Welp, I just pulled TipKit from my app as this is still not fixed in iOS 26.5 (23F5043k). I was only using it for one tip, so not a big loss. Still, it’s a shame—TipKit has a lot of potential, but there are too many limitations and paper cuts like this one.

Xcode 26.4.1 (17E202), released yesterday (Apr 16) fixed it for me. 🙌 No mention in the release notes, but in light testing I confirmed I can now paste in the simulator.

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Since I wasn’t able to get an answer here, I emailed Apple Developer Technical Support. Here’s their response… Apple DTS wrote: Yes this is the current approach to allow free app download with functionality gated by a free and paid non-consumable IAP purchase. With originalPurchaseDate the users clock would start immediately upon purchase time. That is a reliable signal but worth noting that purchase event is not when a user has opened or started to use your app or service. For that reason a free non-consumable enables the users to know the terms and start the clock when they are ready.

@App Store Commerce Engineer, thanks for the guidance in the accepted solution. 🙏 One follow-up question: With the two non-consumable approach, is it acceptable to offer a limited in-app preview before presenting the free trial IAP? The trial would still be the $0 non-consumable, with duration based solely on the transaction date. The preview wouldn’t be described as the trial or used to calculate trial time. In other words, are new customers required to see the free trial IAP before any functionality is available, or can it be presented contextually after a brief preview?

I spent most of last week implementing the $0 non-consumable IAP trial and Lifetime Unlock flow with StoreKit 2, and it’s now out on TestFlight. Here’s what the current flow looks like: I’m planning to submit this soon, but I’m still nervous about App Review and customer confusion. I want to make sure the trial terms, $0 purchase, and Lifetime Unlock are clear and not misleading, especially since this is an obscure workaround and the guidelines aren’t very specific. Are there any glaring issues with either paywall?

Since I never got an answer and my app has buttons that resize during a drag, I removed the .buttonStyle(.glass) modifier for now. Not a huge loss, but it’d be nice if glass button backgrounds didn’t change based on size. If they do need to change, the transition should be gradual so it animates smoothly with a size change.

@DTS Engineer, thanks for the reply. 🙏 That’s right, I used the local test environment only to capture those screenshots. The build currently in TestFlight does use sandbox. I’m asking about the text of the two paywalls. The guidelines are unclear for this corner case, and there aren’t many up-front paid apps with trials to reference. So, to clarify: Does the paywall text look acceptable, or should I change anything before submitting to App Review?