Dear Apple Supervisors, im Enrik Sulaj an apps and games developer .I have many Why-s ! Why app review team have a stone heart? Why they dont value our work? Why they are not helpful? Why they cant tell us where the problem is ? Why they dont do their work right? Why "They dont share information "even that information can solve the problem. Why they create the problem just to reject our games? I sent an appeal for that, still waiting for it but they always had respond with not a solution to me and not in an helpful form! Why they hate new creators? And the last why, why they make the impossible to undervalue creators hardwork and made us never work with Apple Again. I never saw an car game that collect gold and rubin, gives all free assets or crushes into a wall, but they have always their answer and dont listen to the facts, the most common answer "Duplicated but with anonymous and not shareable proof "Apple supervisors, fix my problem, im an Apple unhappy user of Developer services ! Not about Apple policies, but even my new idea can get rejected. That will hurt so many new creators. Its just not right, to take money and to refuse to give service. If i buy your product you need to give me the service. At least the support, helpful support, not like (We cant share information, becouse if you analise it well that translates in " we cant help " or "we dont have any proof just want to make your road longer ".Fix this asap, apple review team need to support us, not just to say things we already know. My app is duplicated ? How is that possible didnt copy anybody, if they continue like this even if i have the problem i will never solve this becouse i dont know what to do, this situation is making me angry becouse think of it as in the same position, if you get refused for not a real reason. I will never give up, i will get my right, and i hope the other creators facing the same problem fix this also ! Do not use bots to do the work auto and faster, instead use your eyes, they never lie . Do not save time, instead do the work longer and ri to say a little thing, anything will be in the right place at the right time .

Hi Experts, Recently we've faced an issue when submitting the new build to AppstoreConnect for review/approval. "Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase We found in our review that your app or its metadata provides access to mechanisms other than in-app purchase for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, which does not comply with the App Review Guidelines. Specifically: Your app's description includes the following call-to-action and/or URL that directs users to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app: Website: http://abc.io Next Steps To resolve this issue, please remove features, account registration links, and any other links to your site that could indirectly provide access to external purchase mechanisms. If you have any additional information to provide regarding the digital content and services in your app and how the guidelines apply to them, please reply to this message in App Store Connect and let us know. If there is information you'd like us to consider in our review of future submissions, please feel free to include it in the App Review Information section of App Store Connect." Without any detail screenshoot or detailed clue to resolve it. I asked the Apple reviewer but hasn't got a clear respond yet. We've tried to modify in-app meta data, even change the app's description to not link to any website that have account registration or external purchases but still getting rejection by Applestore. I'm wondering if anyone used to face this issue and resolved , can you please advise us on how to resolve it quickly. Thanks, Vinh

Hi, Our business has recently been dealing with getting our app rejected for 4.3 Design Spam. I've sent an appeal and sent a follow up as we weren't hearing back. For context, we've been getting this as our rejection w.o any specific reasons for us to address. We've been in the app store over 3 years and have been compliant throughout and to suddenly get this while trying to push new content, fixes, and updates to our new users has put a hindrance to our business. All our code and designs were build in house (and or used from open source sdks) and we have mechanics that are unique to our app. We want to continue to be compliant, but to just be left in the dark isn't exactly productive of both of our times. Thank You

We are doing application assignment to personal iOS devices that are enrolled in MDM via User Enrollment. However, we're experiencing some odd behavior when assigning licenses. We are getting back errors from the devices when doing assignments: code: 12064, domain: MDMErrorDomain, description: Could not retrieve licence for the app with iTunes Store ID 422689480. code: 2605, domain: DeviceManagement.error, description: No licence was found for app "com.google.Gmail". However, we are not seeing license exhaustion on the Apple Business Manager side for our location. We are not clear what would cause the 12064 or 2605 errors. We have tried re-sending the command to install the app, and we have tried un-enrolling devices and re-enrolling, as well as updating the VPP Token for the location. We have gathered sysdiagnoses from affected devices, but it's not clear what causes this. What other causes are there for 12064 and 2605 errors? How can we work around these?

Im Enrik Sulaj , a new developer and i have a small problem . App store review team is automated by bots, and since i cant find an solution to my problem . One of my games got rejected many times for different reasons , i solved all 8 reasons my game got rejected . In the end i got a big surprise , 4.3 Design-Spam . Even that my app is unique , inovation idea in tap to earn coin games it got rejected . I think Apple want only the old creators and the best ones , and for the new creators they make the road really hard .I have another game that got rejected for the same"reason " even that is a new idea in car games , and guess what , the app review team is not helpful , they say the game is repackaged and duplicated . In fact i created the games with new assets , also i created assets and the assets are never used before .I m honest , as a new creator im starting to hate Apple , not as a company , but it has bad employes and bots that dont help you . Its the truth . Apple need to do something to fix this , or it will be only for old Creators ,at least put in your Policies "We dont accept new creators , becouse we don't want to do bussiness with them , and dont need to take their money . I paid for the account and i thought it will have a great and helpful service . In fact that was a dream . My comment is all honesty from my heart , becouse even that my app has a new design , new inovation idea , not purchased , not repackaged , self made , scripts all assets selfmade , still apple review team reject it for Design Spam . I m not alone , also others have the same problem as me . We as new creators have a dream but apple team reject our dreams becouse as we see they dont want us to do bussiness with apple . Fix this !

Hi Community Unfortunately, my app has been stuck in review since October 8th (17 days), and I’m unsure if there’s anything else I can do besides waiting. It's a new app called AuctionShack (https://www.auctionshack.io/home-en.html) and so far, I’ve tried the following: Contacting via email – I was told 7 days ago that they expedited the review, confirmed they have everything they need, and advised me to wait. Requesting a 1-on-1 session via web call – I was told 3 days ago that they would check in with the team again, confirmed they have everything they need, and advised me to wait. Is there any other avenue I can take besides waiting? I feel like, I did a mistake along the way, but am not sure what it is :( Thanks and best regards Julius

I have problems with review process for new app. Review team getting error "SKErrorDomain Code=0 unknown error" while purchase subscription. They using iPad/iPhone with iOS 17/18. Problem is not reproducible on my devices. Also on devices of testers team. I have tested debug builds from Xcode and production builds from TestFlight. So strange that same purchase code was reviewed successfully on 2 other my apps. Review team getting error only on one new app. On screenshots from review I can see product prices. I loading it via StoreKit on fly. It is mean that app found products for purchase but can't purchase. "SKErrorDomain Code=0 unknown error" how I see is not app error. It is StoreKit error. Most popular advice in internet is just resubmit build. I tried it but get back same message from review team. That should I do in this case?

We have developed apps for the App Store for more than 7 years. One day, out of the blue we noticed all our apps have been removed and our account was pending termination. We really didn't know what was going on since we behaved correctly and honestly during all those years of development. After we asked for more info on why our account was in pending termination state we received this reply: Hello [redacted], We received your complaint filed on 2 October 2024 pursuant to the Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on promoting fairness and transparency for business users of online intermediation services (“P2B Regulation”). This correspondence serves as a response to your complaint. We thoroughly evaluated the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership. Our investigations confirm that your Apple Developer Program membership has been repeatedly used for dishonest and fraudulent activity in violation of Section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, which states: “You will not, directly or indirectly, commit any act intended to interfere with any of the Apple Software or Services, the intent of this Agreement, or Apple’s business practices including, but not limited to, taking actions that may hinder the performance or intended use of the App Store, Custom App Distribution, TestFlight, Xcode Cloud, Ad Hoc distribution, or the Program (e.g., submitting fraudulent reviews of Your own Application or any third party application, choosing a name for Your Application that is substantially similar to the name of a third party application in order to create consumer confusion, or squatting on application names to prevent legitimate third party use). Further, You will not engage, or encourage others to engage, in any unlawful, unfair, misleading, fraudulent, improper, or dishonest acts or business practices relating to Your Covered Products (e.g., engaging in bait-and-switch pricing, consumer misrepresentation, deceptive business practices, or unfair competition against other developers).” We found a pattern of manipulative or misleading behavior. As a result of this behavior, your Apple Developer Program membership has been flagged for termination. These behaviors can include, but are not limited to, inaccurate metadata describing your app or service, misleading app content, engaging in inauthentic ratings and reviews manipulation, providing misleading customer support responses, providing misleading responses in App Store Connect, engaging in misleading purchasing or bait and switch schemes, or other dishonest or fraudulent activity within or outside of the app. Our recent investigation and review of your developer account confirm violations of the App Review Guidelines. Specifically, we received a notice claiming that your [redacted app] allowed users to download media content without authorization from the relevant third-party sources. Our investigations confirmed this behavior which constitutes direct and egregious violations of App Review Guidelines 2.3.1 and 5.2.3. In addition, your binary submission from 1 October 2024 continued to include references to impermissible conduct under Guideline 5.2.3. Given the egregious nature of the violations, your app was removed and your Apple Developer Program account has been flagged for termination. For the sake of clarity, we have included relevant excerpts from the App Review Guidelines below for reference: 2.3.1 (a) Don’t include any hidden, dormant, or undocumented features in your app; your app’s functionality should be clear to end users and App Review. All new features, functionality, and product changes must be described with specificity in the Notes for Review section of App Store Connect (generic descriptions will be rejected) and accessible for review. Similarly, marketing your app in a misleading way, such as by promoting content or services that it does not actually offer (e.g. iOS-based virus and malware scanners) or promoting a false price, whether within or outside of the App Store, is grounds for removal of your app from the App Store or a block from installing via alternative distribution and termination of your developer account. (b) Egregious or repeated behavior is grounds for removal from the Apple Developer Program. We work hard to make the App Store a trustworthy ecosystem and expect our app developers to follow suit; if you’re dishonest, we don’t want to do business with you. 5.2.3 Audio/Video Downloading: Apps should not facilitate illegal file sharing or include the ability to save, convert, or download media from third-party sources (e.g. Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, etc.) without explicit authorization from those sources. Streaming of audio/video content may also violate Terms of Use, so be sure to check before your app accesses those services. Authorization must be provided upon request. The guiding principle of the App Store is to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for users and a great opportunity for all developers to be successful. We work hard to make the App Store a trustworthy ecosystem and expect our app developers to be honest with users and with us. Manipulative or misleading behavior degrades user trust in the App Store and is grounds for removal from the Apple Developer Program. [...] Sincerely, Apple We immediately checked upon the issue and noticed that the feature that Apple has been mentioning was enabled by mistake due to a technical malfunction inside our app and explained this to Apple in detail. We have also immediately submitted a new update to completely remove the code that allow the download of media content from the third party website in order to avoid an issue like this would ever happen in the future and also explained the situation to Apple, being completely transparent. Apple is currently ignoring our explanation and also the fact that we immediately addressed the issue and nothing was done in bad faith. The update we submitted should have completely fixed permanently the issue and yet we got our account terminated. An account with an app downloaded 50M times that have users worldwide and a 4.5 star rating. We never engaged in dishonest or fraudulent behavior and tried to explain this. It’s really disappointing and unfair to be falsely accused of dishonest behavior, and having no way to resolve the issue. We have been at complete disposal and all the facts reported are true and we have always been honest with our users and with Apple. We heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem having our app implemented Siri support, CarPlay support, MacOS support, Widget support and recently working also on the Apple Watch support. I really hope someone of the Apple Review Team could look into this and gave us the opportunity to fix this issue.

Hi, I have a project in React Native, and I am using react-native-iap to load subscription products. When I use Xcode to run my app in debug mode, it lists all my subscriptions, and I am able to subscribe successfully. However, the receipt I receive is not getting validated. When I release the app on TestFlight, it does not list my subscriptions, and I am getting an empty array. I am using the useIAP hook from react-native-iap to fetch the list of subscriptions. Additionally, my app and subscriptions are not yet approved because the subscriptions are not being listed correctly.

So my app review was rejected for trying to create a subscription that will allow users to stream background audio on our video streaming app, to do this we used UIBackgroundModes in info.plist, as far as i know there is literally no other way to allow for background sound without it. Now here is the guideline in question: 4.10ASR & NR Monetizing Built-In Capabilities You may not monetize built-in capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system, such as Push Notifications, the camera, or the gyroscope; or Apple services and technologies, such as Apple Music access, iCloud storage, or Screen Time APIs. Now i could accept this, but the whole reason we wanted to include that as a "premium feature" is because a lot of other apps do just that, most noticably Youtube, offers background audio as part of the subscription. Now i want to know if Youtube either solves this in another way (as far as i know it would be impossible without UIBackgroundModes. Either Google/Youtube has some special deal with apple or i am missing something here. I asked ChatGPT about this and got the response that it's probably because Youtube bundles other features with background audio and doesn't solely charge for background audio. This would also make sense and we do plan on having multiple features (was just testing the subscription setup make sure it will pass review in the future), but i see nothing on the guidelines about this, ChatGPT only inferred this from me describing youtubes situation. Whilst i wait for apples app review team to respond to my question, i would like some input from other developers regarding this. What are your thoughts/theories on how other apps enable background audio behind a paywall when the guideline states you can't?

Greetings, We have been rejected in the review of our App for a code non-compliance with 4.3 Design guidelines. Our App appears to be similar to others, and indeed it is similar in functionality and appearance. The others that are similar have been developed by us as well, these being customisations that are specifically targeted at the companies or accounts we deal with. The truth is that we have gone through several reviews of the other Apps before when we submitted them for publication at the time. We know that there are other development companies that customise Apps for different brands and in these cases there has been no reason for rejection by the Apple Store. We are beginning to think that there may be certain factors that are directly influencing the rejection of this App: The mockups or screenshots we are using are similar to those of another App we have published with the same functionalities. The backgrounds of the App have a gem of colours similar to that of the other App. And now we wonder: Is it possible that he rejected it solely because of design issues with the presentation screenshots and backgrounds of the App? Apart from the appeal that can be submitted to the Store via the review form, is there any way to contact Apple by phone to determine exactly why the App was rejected? How do other companies upload the same custom App and get it reviewed?

Hello everyone, I’m seeking advice on how to proceed after receiving a Pending Termination Notice for my Apple Developer account. Previously, I uploaded my app twice but it was rejected both times. After making the required adjustments, I resubmitted it and waited for more than a week with the status still “Waiting for Review.” I followed up with Apple twice during this period, but instead of a response, I received the Pending Termination Notice stating that my account was flagged for fraudulent or dishonest activities, with all associated apps removed from the App Store. I am confused by this outcome since I did not engage in any such behavior. I’ve carefully reviewed all app functionalities to ensure compliance. Now, I’m unsure how to move forward—should I continue appealing, or is it better to create a new account and resubmit the app? Any guidance or suggestions on how to resolve this situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi there, My app was rejected and I made an appeal about this. But on the app store connect, my app is still in rejected status. Do I need to click on "Add for review" button and send it again (without changing anything) or not? Do you have any idea how long it will take to get a response? Thanks for your responses 🙏

Here's a video demo of the app https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lTwgqs3nwk Hello fellow developers, I've recently submitted my app, "Mosawirin," to the Apple Store, but it was rejected under Guideline 4.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality. I'm seeking advice on how to address this issue. The app is a platform that connects users with professional photographers, models, makeup artists, hairstylists, and other service providers across Saudi Arabia. Service providers can offer their services, while users can browse, filter, and book directly through the app. Users can also communicate with service providers to arrange details. Main Features: In-app Messaging: Direct communication between users and service providers. Comments and Ratings: Users can leave feedback and rate packages. Notifications: Real-time updates for offers, bookings, and messages. Direct Booking: Users can book services directly within the app. Direct Contact via WhatsApp: Users can also connect with service providers via WhatsApp. Service Provider Listings: Categorized lists of photographers, makeup artists, and models. Detailed Profiles: Service provider profiles showing packages and reviews. Service Filtering: Filter services by city, gender, and category. Like Feature: Save favorite packages for later. Report Feature: Users can report inappropriate content. Ad Display Date & View Count: Ads display date and view count information. Similar Ads: When viewing a service, the app suggests related ads based on the category or service type. Account Management for Providers: Modify/delete packages. Track orders. Communicate with clients. Delete accounts if necessary. Apple's Review Feedback: "Guideline 4.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality We found that the usefulness of your app is limited by the minimal amount of content or features it includes. Next Steps We encourage you to review your app concept and incorporate different content and features that are in compliance with the App Review Guidelines. Apple customers expect apps to provide a really great user experience, offering valuable utility or entertainment, or enabling people to do something they couldn’t do before or in a new way." I want to explain that the app is still in its early stage and was submitted with demo content just for the review. The images and content are temporary placeholders because the app depends on service providers to upload real content. The app hasn’t officially launched yet, and the real content will be added after the launch. There are a few points I would like to clarify: The app currently supports only one language, which is Arabic, as it targets Arabic-speaking users. The app only has a light mode, and a dark mode option is not available at the moment. I do not ask for the user's location because it is not necessary for the app's functionality. Thanks in advance for your time and help!

Hello, One of the apps my team is developing is using Keycloak for allowing users to authenticate inside the application. We are using Keycloak primarily to act as the backend identity provider and not forcing users to authenticate via social logins (Facebook, Google, etc.). Under point 4.8 (at the time of posting) in the AppReview guidelines, would the app need to also offer another login service?

Hey Everyone, Apple required us to implement Sign in with Apple since we already offer other third-party login options. After adding this feature, however, our app was rejected again, with the following message: During our review, we found that your app’s Sign in with Apple gives an error. While we cannot provide technical assistance with the reported issues, we have put together the following resources, which discuss common issues seen in apps during review. To start, please see Testing a Release Build, which gives an overview of how to test your app to minimize the chances of issues occurring during review. You may also want to review Designing for Real-World Networks, as all apps are reviewed on-device and in an environment that replicates real-world use of your app. If the app has been geo-restricted so that it is only accessible in certain locations or when connected to specific IP addresses, reply to this message with additional information about the geo-restrictions currently in place. Include this information in the Review Notes section of App Store Connect for future submissions. Note that all apps submitted for review, including those with geographical or IP restrictions, must provide full access to the app’s features and functionality to allow for a complete review. In our app, there is one specific scenario that might be relevant to this issue: If a user’s Apple account doesn’t have an associated email address and only has a mobile number, we display a meaningful prompt requesting the user to add an email to their Apple account. Capturing an email address is a mandatory requirement for our business, as it is used for all communications and to uniquely identify each user. Unfortunately, based on the rejection message, it is unclear what the specific issue is with the Sign in with Apple feature. We want to avoid resubmitting the app through trial and error without understanding the exact cause. Could you please provide more clarity or specific details regarding the error encountered? This would help us address the issue accurately and expedite the review process. Thank you for your time and assistance.

My app helps app users monetize their social media by creating UGC for our partner brands. Not a new concept, and there are 4 other apps which i know of doing the same, in fact our app ui also closely resembels all 4 of them. Apple has rejected the app because of the primary purpose of the app is to encourage users to perform digital tasks in exchange for compensation, watch ads and/or perform other marketing-oriented tasks, which is not appropriate. But there are other apps on the same concept and one launched just a month ago. I ahve filed for an appeal but no response yet, in the messages i got reply which said the same. Any idea why they do so?

We are trying to publish an app on the public App Store that is intended for internal use by our organization. The app does not have a public registration process—accounts are created internally by our organization's system, and users simply sign in. Apple has rejected the app, suggesting to use private distribution methods like Apple Business Manager or the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. However, we would prefer to distribute the app publicly via the App Store for easier access and updates. Has anyone successfully published a public-facing app without a registration feature where account creation is managed internally? Are there any specific strategies or additional features we should add to meet Apple’s requirements while keeping our internal account creation process? Thank you for your insights!

We are trying to publish an app on the public App Store that is intended for internal use by our organization. The app does not have a public registration process—accounts are created internally by our organization's system, and users simply sign in. Apple has rejected the app, suggesting to use private distribution methods like Apple Business Manager or the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. However, we would prefer to distribute the app publicly via the App Store for easier access and updates. Has anyone successfully published a public-facing app without a registration feature where account creation is managed internally? Are there any specific strategies or additional features we should add to meet Apple’s requirements while keeping our internal account creation process? Thank you for your insights!

After communicating with App Review for a week, I found I have to submit an appeal to App Review Board. Now I have some questions about it. Time for Response How long does it usually take to get a response from App Review Board? I've waited for a week and there's no any response from them. Expedited Review My app will be removed from sale if the new version does't get approved before October 22nd. Can expedited review be applied for App Review Board? Reply to App Review Board If App Review Board still rejects my app, can I reply to them in App Store Connect to provide more infomation? If so, will it take another week or it will be faster? — WindowsMEMZ @ Darock Studio