Apple reviews every app and every update before it reaches the App Store. A rejection is not a disaster, but each round of fixes and resubmission costs days, and a launch date you have shared with customers or investors can slip quietly.
Most rejections come from a short list of avoidable problems: the reviewer cannot log in, the privacy details do not match the app, digital content is sold outside Apple's payment rules, or the app feels unfinished. This guide explains each one and ends with a checklist to run before you press Submit.
Quick answer: The most common App Store rejection reasons are crashes and unfinished features, missing demo login details, privacy details or permission prompts that do not match the app, no in-app account deletion, selling digital content without Apple's in-app purchase, apps that are little more than a website, and misleading metadata. TestFlight testing and clear review notes prevent most of them.
Before the first submission: account and setup
- Enrol as an organisation: join the Apple Developer Program in your company's name, not an individual's, so the company appears as the seller. Apple asks organisations for a D-U-N-S number and checks that the person enrolling can act for the company.
- Keep the membership active: the membership renews every year. If it lapses, your apps stop being available on the App Store, so put the renewal in the finance calendar.
- Give your developer the right access: invite your agency to App Store Connect and your developer team with suitable roles. Do not share the account holder's Apple ID and password.
- Complete agreements, tax and banking: if you will sell anything through the App Store, the paid apps agreement and tax and banking details must be complete in App Store Connect before in-app purchases can go live.
The most common rejection reasons
1. Crashes, bugs and placeholder content
Apple rejects apps that crash, show broken links or empty screens, or contain 'coming soon' sections and dummy text. Reviewers use current iPhones and iPads on recent iOS versions, so test on real devices, not only on the simulator. Even if your app is built for iPhone only, check that it behaves sensibly when opened on an iPad.
2. The reviewer cannot get in
If your app needs a login, give Apple a working demo account in the review notes. Many Indian apps use mobile OTP login, and the reviewer cannot receive an SMS on an Indian test number. Set up a demo account with a fixed test OTP or a password login that stays active throughout review. If some features depend on a location, a hardware device or a particular user role, explain how to reach them.
3. Privacy details and permission prompts that do not match
App Store Connect asks you to declare the data your app collects and how it is used, and these privacy details appear on your product page. Apple also expects privacy manifests that describe data use by the app and by commonly used third-party SDKs. Every permission request, such as camera, location or contacts, needs a clear purpose string. 'This app needs your location' is vague; 'Your location is used to show the nearest service centre' explains why.
If the app tracks users across other companies' apps or websites, for example for ad attribution, you must ask permission through App Tracking Transparency first.
4. Account creation without account deletion
If users can create an account in your app, they must also be able to start deleting it from inside the app. Simply telling users to email you is generally not accepted. Plan the backend workflow, including any records you must keep for tax or legal reasons, before you design the screen.
5. Payments that break Apple's rules
Apple's rules separate digital goods from physical goods and services. Digital content, subscriptions and premium features used inside the app generally must use Apple's in-app purchase. Physical products and real-world services, such as product orders, food delivery, bookings or a technician visit, can use your own payment gateway or UPI. This is a frequent rejection for subscription and content apps. Apple's payment rules have changed in some regions in recent years, so check the current guidelines for India before you design pricing screens.
6. An app that is really a website
Apps that simply wrap your website in a web view, or offer very little functionality, are often rejected under Apple's minimum functionality rules. Give users a reason to install: offline access, notifications, faster repeat tasks, camera or other device features. If a website is enough for your users, a progressive web app may be a better first step.
7. Metadata and screenshots that mislead
Screenshots must show the app in use, the description must match what the app does, and the name must not borrow another brand's trademark. Do not mention other mobile platforms in the listing, and keep keywords relevant to the app.
Pre-submission checklist
Run through this table before every first submission and major update, or ask your iOS app development team to show you how they cover each item.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| TestFlight build tested by people outside the development team | Finds the crashes and confusing flows a reviewer would otherwise hit. |
| Demo account and review notes | The reviewer can reach every feature without an SMS OTP or special hardware. |
| Privacy details and privacy manifest | Declarations match the app and every SDK inside it. |
| Permission purpose strings | Each prompt explains the specific reason in plain language. |
| Account deletion flow | Users can start deleting their account inside the app. |
| Payment flows | Digital goods use in-app purchase; physical goods and services use your gateway. |
| Sign-in options | If you offer Google or other social login, check the current rule on also offering a privacy-focused option such as Sign in with Apple. |
| Encryption questions | Export compliance answers in App Store Connect are accurate. |
| Age rating | Answers reflect chat, user-generated content and any purchases. |
| Screenshots, description, support and privacy URLs | The listing shows the real app and every link works. |
If your app is rejected anyway
- Read the message in App Store Connect carefully. It names the guideline and often includes screenshots of the problem.
- If the reviewer misunderstood something, reply with a clear explanation or a short screen recording.
- If the issue is real, fix it, note what changed in the review notes and resubmit.
- If you still disagree after replying, you can appeal to the App Review Board.
- For later updates, use phased release so automatic updates reach users gradually, and pause it if crash reports rise.
How EthicsComputer can help
Our iOS app development team handles provisioning, TestFlight betas, privacy details, in-app purchases and App Store submission, and keeps your app current with each major iOS release. If you need the same app on Android, our cross-platform app development service builds both from one codebase. You can also ask us to review an existing build and listing before you submit.
Planning an App Store submission soon?
Share your app and target launch date, and we will tell you what needs attention before review.
About the author
Vinay Grover founded EthicsComputer in Rohtak, Haryana in 2018 and leads its cybersecurity, software and AI work for clients across India and abroad. EthicsComputer is ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 20000-1 certified.
