App Store Submission Review
Everything you need to prepare, pack, and test before submitting your app for review. Work through each section in order. Do not submit until every item is checked.
Key idea
Preflight checklist
Complete these items before you press Submit for Review. Each one is a common rejection reason when missed.
Metadata
App name, subtitle, and description match the latest copy deck
Keywords are filled in and use all 100 characters
Primary and secondary categories are set correctly
Age rating questionnaire is complete and accurate
Privacy & URLs
Privacy policy URL is live and returns 200
Support URL is live and returns 200
Screenshots & Assets
All required screenshots uploaded for each device size
App preview video (if used) is under 30 seconds and shows real UI
App icon meets Apple spec: 1024x1024, no alpha, no rounded corners
Signing & Build
Bundle ID matches your provisioning profile
Version number and build number are incremented from last submission
Signing certificate is valid and not expiring within 30 days
All entitlements match between dev and distribution profiles
IAP & Compliance
In-app purchases (if any) are in Ready to Submit status
Export compliance information is filled in
Submission pack
These items go into the App Review Information section of App Store Connect. The reviewer reads them before opening your app.
What good looks like
Credentials & Access
Test account credentials (email and password) for the reviewer
Step-by-step instructions to reach every major feature
Hardware & Demo
Explanation of any features that require hardware (camera, Bluetooth, location)
Demo video or walkthrough if the app needs a server-side account setup
Gated Content & Services
Notes explaining any gated content and how the reviewer can access it
Explanation of background modes if the app uses any
Links to any external services the app connects to
Contact information for the reviewer to reach your team
Reviewer test script
Walk through this script yourself before submitting. If any step fails on your device, it will fail for the reviewer.
Ask Claude to turn this into a reviewer walkthrough checklist
1. Open the app from a cold launch. Confirm the onboarding flow completes without crashing.
2. Sign in with the test account. Confirm the dashboard or home screen loads.
3. Navigate to every tab or primary section. Confirm no blank screens or loading spinners that never resolve.
4. Trigger one push notification (if applicable). Confirm it appears and tapping it opens the correct screen.
5. Test one in-app purchase flow (if applicable). Confirm the purchase sheet appears and the sandbox transaction completes.
6. Rotate the device. Confirm layout adapts without clipping or overlapping text.
7. Kill the app from the app switcher. Reopen it. Confirm state is preserved and no re-login is required.
8. Disconnect from the network. Confirm the app shows an appropriate offline message instead of crashing.
9. Grant and then revoke camera or location permissions. Confirm the app handles denial gracefully.
10. Scroll through every scrollable list. Confirm no performance stutters or missing content at the bottom.
App Review Submission Template
Paste this into App Store Connect under Notes for Review.
App Store Connect > App Review > Notes for Review
Key idea
Notes for Review (copy/paste)
Common rejection reasons
These are the most frequent reasons apps get rejected. Check each one before you submit.
- Crashes or bugs. The app crashes during normal use, on launch, or when the reviewer follows the test steps you provided.
- Broken links. The privacy policy URL, support URL, or marketing URL returns a 404 or a generic domain parking page.
- Incomplete information. The demo account does not work, the test instructions are vague, or gated features have no explanation.
- Misleading metadata. The app name, description, or screenshots do not match what the app actually does.
- Missing purpose string. The app requests a permission (camera, location, contacts) but the Info.plist usage description is missing or generic.
- Login required with no alternative. The app requires login but there is no demo account and no way for the reviewer to sign up.
- Placeholder content. The app contains lorem ipsum text, test data, or UI sections that say Coming Soon with no functionality.
Anti-pattern
The Greenlight loop
App review is iterative, not one-shot. Treat every submission as a loop: run the checklist, fix what fails, rerun until clean. Most first-time rejections happen because people skip the rerun.
Run
Walk every checklist item above. Test on a real device with a clean install. Check every URL, screenshot, and entitlement.
Fix
Address every failed item before touching App Store Connect. Fix the build, not the metadata — reviewers test the binary, not your description.
Rerun
Start the checklist from the top. A fix in one area can break another. Only submit when every item passes on a single uninterrupted run.
Note
Run Greenlight before submission
Use an automated checklist tool before uploading your binary.
Quick start
What reviewers actually do
Understanding the review process helps you anticipate rejection reasons before they happen.
Metadata scan
The reviewer reads your app name, subtitle, description, and screenshots first. They check that the description matches what the app does. Misleading copy is the fastest path to rejection.
Credentials check
They log in with the test account you provided. If the credentials are wrong, expired, or require 2FA they cannot bypass, the review stops immediately. Double-check the test account works on the day you submit.
Feature walkthrough
They follow the test instructions you wrote, step by step. If an instruction says "tap Profile" but the tab is labeled "Account", they flag it. Your instructions must match the actual UI word-for-word.
Edge-case probes
They rotate the device, kill and relaunch the app, toggle airplane mode, and revoke permissions. They are testing whether the app handles real-world conditions, not just the happy path.
Guideline cross-reference
They compare your app against the App Store Review Guidelines — sections 1 through 5. Privacy (5.1), payments (3.1), and user-generated content (1.2) are the most commonly cited sections in rejections.
Checklist source
This page distills the official Apple guidelines into an actionable checklist. Bookmark the primary sources so you can cross-reference when a rejection cites a specific section.
App Store Review Guidelines↗
The canonical reference. Sections 1–5 cover safety, performance, business, design, and legal. Every rejection cites a specific subsection.
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Apple Developer — App Review↗
Overview of the review process, timelines, and the Resolution Center for responding to rejections.
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Common App Rejections (Apple)↗
Apple's own list of the most frequent rejection reasons, updated periodically. Cross-check against your submission before you press Submit.
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Key idea
After submission
What to do while your app is in review and after it gets approved.
- Monitor the App Store Connect status page. You will get email notifications, but checking the dashboard catches edge cases faster.
- Do not push a new build while In Review. If you need to fix something, withdraw the current submission first, then resubmit.
- If rejected, read the rejection reason carefully. Reply in the Resolution Center with a specific fix, not a general apology.
- After approval, verify the live listing. Download the app from the App Store on a real device and walk through the test script one more time.
- Update your FINDINGS_LOG.md with anything you learned from the review process. Next submission will be faster.
Resources
Official and open-source references