In this post, we'll share tips to help you submit apps that deliver original ideas to your users. When working on your app, focus on creating interesting, unique experiences that aren't already available. Apps that actively try to copy other apps won't pass review, and accounts that repeatedly submit copycat apps or attempt to impersonate a service will be closed. The rules that prevent copycat and impersonator apps from being distributed on the App Store are described in App Review Guideline 4.1: 4.1 Copycats (a) Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers. (b) Submitting apps which impersonate other apps or services is considered a violation of the Developer Code of Conduct and may result in removal from the Apple Developer Program.(c) You cannot use another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name, without approval from the developer. These requirements help make the App Store both a safe place for people to discover apps and a platform for all developers to be successful. Best Practices Here are three best practices that will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1: 1. Submit apps with unique content and features. People want apps that provide unique experiences. Find areas that aren't currently being served and build compelling apps for those audiences. Do: Create apps that provide a new experience or a unique spin on an existing concept. Design original, delightful interfaces that elegantly meet your user's needs. Don't: Don’t imitate the features and functionality of other apps. Don’t copy the look and feel of other apps, such as using an identical user interface design. 2. Make sure App Store metadata only contains relevant information and content you either own or have permission to use. The metadata provided in App Store Connect is used to populate your app's product page on the App Store. People rely on this metadata to learn about your app and what it has to offer. Leveraging the popularity of another brand or app, either by including irrelevant references or protected content, is misleading and won't help your app succeed. Do: Use engaging, descriptive language to describe your unique app. Create original content that best represents your app, such as screenshots showing the actual app in use. Don't: Don't use protected material you do not have the necessary permission to use, such as app icons that are similar to icons of a popular app. Don’t include irrelevant references, such as popular app names or trademarked terms, in any metadata fields. 3. Provide information that is authentic and verifiable. People want to know the developers behind their favorite apps are who they say they are. It's important to continually review and provide up-to-date information, including the developer or company name listed on your Apple Developer Program account, the Support URL listed on your app's product page, and other helpful information. This will enable your users to contact you when they need help and it will also hinder people who may try to impersonate you, your app, or your service. Do: Make sure all information, resources, and documentation related to your account and apps are current and accurate. Don't: Don’t provide inaccurate information or resources, such as directing people to outdated support pages. Don’t provide fraudulent documentation. Accounts that submit fraudulent documentation will be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Support Incorporating these best practices into your app's development will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1. If you need additional assistance, consider taking advantage of one of the following support options available from App Review: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review Appointment to discuss the results of our review. Appointments are subject to availability, and take place during local business hours in your region on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Resources Learn about foundational design principles from Apple designers and the developer community. Learn how to create engaging App Store product pages. Note that apps that violate intellectual property rights are subject to removal through the App Store Content Dispute process. If you believe an app on the App Store violates your intellectual property rights, you can submit a claim.

Here are some tips from App Review for a smooth review experience. We’ve split them into two categories: Before You Submit and After You Submit. We’ve also made an easy-to-follow Submission Guide you can save and reference at any point on your App Store journey. Before You Submit Tips Enable a complete review. Make sure you’ve provided demo accounts or implemented an account demonstration mode before you submit. We’ll need to review the entire app experience, both with and without an account. Provide up-to-date demo account login credentials in the App Review Information section on the app version page in App Store Connect. If your app has multiple account types (such as admin and general users), use the Notes field to provide additional demo account credentials for each account type. If your app requires an authentication code in addition to the login credentials, provide the code in advance in the Notes field. Otherwise, a call may be required to complete the review. Apps that handle sensitive user information, or operate in highly regulated industries, can implement demonstration modes that exhibit full features and functionality while using demonstration data. Use the Notes field in App Store Connect to provide information to App Review. The App Review Information section of App Store Connect includes a Notes field. Provide any information that could be relevant to your submission’s review: Submitting a new app? Tell us about your app's concept, business model, and if your app is designed to only operate in certain locations. Submitting an update? Tell us about what’s changed and where to locate significant new content or features. Connecting to hardware? Attach a video, not a screen recording, that shows both the hardware and the app running on a physical Apple device as they pair and interact. Test your app on physical devices before submitting for review. Use TestFlight to distribute your app for beta testing. App Review evaluates apps the way your users will use them: installed on real devices and connected to networks with real-world conditions. Make sure your pre-submission testing includes running the app on each device platform where it could be used. Users expect the app to function on all the devices where it’s available. TestFlight will help you do quality assurance and beta testing on real devices. Share your beta app with internal testers on your Apple Developer Program account or to external users via an email invite or public link. Configure In-App Purchases for review in the sandbox environment. App Review assesses In-App Purchases in the same sandbox environment Apple provides for testing them. The sandbox lets us use real product data and server-to-server transactions, without incurring any financial charges. Take these steps to prepare your In-App Purchases for review: Accept the Paid Applications Agreement in App Store Connect. Submit the In-App Purchases in App Store Connect that you’d like reviewed. Follow the steps in TN3186: Troubleshooting In-App Purchases availability in the sandbox if your app fails to display your In-App Purchases. Note: In-App Purchases don’t need prior approval from App Review to function in review. Join a Meet with Apple event if you need assistance before you submit for review. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple to chat with an App Review expert about how to prepare for review, ask questions about specific guidelines, and discuss other topics related to the review process. Appointments are subject to availability during your local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After You Submit Tips Contact App Review if you need assistance with an ongoing submission. If your submission doesn’t pass review and you have questions, contact App Review directly by clicking Reply to App Review in App Store Connect. You’ll receive a reply from a review specialist who’s familiar with your app. You can also use the Reply to App Review message window to request a call with an Apple representative. Include your preferred time and language for the call and we’ll do our best to accommodate your requests. Use the Bug Fix Submissions process to quickly deliver bug fixes and resolve other issues on the next submission. If an update includes bug fixes and is rejected, you will be given the option to resolve the issues on your next submission, as long as there are no legal or safety concerns. App Review will let you know if your submission is eligible by including this note at the top of the rejection message: Bug Fix Submissions The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. To accept this offer, simply reply to the rejection message in App Store Connect and let App Review know you’ll resolve the issues on the next submission. Share ideas with Apple about how to improve or clarify the App Review Guidelines by submitting guideline feedback. Just as the App Store is always changing and improving to keep up with the needs of customers, the App Review Guidelines may be revised to provide new and updated guidance. If you have ideas for improving or clarifying our requirements you can suggest guideline changes. If your submission was rejected but you believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. If your submission didn’t pass review but you have reason to believe it follows the App Review Guidelines, you can submit an appeal to the App Review Board. You can also file an appeal if you think we misunderstood your app or the review was unfair. The App Review Board will contact you as soon as they complete their investigation.

Apple platforms make it easy to distribute your app to a variety of compatible devices, so it’s important to maximize your app experience on each platform you support. Here are some tips from App Review to help you understand how device compatibility impacts your app’s distribution — and how to make sure your apps shine on every platform they’re on. Understand device compatibility There are many ways an app built for one Apple device can run on other Apple devices: Apps designed for iPhone can run on iPad devices in compatibility mode if there are no dependencies on iPhone device capabilities. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Macs with Apple Silicon. Compatible iPhone and iPad apps can run unmodified on Apple Vision Pro. Xcode provides options to configure settings for apps on multiple platforms. You can specify which platforms your app’s target supports in the Supported Destination field. However, it’s important to note: People may still be able to run your app on a device even if you remove it or don't include it as a Supported Destination in Xcode. For example, as long as an app designed for iPhone doesn’t depend on a capability that’s only available on iPhone, it can be downloaded from the App Store onto iPad. Adding or removing iPad as a Supported Destination in Xcode won’t change that app’s availability on iPad. To view examples of cases where it's appropriate to restrict availability, see Restrict device distribution below. Follow compatibility best practices 1. Plan and test for compatibility modes so your app works on every device where it can be downloaded. Do: Use Xcode simulators to verify basic functionality across different device types. Leverage TestFlight with external testers who have access to a wide range of Apple devices. Don't: Don’t submit for review without testing your app’s behavior in compatibility modes. Don’t assume removing a supported destination in Xcode prevents distribution to that device type. 2. Build adaptive interfaces that work across device variations. Do: Build interfaces that respond to different screen sizes and orientations. Adapt features based on available hardware, providing alternatives for a consistent experience. Don't: Don’t design rigid interfaces that assume only one type of device or input method. Don’t let your app crash or become unusable when optional hardware is unavailable. Restrict device distribution Wherever possible, it’s best to make your app available on multiple platforms to increase its reach and provide people with a consistent experience across devices. But there are cases where it does makes sense to restrict an app’s availability. For example: iPhone apps that rely on iPhone-specific hardware won’t function as expected on iPad. Use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in the information property list file to specify hardware dependencies. Note: Apps should only use the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key for genuine hardware dependencies, not to indicate distribution preferences. Navigation- or camera-based apps are not well suited for visionOS. Learn more about managing availability of iPhone and iPad apps on Apple Vision Pro. Apps that rely heavily on touch inputs that can’t be replicated on a keyboard are not well suited for macOS. Learn more about restricting distribution to Apple Silicon devices. Learn more about how to configure multiplatform apps in Xcode. Support If you need more assistance, explore these support options: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review appointment through Meet with Apple. Appointments are available during local business hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board.

they say developer action needed but I dont understand what they mean, they say I need to attach them to the binary but its already in the appstore and locked I presume, I am tring to create a second version (1.0.1) however I cant find the spot to add the subscriptions because I think they still need developer action kinda feel like I am in a loop and would appreciate some help. I have been using chatgpt but it does not seem to be able to figure it out either, hoping for some good old fashion human help :) thanks again for all that you do, excited to be in the app store and I know this is probably a simple config thing

Hello, I would like to request an escalation regarding my app review status. My app (Apple ID: 6758756966) was submitted for review on February 24 and has been in “Waiting for Review” status for an extended period, with no progress so far. I have contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times (Case IDs: 102840237455, 102840079647, 102846664998, 102841727941) starting from March 9, but unfortunately, I have not received any response to any of these requests. I have also submitted three expedited review requests, but none of them have been acknowledged. Could you please: • confirm whether the submission is still active in the queue • check if there are any issues preventing it from moving forward • and assist in escalating the review if possible If any additional information is required from my side, I am ready to provide it immediately. Thank you very much for your time and support.

App Review App Store Connect Hi everyone, My iOS app has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” for over 10 days, and I’m starting to worry there might be an issue with my submission or account. Here are the key timeline details (GMT+7): Feb 3, 2026 – Submitted app → entered Waiting for Review Feb 5, 2026 – App went In Review and was later Rejected by Apple Feb 5 – Mar 2, 2026 – I made fixes and resubmitted Then on Mar 2, 2026: Submitted again → Waiting for Review On Mar 8, 2026: I made several quick re-submissions (Developer Rejected → Ready for Review → Waiting for Review multiple times within minutes) Since then: Mar 8, 2026 → Today (Mar 18, 2026) Status has remained “Waiting for Review” with no progress I have already contacted Apple Developer Support: Case ID: 102845134369 However, I haven’t received any meaningful update yet. My concerns: My app was previously reviewed (reached In Review and got feedback), so it doesn’t seem like a completely new or blocked app. The app itself is relatively simple (no sensitive content, no unusual permissions). I did perform multiple rapid re-submissions on Mar 8 — I’m not sure if that might have affected the review queue. My questions: Could multiple rapid “Developer Rejected → Resubmitted” actions cause my app to be deprioritized or delayed in the review queue? Is it normal for an app to stay in “Waiting for Review” for 10+ days without any status change? Should I: Keep waiting, or Cancel and resubmit again, or Submit a new build version? Is there any way to verify if my app/account has been flagged or requires additional information that is not shown in App Store Connect? I understand that review times can vary, but this feels longer than usual, especially since there has been no transition to In Review. If anyone (or Apple staff) has experienced something similar or has advice on how to proceed, I would really appreciate your guidance. Thank you very much.

Our app Lenu AI has been waiting in review longer than usual. Is there any issue with the submission?

My first App, a very simple one, is currently ‘Waiting for Review’. Is there anything else I need to do please, or do I just need to wait? Thanks

it just shows rejected without any reason, can anyone help to look what is the reject reason?

Hi, I submitted my iOS app for review on Wednesday, March 4th (around 4 PM UTC+8), and it has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for over 7 business days with no progress. I have already submitted an Expedited Review request 2 days ago, but the status remains unchanged. I understand review times can vary, but this extended wait with no movement or communication is making it difficult to plan our launch timeline. Has anyone experienced a similar delay recently? Is there anything else I can do at this point? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hello, I’m posting here because I’m experiencing a very unusual issue with the App Store review process and haven’t been able to resolve it through normal support channels. Our app has been waiting in App Review for over 6 weeks, which is far beyond the normal review timeframe. During this period, I contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times and even submitted an expedited review request, but the situation has not progressed. Some of my inquiries have unfortunately received no response, and the app remains stuck in review without any explanation. This delay is now causing serious operational and financial impact for our small development business. We had updates and marketing plans scheduled around this release, but the prolonged review status is preventing us from moving forward. I fully understand that review times can vary, but a 6+ week delay without any status update or communication seems highly abnormal. If any Apple staff or experienced developers have encountered a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any guidance on how to resolve this or escalate it properly. Thank you for any help or advice.

Hello, I’m dealing with an update that has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” for weeks with no progress and no meaningful response from Apple. App details: App Name: Dólar Argentina Apple ID: 6758462259 Bundle ID: com.rgioia.dolarargentina Version: 1.3.0 (update) Timeline: First submission: February 19 → stuck in Waiting for Review I canceled and resubmitted: February 28 Since then → still stuck with zero movement This is almost a month with no review activity. What I already did: Requested expedited review → approved Contacted Apple Developer Support multiple times Followed up several times The only response I got was that the expedited review was accepted, but nothing happened after that. Impact: The app is already live, this is just an update I cannot release fixes or improvements Same version was approved on Google Play in ~20 minutes No rejection, no feedback, no communication At this point, this is not just a delay — it’s a complete lack of review and support. Questions: Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there any real way to escalate this? Could this be an issue with the review pipeline or my app/account? I understand delays can happen, but having zero feedback for weeks, even after an expedited request is approved, is not acceptable. Any help or visibility would be appreciated. — Ramiro

Hello, currently I am facing with issue. Our app's first distribution had got review in 5 days then accepted. In our previous apps it was only 3 days for first review that's not problem. Now again after distribution I have fixed some problems and now it is in review for three days. It was always maximum 1 days for reviews now it takes lot of time. Does anyone face this issue?

App Review App Store Connect Hi everyone, My iOS app has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” for over 10 days, and I’m starting to worry there might be an issue with my submission or account. Here are the key timeline details (GMT+7): Feb 3, 2026 – Submitted app → entered Waiting for Review Feb 5, 2026 – App went In Review and was later Rejected by Apple Feb 5 – Mar 2, 2026 – I made fixes and resubmitted Then on Mar 2, 2026: Submitted again → Waiting for Review On Mar 8, 2026: I made several quick re-submissions (Developer Rejected → Ready for Review → Waiting for Review multiple times within minutes) Since then: Mar 8, 2026 → Today (Mar 18, 2026) Status has remained “Waiting for Review” with no progress I have already contacted Apple Developer Support: Case ID: 102845134369 However, I haven’t received any meaningful update yet. My concerns: My app was previously reviewed (reached In Review and got feedback), so it doesn’t seem like a completely new or blocked app. The app itself is relatively simple (no sensitive content, no unusual permissions). I did perform multiple rapid re-submissions on Mar 8 — I’m not sure if that might have affected the review queue. My questions: Could multiple rapid “Developer Rejected → Resubmitted” actions cause my app to be deprioritized or delayed in the review queue? Is it normal for an app to stay in “Waiting for Review” for 10+ days without any status change? Should I: Keep waiting, or Cancel and resubmit again, or Submit a new build version? Is there any way to verify if my app/account has been flagged or requires additional information that is not shown in App Store Connect? I understand that review times can vary, but this feels longer than usual, especially since there has been no transition to In Review. If anyone (or Apple staff) has experienced something similar or has advice on how to proceed, I would really appreciate your guidance. Thank you very much.

Hello, I am looking for some insight or advice regarding a persistent review delay for an app update. Our app is already live in the App Store, and this submission is a standard update. Timeline & Status: Submission Date: February 21, 2026 Current Status:"Waiting for Review" Total Time Elapsed: 20+ Days Previous Actions: * Submitted an Expedited Review request (No response). Sent two follow-up inquiries via the Contact Us form (No response). Details: App ID: 6755429397 Platform: iOS Issue: We have not received any feedback, requests for information, or rejections in the Resolution Center. Our account is in good standing, and all agreements are up to date. This delay is now causing a significant business impact. We have a scheduled marketing campaign with a spend of over $5,000 that is currently being lost because the update is stalled. Questions for the Community/Apple Staff: Is anyone else experiencing similar multi-week delays for simple updates right now? Are there any known backend issues affecting the queue for February submissions? What is the recommended next step when both the Expedited Review and standard support channels remain silent for over two weeks? We value the App Review process and simply want to ensure our submission hasn't become "stuck" in a technical glitch. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi, mine isnt as bad as some of the other cases but it has been over 3 days since the additional information was requested for my app from apple which i have provided and it is still waiting for review. What is a realistic expectation for the time frame to have the app reviewed? Thanks

I have the issues in this particular guideline: Issue Description We noticed that the app requires users to register with personal information to purchase In-App Purchase products that are not account based. Apps cannot require user registration prior to allowing access to app content and features that are not associated specifically to the user. User registration that requires the sharing of personal information must be optional or tied to account-specific functionality. Next Steps To resolve this issue, please revise the app to not require users to register before purchasing In-App Purchase products that are not account based. You may explain to the user that registering will enable them to access the purchased content from any of their supported devices and provide them a way to register at any time, if they wish to later extend access to additional devices. Please note that although guideline 5.1.1 requires an app to make subscription content available to all the supported devices owned by a single user, it is not appropriate to force user registration to meet this requirement; such user registration must be optional. For this issue, I have revised my app accordingly many times, but it still get rejected even though I believe that I have revised my app accordingly. My app name is Wallpaperlogoart and my app ID

My app has been rejected, as the IAP description contains the word "free." I am unable to edit the wording because the IAP is still "in review" state even though the submission has been rejected. How can I edit? There' no option to remove just the IAP.

Hello everyone, I wanted to check whether other developers have recently experienced unusually long “Waiting for Review” times. Our current submission timeline looks like this: Timeline Feb 14, 2026 – Initial build submitted Feb 14 – Present – Status has remained “Waiting for Review” (never entered “In Review”) Feb 18–19 – Contacted App Review support Feb 24 – Received reply that the case was escalated / expedited Feb 26 – Mar 9 – Continued communication with support; each time they confirmed the app is still in the queue and that they contacted the review team Mar 12 – Still Waiting for Review So as of now, the build has been waiting for review for nearly four weeks without ever entering active review. I’m trying to understand whether this is an isolated case or if others are seeing similar delays recently. Questions: Has anyone else experienced multi-week “Waiting for Review” delays recently? If you had a similar situation, did you eventually receive any explanation from the review team? Any recent data points on review times would be really helpful. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

Could someone from app review team assist with reviewing an update to one of my apps stuck in 'Waiting for review'? Apple ID: 6760196335 Please let me know if you need anything from me. Thanks in advance!