Lag
Lately TestFlight has been having unexpected delays for me. For context, I have an app that I am just testing internally right now, so whenever I have a new build the process I follow is: Upload build to App Store Connect Wait for build to finish processing (typically less than a minute) Add compliance info in App Store Connect Wait for build to be distributed via TestFlight For the last few months, after I entered the compliance info, my app would be available for TestFlight distribution almost immediately after I entered the compliance info. I would get the email notification and I could see my new build on TestFlight. I am getting the notifications from App Store Connect that my build has completed processing within a minute or two of uploading it. Then, I enter the compliance information in App Store Connect. Lately, it has been taking multiple hours in between when I provide the compliance info and when the new build is available on TestFlight though. So there is a seemingly random time period in between when I enter the compliance information and when the app is actually distributed to TestFlight. I am not sure why this process that used to be immediate now has multiple hours of lag. There also does not appear to be any way for me to manually check on the status or anything. After I enter the compliance info, it is an entirely hidden and automated process to then push that build out to TestFlight. Is there anything I can do to improve this, or are there any known causes for this issue? I have tried re-submitting another new build version to try and "flush the pipeline", and that worked once before, but it doesn't appear to be working anymore.
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Transfer an unpublished app
I have an unpublished app that we use as our development environment, and we need to transfer it to another Apple Developer account. Since the app is not published, the standard App Transfer process in App Store Connect does not apply. Is there any workaround to transfer the app without creating a new developer account, changing the bundle ID, or reconfiguring all the associated certificates and provisioning profiles? We would like to avoid the need to rebuild and reconfigure everything from scratch. Any guidance on this process would be greatly appreciated!
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App stuck in review for more than half a month
Hello I'm writing on this forum to find if anyone has solution for this issue. I've submitted my app on March 14th. And today is the end of March. I've stayed patient, not trying to bother whomever related to the review or Apple for two weeks. Then I've tried requesting expedited review, but couldn't hear anything for days. I've mailed developer support to know what's taking so long, and to tell that I'm willing to submit additional information about the app and the developer if that helps or if necessary. But couldn't hear anything. I sincerely respect the policy of Apple and the reviewing process, and I truely want to adhere to it, but my experience of not getting anykinds of respond is surely unpleasant. I had to dramatically change my app launching schedule due to the delay. Let's say the delay is reasonable. But waiting for half a month, replanning my launch again and again without knowing anything about what's going on in the review? I'm willing to fully cooperate with whomever related to my app's review. If anyone has solution for this please let me know. Thank you.
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App Store Connect “Missing Metadata” Nightmare: The Solution I Spent HOURS Searching For
I just spent way too many hours trying to figure out why my in-app subscription was stuck in “Missing Metadata” in App Store Connect, even though I had filled out everything. If you're here because you're in the same boat, this is the solution Apple doesn't make obvious. The Problem I created an auto-renewable subscription (Kanabloom Premium) and filled in all required fields. The subscription was still marked "Missing Metadata", preventing me from submitting it. The “In-App Purchases” section wasn’t showing up in my App Store version submission, which meant I couldn't even attach the subscription to my app version. I triple-checked the metadata, pricing, tax settings, review screenshot, and even resaved everything, but nothing worked. What I Tried (Before Finding the Fix) Checked that pricing was set up correctly for all countries. Uploaded the required review screenshot for the subscription. Made sure the subscription group existed and was linked properly. Refreshed, logged out/in, and tried different browsers. Read every Stack Overflow, Reddit, and Apple Developer Forum post I could find. Even tried creating a dummy subscription to see if that would reset the system. The Solution: Localizing the Subscription Group Here’s the stupidly hidden requirement that finally fixed it: ✅ Your subscription group itself (not just the subscription) needs a localized display name. App Store Connect requires each subscription group to have at least one localized display name for it to be valid. If this is missing, all subscriptions inside that group will stay stuck in “Missing Metadata” no matter how complete they are. How to Fix It: Go to App Store Connect > Subscriptions > Subscription Group Click on your subscription group (not the individual subscription). Check if there's a localization added under "Group Reference Name." If missing, add a localization (e.g., English) and save. Refresh the page and boom – the subscription will finally be "Ready to Submit." Conclusion Apple really needs to make this requirement clearer. Now that I’ve finally figured it out, hopefully, this post helps someone else avoid losing hours of their life to the same issue. If you're still stuck, double-check that: You’ve set pricing and enabled "Cleared for Sale." You’ve uploaded a review screenshot for the subscription. You’ve signed all App Store agreements and banking/tax documents. Your app's In-App Purchase capability is enabled in Xcode. Let me know if this helped you! I wish I had found a post like this sooner. 😂 This should make for a useful and searchable post in case other devs run into the same headache. Let me know if you want any tweaks before posting! 🚀
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Termination notice and app removal
Hello, I am a first time app developer and a few days after my app was approved I got a termination notice and an app removal notice from apple without any info, proof or explanation. I do not believe I did anything wrong so I submitted an appeal within an hour after receiving the termination notice. I didn’t receive any confirmation that they received the appeal or any resolution (and it has been 16 days). I contacted support through email and got a generic response something like ‘we are working on our backlog, you need to wait’. the thing is that my account is going to be terminated in less than 2 weeks and I’m panicking and don’t know what to do. did anyone have any similar experiences and how did you resolve it? this is a part of the message I received: Upon further review of the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership, it's been determined that your membership, or a membership associated with your account, has been used for dishonest or fraudulent activity, in violation of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Given the severity of the identified issues, all apps associated with your Apple Developer Program account have been removed from the App Store and your account has been flagged for removal. Because your account has been flagged for removal, any earnings payments are paused and app transfers are disabled. Creating new accounts after receiving this message may result in the termination of the new or associated accounts. Evidence of Dishonest or Fraudulent Activity App submissions from your account have engaged in concept or feature switch schemes to evade the review process, such as dynamically populating different app content after review, submitting apps with hidden features, repeatedly submitting misleading apps, and/or submitting apps with concrete references to content that you are not authorized to provide or is otherwise not appropriate for the App Store.
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App clip size with dependency SDK in it.
I just started with App Clips so quite new to it. One of our dependencies is very big in size (85+ MB) which is making the app size almost 87MB's uncompressed and 40MB's compressed with just this dependency and no other app clip related code in it. I created a App Thinning size report for the app clip and even with bigger app clip size, I decided to upload the beta build to App Store Connect for testing purposes. On App Store Connect, app clip size is 70+ MB and to my surprise it passed the App Store Connect review and I was able to install this app clip on my device from Test Flight. If I add functionality to the app clip with this bigger dependency SDK, then the app clip size is going to increase further and am worried that it could get rejected when I push it to app store. Minimum iOS version of the app is 16.4, so my understanding is that the maximum app clip size allowed is 15MB. Am trying to figure out, how the app clip build was approved on app store connect and if dependency sizes in app clips are ignored? Attaching screenshot of App Thinning report and screenshot of App Store Connect build with this App Clip.
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Spam Rejection with no appeal response
Dear Apple Developer Community, I have been facing repeated 4.3 Spam rejections for my game on the App Store, and I am struggling to understand the reason behind it. My game is a multiplayer racing and drifting game, fully designed and developed from scratch. Every aspect—including UI, 3D assets, game mechanics, and netcode—has been built independently. While I have used some paid assets, they are strictly for visuals only (such as models and textures), not game templates or code templates. Additionally, these assets have been significantly modified to fit my game’s unique style. To address the rejection, I have made numerous changes—some major and some minor—including: Modifying gameplay elements Adjusting UI and mechanics Updating the App Store listing (title, screenshots, description, and category) Despite these efforts, I continue to receive the same 4.3 Spam rejection. I have also tried to appeal multiple times but have not received any response. My game is categorized under Racing and Simulation (with Racing as the main category), but I even tried submitting it under just Games without subcategories—yet the rejection persists. I’m truly frustrated and unsure what else I can do to resolve this issue. If anyone has faced a similar situation or has any advice on how to proceed, I would greatly appreciate your insights. Thank you in advance!
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Payment System for Peer-to-peer Parking App.
Hello, I am in the process of developing a peer-to-peer parking app and would like clarification on whether my payment system requires In-App Purchases (IAP) or if I can use custom payment system embedded in-app such as Stripe for transactions. About the App: Users can add empty parking spots they find on a map. Other users can pay to unlock a group of spot coordinates (availability is not guaranteed). Users can also host their own occupied parking spot and sell it to another user, guaranteeing availability. The app uses a virtual currency (“coins”), which represent real money and are used to pay for unlocking spots and purchasing hosted spots. Users can fund their account with coins, and coins they earn from selling spots can be cashed out via PayPal once a minimum threshold is met. Users cannot cash out coins they purchased—only the ones they earned. The funds/coins are controlled by the app’s servers acting as a middleman. If a purchase transaction occurs, the app deducts the coins from the purchaser‘s account and credits the sellers account minus service fee of the app. My Question: Since the app facilitates real-world transactions between users, can I use Stripe to allow users to purchase coins, or does Apple require In-App Purchases (IAP) for funding accounts? If not do you have any suggestions on different methods? I want to ensure compliance with App Store policies before proceeding. Thank you! Best regards, Mubin
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