25% of App Store submissions get rejected—not because the apps don't work, but because founders miss requirements they didn't know existed.

Here's what trips people up: maybe you don't have a privacy policy URL yet, or your screenshots are sized for the wrong devices. The review team might not be able to use your test credentials, or you left metadata fields blank without realizing they were mandatory. The app itself usually works fine—it's the submission materials that are incomplete.

The technical complexity that once blocked App Store submissions has largely disappeared. Platforms like Anything handle provisioning profiles, code signing, and build configuration automatically, which means you can skip the steps that used to require iOS development expertise.

What remains is a documentation and preparation exercise—one with specific, predictable requirements that Apple publishes but most founders never read until they're staring at a rejection email.

This checklist covers every requirement Apple actually enforces. You'll find the assets you need before you start, guidance on the App Store Connect fields that trip up first-timers, and the privacy and legal disclosures that trigger automatic rejections.

It also covers how the review process works and what determines whether you're approved in 24 hours or stuck in a revision loop for weeks.

The founders who get approved on their first submission aren't more technical—they're more prepared. Here's exactly what to prepare so your first submission is your last.

What Apple actually reviews (and what you need first)

Before you start gathering screenshots and writing descriptions, it helps to understand what Apple's review team is actually looking for and what you need in place before you can even begin.

Prerequisites

You'll need an Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year) before you can submit anything. If you're registering as an organization rather than an individual, you'll also need a D-U-N-S number, which can take a few days to obtain. Once you apply for the Developer Program, account approval typically takes 24-48 hours, so factor this into your timeline if you haven't registered yet.

What the review covers

Apple reviews three things: functionality, content, and compliance. They're checking that your app works as described and that the content is appropriate. They're also confirming you've followed their guidelines.

What they're not doing is evaluating your code quality or judging whether your business model makes sense. They're not deciding if your app is "good enough" to exist. If your app functions and follows the rules, it gets approved.

The review team processes roughly 150,000 apps and updates per week to maintain platform quality and safety. Most submissions go through a combination of automated checks and human review. The automated systems catch obvious violations—a missing privacy policy, a URL that doesn't load, placeholder content that shouldn't be there—before a human ever looks at the app.

Rejection patterns

Here's what's interesting about rejection patterns—the top five categories, in order:

• Performance: App crashed during review, or a feature didn't work
• Legal: Incomplete privacy disclosures
• Design: Doesn't meet Apple's interface guidelines or contains placeholder content
• Business: Pricing issues, in-app purchase violations, or incorrect business model implementation
• Safety: Content that could harm users or violate local laws

These aren't mysterious or subjective decisions—they're specific, documented requirements that you can prepare for in advance. The most common misconception first-time founders have is that rejection means their app isn't good enough.

In reality, most rejections happen because the submission materials were incomplete, not because the app itself was flawed. That's actually good news, because it means you can control the approval process through preparation.

The complete iOS app store submission checklist

The single biggest time-waster in App Store submission is stopping mid-process to create an asset you didn't know you needed. You're filling out App Store Connect, get to the screenshots section, and suddenly realize you need images in five different dimensions you haven't created yet. Or you reach the privacy section and discover you need a hosted privacy policy URL before you can proceed.

Gather everything on this list before you open App Store Connect, and you'll complete the submission in one sitting rather than spread it across multiple frustrated sessions.

App identity

• App name: 30 characters maximum; check availability before you get attached
• Subtitle: 30 characters; appears below app name in search results
• Bundle ID: Unique identifier (com.yourcompany.appname format); cannot be changed after submission, so choose carefully—you'll be stuck with it
• SKU: Internal reference number; any format you want
• Primary category: Where your target users browse; it affects discoverability more than secondary
• Secondary category: Optional additional placement that can help users find you through a different browse path

Visual assets

• App icon: 1024x1024 pixels, PNG format, no transparency, no rounded corners (Apple adds them)
• iPhone screenshots (provide for each device size you support):

• 6.7" display (iPhone 15 Pro Max): 1290 x 2796 pixels

• 6.5" display (iPhone 14 Plus): 1284 x 2778 pixels

• 5.5" display (iPhone 8 Plus): 1242 x 2208 pixels

• iPad screenshots (if applicable): iPad Pro 12.9": 2048 x 2732 pixels
• App preview videos: Optional; 15-30 seconds; no hardware/hands shown; no prices displayed
• Screenshot count: 1-10 per device size; first three appear in search results

Written content

• Description: Up to 4,000 characters; first sentence appears in search results
• Keywords: 100 characters total; comma-separated, no spaces after commas; don't repeat words from your app name since Apple already indexes those
• Promotional text: 170 characters; can update without new review
• What's New text: Required for updates
• Support URL: Must be live and functional (not "coming soon")
• Privacy Policy URL: Required for all apps, no exceptions
• Marketing URL: Optional

Legal and privacy

• Privacy Policy: Must cover all data collection, usage, and deletion procedures; must disclose third-party SDK data collection
• Privacy Nutrition Labels: Questionnaire responses for App Store listing; must match actual practices
• Terms of Service: Required for subscription apps; must describe pricing, billing frequency and cancellation
• EULA: Apple's standard or your custom version

Review materials

• Demo account: Username and password for any app requiring sign-in
• Reviewer notes: Instructions for accessing non-obvious features
• Contact phone: Monitored number during review period
• Contact email: Monitored address during review period

App Store Connect walkthrough

With your assets ready, you can work through App Store Connect systematically. This section covers interface navigation and decision points—refer to the asset checklist above for specifications.

App information tab

The Content Rights section asks whether you have rights to all content in your app, including third-party APIs, user-generated content, and licensed materials. If you're using stock photos, confirm your license covers commercial app distribution. If users can upload content, you need moderation capabilities.

The Age Rating questionnaire covers violence, language, mature themes, gambling, and similar categories. Answer honestly—Apple spot-checks these ratings, and misrepresentation can result in removal after you're already live. That's why a slightly higher age rating is better than getting pulled from the store.

Pricing and availability tab

Select your price tier or mark the app as free. If you're using in-app purchases or subscriptions, the app itself is typically free, with purchases unlocked inside.

Territory selection: Choose which countries can download your app. Starting with key markets (US, UK, Canada, Australia) and expanding later is common because it lets you test support and localization before going global. Still, worldwide availability works if your app doesn't have region-specific compliance requirements.

Release options: Automatic release goes live immediately after approval. Manual release lets you control timing—useful for coordinating with marketing or doing final verification on the approved build.

App privacy tab

This generates your Privacy Nutrition Labels from questionnaire responses. You'll indicate which data types you collect, whether they're linked to user identity, and whether they're used for tracking.

Here's what catches many founders off guard: you're responsible for disclosures about third-party SDK data collection, not just your own code. Check documentation for analytics tools, crash reporting, advertising SDKs, and social login providers, because Apple holds you accountable for what your dependencies collect.

The Tracking Transparency section applies if you track users across apps or websites owned by other companies. If so, you'll need to implement Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt—without it, your app will be rejected.

Version information

Build selection: Choose which build to submit. Platforms like Anything handle upload automatically, so you don't need Xcode or Transporter.

Export compliance: Most apps claim an exemption for standard encryption (HTTPS, authentication), which gets you through this section quickly. Non-standard encryption may require additional documentation that can delay your submission.

App Review information: Enter your demo credentials and reviewer notes here. The Notes field is optional but valuable—this is your chance to explain anything that isn't obvious about your app before the reviewer gets confused and rejects you.

Final validation checklist

Before you hit submit, run through these checks—each one corresponds to a common rejection reason. This is a validation-only step; if any item fails, refer to the asset checklist or the App Store Connect sections to fix it.

Technical validation

• App launches without crashing on actual device (not just simulator)
• All authentication flows complete: sign-up, login, password reset, account recovery
• Payment flows use Apple's In-App Purchase (not external links for digital goods)
• No placeholder content: lorem ipsum, sample images, test data, debug labels
• No cross-platform references in UI or screenshots ("Download on Android")
• All permission requests include specific usage descriptions (not "This app uses your location")

Content validation

• Screenshots match the current app version exactly
• Description accurately reflects available features
• No prices shown in screenshots (prices vary by region)
• Age rating questionnaire answers match actual content

Compliance validation

• Privacy Policy URL loads successfully and covers all disclosed data collection
• Support URL loads successfully and provides help options
• Sign in with Apple is offered if other third-party logins exist
• Subscription terms, pricing, and cancellation are clearly visible before purchase
• Health/medical apps include appropriate disclaimers
• Financial apps include risk disclosures (no promised returns)

Review readiness

• Demo account credentials are tested and working right now
• Reviewer notes explain any non-obvious features or required setup
• Contact phone and email monitored during the review period

After you submit

Once you submit, your app enters Apple's review queue. Here's what to expect and how to respond to either outcome.

Review timeline

The review process is faster than most founders expect, with around 90% of submissions getting reviewed in less than 24 hours. For straightforward apps with complete submission materials, approval within a day is common.

Certain factors can extend review time:

• Regulated categories (health, finance, kids) may receive additional scrutiny
• First-time submissions from new developer accounts sometimes take longer than updates from established accounts
• High submission volume during major iOS releases can slow things down across the board

If you have a genuine emergency—a critical bug affecting live users, for example—you can request expedited review through App Store Connect. Use this sparingly and only for real emergencies, because Apple tracks these requests.

If you're approved

When approval comes through, you'll choose your release timing based on the option you selected earlier. If you choose automatic release, your app will appear in the App Store within 24 hours. If you choose manual release, you control when it goes live.

Your app is now indexed for search, which means your keywords and category selection matter. The first version sets your baseline for App Store Optimization, so monitor your search rankings and conversion rates to inform updates.

If you're rejected

Rejection isn't failure—it's feedback with a clear path to resolution. Your rejection message will specify which guideline(s) you violated and often includes specific instructions for what to fix.

You'll respond through the Resolution Center in App Store Connect, and in many cases, the same reviewer who rejected your app will handle your resubmission. This is actually helpful because they already understand your app and can quickly verify that you've addressed their concerns.

Common rejection reasons and fixes

Rejections fall into two categories: metadata rejections (fixable without a new build) and binary rejections (require uploading a new build). For binary rejections, fix the issue, increment your build number, upload the latest build, and resubmit. Because you're responding to existing feedback rather than starting a new submission, the re-review is typically faster than the initial review.

Guideline 2.1 (Performance): Your app crashed during review. This is a binary rejection. Crashes usually happen because the review team tested on a device or iOS version you didn't test, or because of a race condition that only appears under certain circumstances. Test on hardware matching the reviewer's setup, check for memory issues, and consider adding crash reporting to catch issues you can't reproduce locally.

Guideline 2.3 (Accurate Metadata): Your screenshots or description don't match what the app actually does. This is the most common rejection type and usually the fastest to resolve—you can often fix metadata issues without uploading a new build. Retake screenshots from the current build, revise your description to reflect available features, make the corrections in App Store Connect, and resubmit through the Resolution Center.

The next few rejections involve Apple's payment and privacy rules, which are strictly enforced:

Guideline 3.1.1 (In-App Purchase): You mentioned external payment options or linking to a website for purchasing digital content. Remove all references to external purchasing and implement Apple's In-App Purchase system for digital goods.

Guideline 4.2 (Minimum Functionality): Apple determined your app is too simple or doesn't provide enough value. This rejection is more subjective than others, but it typically means your app either duplicates functionality already available in Safari (like a website wrapper) or provides so little functionality that it doesn't justify a native app. Consider adding features or reconsidering whether your idea is better suited to a web app.

Guideline 5.1.1 (Data Collection): Your privacy disclosures don't match your actual data collection practices. Review your app's data collection (including third-party SDKs) and update your Privacy Nutrition Labels to reflect what you collect and how you use it accurately.

Guideline 5.1.2 (Sign in with Apple): You offer third-party login but not Sign in with Apple. Add Sign in with Apple as a login option alongside your existing providers.

Some rejections aren't about guidelines at all—they're about broken basics:

Broken URLs: Your Support URL or Privacy Policy URL returned an error during review. Test all URLs immediately before submission and ensure they load reliably.

Missing reviewer credentials: Your app requires login, but you didn't provide working demo account credentials. Create a dedicated review account, test it immediately before submission, and include clear instructions in your reviewer notes.

Most rejections resolve within one additional review cycle. The founders who get stuck in extended back-and-forth are usually the ones who don't fully address the feedback or who introduce new issues while fixing the original ones.

Your next steps

You now have the complete checklist that separates first-try approvals from rejection loops.

Start with the asset checklist in Section 2—that's your single source of truth. Gather everything on that list before you open App Store Connect, and you'll complete submission in one session instead of stopping every ten minutes to create something you didn't know you needed.

If you do get rejected, don't panic—just find your guideline number in Section 5, make the specific fix, and resubmit. Most rejections resolve in one cycle when you address the feedback thoroughly.

The App Store Review Guidelines are public, allowing you to read the sections relevant to your app's functionality—subscriptions, health data and user-generated content—before you submit it. That’s how you can catch issues that would otherwise become rejection reasons.

Getting into the App Store used to require developers, certificates, and weeks of back-and-forth. Anything handles the technical submission automatically so that you can focus on your app, not the infrastructure. Build your app, prepare your materials, and launch.