Why First Submissions Get Rejected

Apple's review team rejects roughly 40% of first-time submissions. The good news: the majority of rejections are for technical or metadata issues — not fundamental problems with your app. A thorough pre-submission checklist eliminates most of them.

The most common rejection reasons:

Complete Pre-Submission Checklist

📋 App Information & Metadata

  • ✓
    App name — unique, max 30 characters, no keyword stuffing
  • ✓
    Subtitle — max 30 characters, describes core function
  • ✓
    Description — clear, honest, first 3 lines are the most important (visible before "More")
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    Keywords field — max 100 characters total, comma-separated, no spaces after commas
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    Category — primary and (optionally) secondary category selected correctly
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    Version number — starts at 1.0.0 or higher; must be greater than any previous submission
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    What's New — required for updates; for first submission, describe main features

🖼️ Screenshots & App Preview

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    iPhone 6.9" screenshots — required (2796×1290 px). Used as default for all smaller sizes if not provided separately
  • ✓
    iPhone 6.5" screenshots — strongly recommended (1284×2778 px)
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    iPad Pro 13" screenshots — required if your app supports iPad
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    Screenshots show actual app UI — no staged mockups that misrepresent functionality
  • ✓
    No device frames required — but keep design consistent across all screenshots
  • ✓
    App icon — 1024×1024 px PNG, no alpha channel, no rounded corners (Apple applies them)

🔒 Privacy & Legal

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    Privacy Policy URL — required for ALL apps, even if you collect no data. Must be a live, accessible URL
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    Privacy Nutrition Labels — accurately filled in App Store Connect under "App Privacy". List every data type you collect
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    App Tracking Transparency — if you use ATT (IDFA), the NSUserTrackingUsageDescription key must be in Info.plist
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    Terms of Use URL — optional but strongly recommended for any app with accounts or purchases
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    Copyright field — format: "© 2026 Your Company Name"

⚙️ Technical Requirements

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    No crashes — test on real devices AND simulators for all supported iOS versions
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    Minimum iOS version — set to what your code actually supports; avoid setting too low if untested
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    All API permissions explained — every NSUsageDescription key in Info.plist must have a clear user-facing message
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    No placeholder content — remove all Lorem Ipsum, test usernames, debug logs visible in UI
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    Network connectivity handled — app should fail gracefully with no network, not crash
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    Build uploaded via Xcode or Transporter — latest build available in App Store Connect before submission

💳 In-App Purchases (if applicable)

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    All IAPs created in App Store Connect — every purchase your app references must exist and be approved (or submitted simultaneously)
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    Subscription terms clearly disclosed — price, duration, and renewal must be visible before purchase
  • ✓
    Restore Purchases button — required for any app with consumable or non-consumable IAPs
  • ✓
    Sandbox testing completed — all purchase flows tested with Sandbox accounts

🎭 Age Rating

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    Age rating questionnaire completed — answer honestly. Misrating is a common rejection reason
  • ✓
    User-generated content — if users can post, share, or message, select "Frequent/Intense" for relevant categories
  • ✓
    Gambling, alcohol, or adult content — special requirements and region restrictions apply

🔑 Demo Account (if app requires login)

  • ✓
    Demo credentials provided — App Store Connect has a "Demo Account" field. Apple reviewers must be able to access all app features
  • ✓
    Demo account is always active — review can take 1–3 days; ensure the account doesn't expire
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    Review notes — explain any non-obvious features or special instructions for the reviewer

Pre-Submit: TestFlight First

Before submitting for App Store review, distribute your build via TestFlight to at least 5–10 real testers. This catches crashes and UX issues that simulators miss. If your build passes TestFlight without crashes, it's ready for review.

Pro tip: Enable Automatic Distribution in TestFlight for external testers. Apple reviews TestFlight builds too — if a build passes TestFlight review, the App Store review is usually smoother.

After Submission: What to Expect

Apple's review typically takes 24–48 hours for first-time submissions. During major iOS releases or holidays, it can take longer. You'll receive an email notification when review starts and when a decision is made.

If rejected, Apple provides a specific rejection reason with a guideline number. Most issues can be fixed and resubmitted within hours. Don't get discouraged — one or two rejections on a first submission is completely normal.

Don't submit on Fridays. Reviews started late Friday often wait until Monday. Submit Monday–Wednesday for the fastest turnaround.

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