App Store rejected your app? Start here.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026
Most rejections come down to a handful of guidelines. Find yours below, read what Apple is reacting to, and follow the steps that get the app approved.
- Guideline 4.3 (Spam)Apple sees your app as a duplicate: several versions of one app, or one more of a kind the store already has plenty of.
- Guideline 4.2 (Minimum Functionality)Apple thinks the app is a website in a wrapper, a brochure, or too thin to be worth installing.
- Guideline 2.1 (App Completeness)The reviewer hit a crash, a login they couldn’t pass, a server that was down, or something unfinished.
- Guideline 3.1.1 (In-App Purchase) and 3.1.2 (Subscriptions)Digital features sold without in-app purchase, a missing Restore button, or a subscription screen that doesn’t say enough.
- Guideline 5.1.1 (Data Collection and Storage)Permissions, sign-up, account deletion or the privacy policy don’t meet Apple’s privacy rules.
- How to reply to a rejection, and when to appealWhat to write back to App Review, when an appeal makes sense, and how to ask for an expedited review.
Which guideline is it?
Open the message from App Review in App Store Connect. Its first line names the guideline, usually in this form:
| What the message says | What it’s about | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Guideline 2.1 - Performance - App Completeness | Crashes, demo accounts, unfinished features | Our guide |
| Guideline 4.3(a) or 4.3(b) - Design - Spam | Duplicate apps or crowded categories | Our guide |
| Guideline 4.2 - Design - Minimum Functionality | Web wrappers, brochure or template apps | Our guide |
| Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase | Selling digital content, restore purchases | Our guide |
| Guideline 3.1.2 - Business - Payments - Subscriptions | Subscription terms and paywall details | Our guide |
| Guideline 5.1.1 - Legal - Privacy - Data Collection and Storage | Permissions, sign-up, account deletion | Our guide |
| Guideline 4.8 - Design - Login Services | Sign in with Apple or an equivalent option | Apple’s text |
| Guideline 2.3 - Performance - Accurate Metadata | Listing doesn’t match the app | Apple’s text |
Other rejections we see founders ask about:
- 4.8 Login Services: the app offers third-party login without an equivalent privacy-focused option, such as Sign in with Apple.
- 2.3 Accurate Metadata: the name, description or screenshots don’t match what the app does.
- 4.1 Copycats: the app copies another app’s name, look or concept.
What happens after you resubmit
- Timing: Apple says it typically reviews at least half of submissions within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours (source). Complex apps can take longer, and Apple says apps repeatedly rejected for the same guideline take longer to review.
- Status: you’ll get an email at each change, and the status shows in App Store Connect and its iPhone app.
- Talking to the reviewer: use Reply to App Review on the app’s App Review page in App Store Connect. Our reply and appeal guide covers what to write.
- Appeals: if you’ve replied and still believe the app follows the guidelines, you can appeal to the App Review Board, once per rejected submission.
- Expedited review: for a critical bug fix or an event-related release only. Apple may refuse future requests if the system is overused.
- After approval: it can take up to 24 hours for the app to appear on every storefront you selected.
When to get help
Most rejections are quick to fix once you know what the reviewer saw. It’s worth getting a second pair of eyes when:
- the same guideline has come back two or more times;
- the message is vague, like many 4.2 and 4.3 rejections;
- the fix means real code changes and the original developer isn’t available;
- a launch date, investor demo or marketing campaign depends on approval.
Based on Apple’s App Review Guidelines as last updated by Apple on 16 October 2026. Apple changes them from time to time, so check the current text on Apple’s developer site.