Web-site based help documentation in app

I've seen lots of apps provide a web site for help for their app instead of having help content in their app. My company's customer service department has a full website using zendesk which has our app help online. We have traditionally shipped with in-app help but want to get away from that as we are pretty much duplicating work. Does anyone know if it is allowed to have web-site based help inside your app? If so, does it have to be in a web view or launch the system browser? I looked in the app review guidelines and just quickly searched around and didn't see anything. Could our app get rejected for having web-site based help documentation in app? One concern is potentially any external links we may not have caught that are in the online help site. Thanks in advanced for the insight.

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MNVerdeDev
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bump

Anyone???

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MNVerdeDev
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It really isn't duplicating work to put help inside the app. You aren't writing it again, but just including the existing content. Otherwise, people can't use the help if they don't have internet. No one, including Apple, can say in advance whether an app will be rejected or not. Many apps don't have help at all. I don't think Apple cares one way or another about help. However, if those external help links go to your website and there is some purchase opportunity on your website, then Apple will take an interest in that. That's a guaranteed rejection.

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john daniel
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When this came up inside the corps I worked for, I could never resist telling the concerned actors they should direct that concern towards software what didn't need help docs 😉


I'm not a big fan of linked support unless it is very, very brief. Remember, mobile apps are supposed to be light weight.


In any case, the concern for busted links is solved by not using drill-down links in the app - use the uber-common tactic of directing users to the top of the company site, and make sure there is at least one support link there. That way, deeper links can change, but the dev doesn't have to chase them and managers don't need to fret over complaints from lost users.


And remember, if the app crashes, they'll still have to ferret out a link to your corp site.

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KMT
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