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DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW Notification with a null gracePeriodExpiresDate
We are seeking clarification on the behavior of App Store Server Notifications V2. Summary In our production environment, we received a notification with notificationType: DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW and subtype: GRACE_PERIOD. However, the gracePeriodExpiresDate field in the payload was null. We understand this notification indicates that a user's subscription has entered a grace period. The null value for its expiration date is unexpected, and we are looking for an official explanation of this behavior and the correct way to handle it. The Scenario Here are the details of the notification we received: Notification Type: DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW Notification Subtype: GRACE_PERIOD Environment: Production Upon decoding the signedRenewalInfo JWS from the responseBodyV2, we found that the gracePeriodExpiresDate field inside the JWSRenewalInfoDecodedPayload was null. The notificationUUID for this event was in the format xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx. Our Implementation and its Impact Our backend is designed to ensure service continuity during a grace period, as recommended in the documentation. Current Logic: Receive the DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW / GRACE_PERIOD notification. Extract the gracePeriodExpiresDate. Extend the user's subscription expiration date in our database to match this date. Because the gracePeriodExpiresDate was null in this case, our logic failed, creating a risk of service interruption for the user. Context and Investigation We have performed the following checks: App Store Connect Settings: We have confirmed that Billing Grace Period is enabled for the relevant subscription group. Sandbox Environment: We have been unable to reproduce this scenario in the Sandbox. User Context: We believe the user in this case was experiencing a failed payment when attempting to renew for the first time after a free trial period. Questions To ensure we handle this scenario correctly, we would appreciate clarification on the following points: Conditions for Null: Under what specific conditions does a DID_FAIL_TO_RENEW notification with a GRACE_PERIOD subtype contain a null gracePeriodExpiresDate? Expected Behavior: Is this null value an expected behavior for certain scenarios, such as the first failed renewal after a free trial? Best Practice: If this is an expected behavior, what is the correct way to handle it? How should our backend interpret a null gracePeriodExpiresDate to ensure service continuity for the user?
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Jul ’25
Mismatch between App Store Server API `expiresDate` (July 23) and iOS UI “Expires on” date (July 22) for 1-month subscription
Hi everyone, I’m seeing a consistent one-day discrepancy between the expiresDate returned by the App Store Server API and the “Expires on” date shown in the iOS Settings / App Store subscription list. I’d like to confirm whether this behavior is expected or if I’m misunderstanding the way Apple rounds dates. Reproduction steps Step Action Result 1 Purchase a 1-month auto-renewable subscription on 23 June 2025 14:00 JST (UTC+9) Transaction succeeds 2 Immediately fetch the transaction with GET /inApps/v1/subscriptions/{transactionId} Response contains "expiresDate": "2025-07-23T05:00:00Z" (= 23 July 2025 14:00 JST) 3 On the same device open Settings › Apple ID › Subscriptions (or App Store › Account › Subscriptions) UI shows Expires on: 22 July 2025 The same happens for every monthly renewal and on multiple devices. Region is Japan, device time zone Asia/Tokyo. What I understand so far (and my hypothesis) Apple’s docs say a monthly subscription renews “on the same calendar date” of the next month, so renewal in this example is 23 July. If the renewal is scheduled for 23 July at 14:00 JST, the subscription is fully usable until the end of 22 July in calendar terms, because the new billing period starts the moment the 23rd begins in Apple’s canonical time zone. Therefore, it might be intentional for the UI to display 22 July—i.e., “you can keep using it through the 22nd; on the 23rd it renews.” This hypothesis makes sense internally, yet it still looks confusing to end users who read “Expires on 22 July” and assume access ends at 00:00 on the 22nd, a whole day earlier than in reality. Questions Is showing the day before the renewal date the official/expected behavior? If so, could Apple clarify that the “Expires on” label represents the last full calendar day rather than the exact expiry timestamp? Which value should we surface in-app when telling users “Your subscription is valid until …”? The server’s expiresDate (precise to the second, converted to user time zone), or A UI-style date that’s one day earlier, matching Settings / App Store? Does Apple have a public document describing this rounding/visual convention? Have other developers encountered user confusion about the apparent 1-day “shortening” and, if so, how did you word your in-app messaging? Any insight from Apple engineers or fellow developers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Jun ’25