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Guidance on App Store rejections

Rejected by Apple or Google? Here is what to do.

30 practical guides for the most common App Store Review Guideline and Google Play policy rejections – written by App Specialists who submit apps every week. Understand why your app was rejected, fix it, reply to the review team and resubmit with confidence.

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App Store Review Guideline rejections

Apple refers to a numbered guideline in every rejection message. Find your guideline number below.

Guideline 1.2 User-Generated Content Moderation, reporting and blocking features Apple expects before approving apps with user content. Read the guide → Guideline 1.5 Developer Information Missing or broken support URL and contact details – a quick fix if you know what App Review checks. Read the guide → Guideline 2.1 App Completeness Crashes, bugs, placeholder content and broken links: how to pass the most common rejection of all. Read the guide → Guideline 2.1 Information Needed App Review needs a demo account, video or more details? Here is how to answer fast and correctly. Read the guide → Guideline 2.3 Accurate Metadata App name, description, keywords and previews that don't match the app – and how to fix them. Read the guide → Guideline 2.3.3 Screenshots Screenshots must show the app in use on the right device. Avoid the classic iPad and splash-screen traps. Read the guide → Guideline 2.4.1 Hardware Compatibility (iPad) Your iPhone app is reviewed on iPad too. Layout and crash issues that trigger 2.4.1 – and the fixes. Read the guide → Guideline 2.5.1 Software Requirements Private or deprecated APIs and frameworks used incorrectly: how to find the culprit and resubmit. Read the guide → Guideline 3.1.1 In-App Purchase Unlocking digital content without Apple In-App Purchase? What is allowed, what is not, and how to fix it. Read the guide → Guideline 3.1.2 Subscriptions Paywall disclosures, terms links and subscription value – the details that get subscription apps rejected. Read the guide → Guideline 4.0 Design Poor layouts, unusable UI or non-native experiences: how to meet Apple's design baseline. Read the guide → Guideline 4.1 Copycats Your app looks too much like another app or brand? How to differentiate and respond to App Review. Read the guide → Guideline 4.2 Minimum Functionality One of the most common rejections for web-wrapper and simple apps – how to add real native value before you resubmit. Read the guide → Guideline 4.3 Spam Template apps, duplicates and saturated categories: the strategies that actually resolve 4.3. Read the guide → Guideline 4.8 Login Services Using Google or Facebook login? Which privacy-friendly login option Apple requires – and when it doesn't. Read the guide → Guideline 5.1.1 Data Collection and Storage Privacy policy, permission purpose strings and forced registration – the privacy basics App Review enforces. Read the guide → Guideline 5.1.1(v) Account Deletion Apps with account creation must offer in-app account deletion. How to implement it the way Apple wants. Read the guide → Guideline 5.1.2 Data Use and Sharing App Tracking Transparency, SDK tracking and privacy labels that don't match – fix 5.1.2 for good. Read the guide → Guideline 5.2.1 Intellectual Property Brand names, logos, content and trademarks you don't own: how to document rights or remove them. Read the guide → ITMS-91053 Missing API Declaration (Privacy Manifest) Required-reason APIs without a privacy manifest block your upload. How to add PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy correctly. Read the guide →

Google Play policy rejections

Google Play rejections reference a policy area in Play Console. Find the policy that matches your email or policy status page.

Testing Closed Testing: 12 Testers for 14 Days New personal developer accounts need a closed test before production. How to meet the requirement and apply. Read the guide → Functionality Broken & Minimum Functionality Crashes, unresponsive screens or too little functionality: what Google flags and how to fix it. Read the guide → Spam WebView Apps & Spam Policy Website-in-an-app rejections on Google Play: how to add value and avoid the webview spam policy. Read the guide → User Data Data Safety Section Your Data safety form doesn't match what your app and SDKs collect. How to audit and correct it. Read the guide → Permissions Sensitive Permissions & APIs QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES, SMS, call log, photo & video permissions: declarations, alternatives and fixes. Read the guide → Location Background Location Access Background location requires a strong core-feature justification, disclosure and a video. Here is how. Read the guide → Target API Target API Level Requirement Uploads blocked because your app targets an old Android API level? How to upgrade safely. Read the guide → User Data Account Deletion Requirement Google requires in-app and web-based account deletion. What to build and what to declare in Play Console. Read the guide → Deceptive Behavior Deceptive Behavior Misleading claims, hidden functionality or unclear app purpose – how to resolve deceptive behavior flags. Read the guide → Metadata Store Listing Metadata Keyword stuffing, misleading icons or screenshots and wrong claims in your store listing – and the fix. Read the guide →

How to handle any app rejection in 5 steps

Whatever the guideline or policy, the process that gets apps approved is always the same.

  1. 1

    Read the full message

    Note the exact guideline or policy, the build/version and every screenshot or attachment the review team sent. Rejections often contain more than one issue.

  2. 2

    Reproduce the problem

    Test exactly what the reviewer tested – same device type, fresh install, review account, region and network conditions.

  3. 3

    Fix the root cause

    Change the app, the metadata or the configuration. Cosmetic workarounds usually lead to a second rejection.

  4. 4

    Reply precisely

    Explain what you changed, where the reviewer can verify it and provide demo credentials or a video if needed. Stay factual and polite.

  5. 5

    Resubmit and prevent

    Upload a new build if code changed, then add the check to your pre-submission checklist or CI/CD pipeline so it never happens again.

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