An ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest rejection email looks as follows: ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest- Your app includes "<path/to/SDK>", which includes , an SDK that was identified in the documentation as a privacy-impacting third-party SDK. Starting February 12, 2025, if a new app includes a privacy-impacting SDK, or an app update adds a new privacy-impacting SDK, the SDK must include a privacy manifest file. Please contact the provider of the SDK that includes this file to get an updated SDK version with a privacy manifest. For more details about this policy, including a list of SDKs that are required to include signatures and manifests, visit: https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. Glossary ITMS-91061: Missing privacy manifest: An email that includes the name and path of privacy-impacting SDK(s) with no privacy manifest files in your app bundle. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/support/third-party-SDK-requirements. : The specified privacy-impacting SDK that doesn't include a privacy manifest file. If you are the developer of the rejected app, gather the name of the SDK from the email you received from Apple, then contact the SDK's provider for an updated version that includes a valid privacy manifest. After receiving an updated version of the SDK, verify the SDK includes a valid privacy manifest file at the expected location. For more information, see Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK. If your app includes a privacy manifest file, make sure the file only describes the privacy practices of your app. Do not add the privacy practices of the SDK to your app's privacy manifest. If the email lists multiple SDKs, repeat the above process for all of them. If you are the developer of an SDK listed in the email, publish an updated version of your SDK that includes a privacy manifest file with valid keys and values. Every privacy-impacting SDK must contain a privacy manifest file that only describes its privacy practices. To learn how to add a valid privacy manifest to your SDK, see the Additional resources section below. Additional resources Privacy manifest files Describing data use in privacy manifests Describing use of required reason API Adding a privacy manifest to your app or third-party SDK TN3182: Adding privacy tracking keys to your privacy manifest TN3183: Adding required reason API entries to your privacy manifest TN3184: Adding data collection details to your privacy manifest TN3181: Debugging an invalid privacy manifest

In this post, we'll share tips to help you submit apps that deliver original ideas to your users. When working on your app, focus on creating interesting, unique experiences that aren't already available. Apps that actively try to copy other apps won't pass review, and accounts that repeatedly submit copycat apps or attempt to impersonate a service will be closed. The rules that prevent copycat and impersonator apps from being distributed on the App Store are described in App Review Guideline 4.1: 4.1 Copycats (a) Come up with your own ideas. We know you have them, so make yours come to life. Don’t simply copy the latest popular app on the App Store, or make some minor changes to another app’s name or UI and pass it off as your own. In addition to risking an intellectual property infringement claim, it makes the App Store harder to navigate and just isn’t fair to your fellow developers. (b) Submitting apps which impersonate other apps or services is considered a violation of the Developer Code of Conduct and may result in removal from the Apple Developer Program. These requirements help make the App Store both a safe place for people to discover apps and a platform for all developers to be successful. Best Practices Here are three best practices that will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1: 1. Submit apps with unique content and features. People want apps that provide unique experiences. Find areas that aren't currently being served and build compelling apps for those audiences. Do: Create apps that provide a new experience or a unique spin on an existing concept. Design original, delightful interfaces that elegantly meet your user's needs. Don't: Don’t imitate the features and functionality of other apps. Don’t copy the look and feel of other apps, such as using an identical user interface design. 2. Make sure App Store metadata only contains relevant information and content you either own or have permission to use. The metadata provided in App Store Connect is used to populate your app's product page on the App Store. People rely on this metadata to learn about your app and what it has to offer. Leveraging the popularity of another brand or app, either by including irrelevant references or protected content, is misleading and won't help your app succeed. Do: Use engaging, descriptive language to describe your unique app. Create original content that best represents your app, such as screenshots showing the actual app in use. Don't: Don't use protected material you do not have the necessary permission to use, such as app icons that are similar to icons of a popular app. Don’t include irrelevant references, such as popular app names or trademarked terms, in any metadata fields. 3. Provide information that is authentic and verifiable. People want to know the developers behind their favorite apps are who they say they are. It's important to continually review and provide up-to-date information, including the developer or company name listed on your Apple Developer Program account, the Support URL listed on your app's product page, and other helpful information. This will enable your users to contact you when they need help and it will also hinder people who may try to impersonate you, your app, or your service. Do: Make sure all information, resources, and documentation related to your account and apps are current and accurate. Don't: Don’t provide inaccurate information or resources, such as directing people to outdated support pages. Don’t provide fraudulent documentation. Accounts that submit fraudulent documentation will be removed from the Apple Developer Program. Support Incorporating these best practices into your app's development will help you submit apps that follow App Review Guideline 4.1. If you need additional assistance, consider taking advantage of one of the following support options available from App Review: If your submission has been rejected, reply to the message from App Review in App Store Connect and request clarification. Request an App Review Appointment to discuss the results of our review. Appointments are subject to availability, and take place during local business hours in your region on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you believe your app follows the App Review Guidelines, consider submitting an appeal to the App Review Board. Resources Learn about foundational design principles from Apple designers and the developer community. Learn how to create engaging App Store product pages. Note that apps that violate intellectual property rights are subject to removal through the App Store Content Dispute process. If you believe an app on the App Store violates your intellectual property rights, you can submit a claim.

I submitted my app for review on October 22, but I still haven’t received any response. It’s now October 31, and the review is still pending. Could someone from the App Review Team please check my submission? Thank you very much! 🙏 Apple Id: 6753878193

Hello everyone, I am writing to seek help with a critical App Review issue for a new application. My app has been in the "In Review" status for 29 consecutive days (since October 1st) without any change or feedback. This is on an experienced developer account with 5 other apps already live on the App Store. Here is the timeline of the current submission: Sep 30: Submitted new binary. Oct 1: Status changed to "In Review". Oct 9: After inquiring about the long delay, Developer Support kindly granted an expedited review (Case ID 102702095699). Oct 30 (Today): The app is still "In Review". It has now been 21 days since the expedited review was applied, and 29 days total. The core problem: My primary concern is that based on our server metrics, there has not been a single login attempt or health check from the App Review team since October 1st. This strongly suggests the app is technically "stuck" in the queue and has not even been opened or tested by a reviewer. We have been in constant contact with Developer Support, who have been very responsive and confirmed they escalated this internally with urgency. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the app's status remains unchanged. This delay is now critical. We had firm, paid promotional integrations scheduled with partners for the first week of November, which were all dependent on an approval by our deadline of October 29th. We have now missed this deadline entirely, which is resulting in direct financial losses and reputational damage with our partners. Has anyone else experienced an app being "stuck" like this, where even an expedited review fails to get the app looked at? Is there any known technical glitch or a different path to get this specific blockage resolved? Thank you for any insights.

Dear App Review & App Store policy team, I am writing as an independent macOS developer who has spent more than the last six months building TilesWM, a full‑featured window‑manager that rivals existing products such as Magnet, Divvy and BetterSnapTool. The app works exactly like those solutions: it uses the Accessibility (AX) API to move and resize arbitrary windows, registers global hot‑keys, and stores user preferences locally in ~/Library/Application Support/<bundle‑identifier>. When I attempt to submit TilesWM through App Store Connect the validation process failed with two errors, one of which was relatively easily solvable with the help of "ssmith_c" and "Quinn". The other, the hard blocker: Sandbox not enabled – the app does not contain the required com.apple.security.app-sandbox = true entitlement. but: The same accessibility entitlement is absent from the binaries of Magnet, Divvy, BetterSnapTool and other window‑manager apps that are already available on the Mac App Store. Those applications were on the Store before Apple introduced the mandatory sandbox requirement (≈ macOS 10.7.3-ish). Consequently, they continue to operate without a sandbox while new entrants are forced either to abandon the platform or to distribute outside the App Store. This situation creates an uneven playing field that contradicts Apple’s stated commitment to an open and competitive ecosystem. All developers pay the same $99 annual fee and should follow identical review guidelines; yet legacy window‑manager apps enjoy a privileged exemption that new developers cannot obtain, effectively granting them a perpetual non‑compete advantage. What I am asking for Clarification: Is a missing Sandbox entitlement truly unsupported for Mac App Store distribution or is there a way to "request" an exception? Policy action: Please evaluate an option to provide a concrete path forward so that TilesWM can be submitted without having to abandon the App Store. Point of contact – If this issue falls outside the scope of App Review, kindly direct me to the team or individual responsible for macOS sandbox policy decisions. I remain committed to distributing my app through the Mac App Store because it is the primary channel users trust and expect. I believe that a fair resolution will benefit developers, Apple, and end‑users alike by expanding the selection of high‑quality window‑management tools. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a constructive response and to working together toward an equitable solution. Respectfully, Denis Steinhorst Full‑Stack Engineer & macOS enthusiast Bundle ID: dev.steinhorst.tileswm

Hi all, I have two apps stuck in "In Review" status with no response from Apple: Future Kid App Apple ID: 6754333416 In Review since: October 15th, resubmitted on October 21st, still in review as of October 22nd, 12:12 AM. Trade AI Apple ID: 6753766459 In Review since: October 27th, 9:31 PM, still no update. Team ID: CQNXC8J5R4 Both apps have been stuck for a long time with no feedback. Has anyone faced similar delays or know how to resolve this? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Hi we tried submitting our app , but the reviewer keeps rejecting the app multiple times stating that "your app was still loading indefinitely after we had tapped on the “LOGIN” button" after this we have inspected on our backend, we found that there were no request on our server. My testers didn't run into errors when testing our app with Testflight. Below is the URL of my server https://mobile.shcilservices.net/Mobile_1/Hello.html It should give response as : "Hello World !" I have been rejected multiple times,I wonder if anyone has same experience and the way to resolve it. Thank you.

I have been spending countless amounts of time making sure my application abides by the rules laid out by Apple App Guidelines. Most recently I got this rejection from App Review: _**Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase ** The app includes an account registration feature for businesses and organizations, which is considered access to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app. **Next Steps ** Remove the account registration features for business and organizations._ After asking for the review to clarify what they mean they said: _"Regarding guideline 3.1.1, users were still able to create an entirely independent business account, when they create a new account without the invite code. To resolve this issue, it would be appropriate to remove the account registration features for business and organizations."_ But the problem is that There are no different account types in our app. ALL users create company accounts - there is no individual vs business distinction. Users either join existing companies (with invite codes) or create new companies (without invite codes), but the account type is identical in both cases. I think the App Review has a problem that I am using the word "Company" during registration but users do not sign up business accounts. they are all the same. there are MANAGER users and MEMBER users. Managers can upgrade and they MUST use Apple's IAP to upgrade (I have it set up so there's no other way they can upgrade without using Apple's IAP). Members are just assigned to Manager teams/company/organization (what ever you want to call the group). I think they are getting completely hung up on the word when in reality it's fine. Any help here? Please this has been going on for weeks. I am happy to meet with Support too.

Title: Mistaken 4.3(a) “Spam/Copycat” Flag → 3.2(f) Termination — Seeking Guidance on Reinstatement Hi everyone, I’m an independent developer and I believe my account was escalated to termination because of a misunderstanding around Guideline 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and 4.1 – Design – Copycats. I want to explain the full timeline so I can get advice on how to present this correctly in the “Re-instate a terminated membership” request. 1. What I submitted I submitted an app called “Anime Jigsaw: Waifu Puzzles.” The idea was simple: it’s a jigsaw puzzle app, but I wanted to make it more relaxing by combining anime/waifu themed puzzle images with built-in lo‑fi music. So the concept I was aiming for was: puzzle + themed art + calming music, not just another generic jigsaw clone. 2. First rejection Apple rejected it under 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and also mentioned 4.1 – Copycats. The exact wording in App Store Connect said my app’s binary, metadata and/or concept was similar to apps that were previously submitted by a terminated Apple Developer Program account. They also reminded me that resubmitting similar or repackaged apps makes it harder for users to discover new apps. At this point I was confused, because I do not own or control any terminated developer account. I wrote the code myself. So my first answer inside App Store Connect tried to clarify the unique part: anime‑style jigsaw + lo‑fi music to create a “relaxing puzzle session.” 3. Where the problem started When I replied, I accidentally selected the same build (1.0.2) again. I thought I was only replying to the reviewer in the same thread. But from Apple’s side it now looked like: the app was warned for spam/repackaged → developer sends the same binary and concept again → violation not fixed. Because of that, the system can easily read this as “attempt to bypass or evade review.” 4. Second message from Apple Apple repeated 4.3(a) with exactly the same explanation: they still saw a similar binary/metadata/concept to a previously terminated account. So even though my text explanation was different, my actual uploaded build was not different. This is on me — I understand now that for 4.3/4.1 cases, textual explanation is not enough. You must show the difference in the binary, assets, screenshots, name and description. 5. Escalation to 3.2(f) After these repeated submissions, I received the more serious mail: my developer membership (or an account associated with me) had been used for dishonest or fraudulent activity under Section 3.2(f). The reason they gave was basically: “after multiple resubmissions, the guideline violations remain unresolved.” From their point of view this is a pattern similar to re‑packaging or circulating a template that had already been rejected. 6. Why I believe this was not dishonest I am a single indie dev. There is no group of accounts behind me. I did not try to resubmit for a banned seller. My mistake was operational: I replied with the same build, so it kept triggering the spam signal. I really thought clarifying “this is a puzzle app + lo‑fi music” would be enough, but that doesn’t prove originality in their system. 7. What I plan to tell Apple in the reinstatement form I acknowledge that re‑submitting the same build in the same thread made it look like spam. I will upload a completely new binary (or even a new bundle ID) so the reviewer can actually see a changed app. I will replace or document all puzzle assets to show they are original / licensed / generated and not taken from a terminated account. I will rewrite the App Store metadata so it doesn’t look like another anime puzzle clone and so it highlights the “relaxing session” feature. I will not re‑submit small incremental changes to a previously rejected build. I will only submit again when the violation is actually fixed. 8. What I’m asking the community Has anyone been flagged as “similar to a terminated account” even though they had only one account? Is choosing the same build during the reply flow enough to make it look like 4.3(a) spam? What level of asset/source proof did you send to convince App Review that the app is fully your own work? I respect Apple’s need to keep the App Store clean, but in this case I believe the escalation happened because my resubmission did not show the changes they were asking for, not because I was trying to cheat the system. Any guidance or examples from people who successfully explained this would be really helpful. Thanks.

I've got rejected 3 times because of this: Guideline 1.2 - Safety - User-Generated Content We found in our review that your app includes user-generated content but does not have all the required precautions. Apps with user-generated content must take specific steps to moderate content and prevent abusive behavior. To resolve this issue, please revise your app to implement the following precautions: A mechanism for users to block abusive users My app already includes a full blocking mechanism. Users can block others at any time — once blocked, both users are restricted from viewing each other’s content, profiles, and interactions within the app. Additionally, administrators (marked with a verified checkmark) cannot be blocked, as they are responsible for moderating user-generated content and maintaining community safety. This is an intentional design choice to ensure compliance with moderation and safety requirements. Any ideas if I'm doing anything wrong?

Hello, I submitted a detailed appeal for our app on October 22nd but haven’t received any response or follow-up yet. Could someone from the App Review team please confirm whether the appeal is being evaluated or advise on typical response times? The delay is significantly impacting our operations. Thank you for your help - any update would be greatly appreciated.

I just spent way too many hours trying to figure out why my in-app subscription was stuck in “Missing Metadata” in App Store Connect, even though I had filled out everything. If you're here because you're in the same boat, this is the solution Apple doesn't make obvious. The Problem I created an auto-renewable subscription (Kanabloom Premium) and filled in all required fields. The subscription was still marked "Missing Metadata", preventing me from submitting it. The “In-App Purchases” section wasn’t showing up in my App Store version submission, which meant I couldn't even attach the subscription to my app version. I triple-checked the metadata, pricing, tax settings, review screenshot, and even resaved everything, but nothing worked. What I Tried (Before Finding the Fix) Checked that pricing was set up correctly for all countries. Uploaded the required review screenshot for the subscription. Made sure the subscription group existed and was linked properly. Refreshed, logged out/in, and tried different browsers. Read every Stack Overflow, Reddit, and Apple Developer Forum post I could find. Even tried creating a dummy subscription to see if that would reset the system. The Solution: Localizing the Subscription Group Here’s the stupidly hidden requirement that finally fixed it: ✅ Your subscription group itself (not just the subscription) needs a localized display name. App Store Connect requires each subscription group to have at least one localized display name for it to be valid. If this is missing, all subscriptions inside that group will stay stuck in “Missing Metadata” no matter how complete they are. How to Fix It: Go to App Store Connect > Subscriptions > Subscription Group Click on your subscription group (not the individual subscription). Check if there's a localization added under "Group Reference Name." If missing, add a localization (e.g., English) and save. Refresh the page and boom – the subscription will finally be "Ready to Submit." Conclusion Apple really needs to make this requirement clearer. Now that I’ve finally figured it out, hopefully, this post helps someone else avoid losing hours of their life to the same issue. If you're still stuck, double-check that: You’ve set pricing and enabled "Cleared for Sale." You’ve uploaded a review screenshot for the subscription. You’ve signed all App Store agreements and banking/tax documents. Your app's In-App Purchase capability is enabled in Xcode. Let me know if this helped you! I wish I had found a post like this sooner. 😂 This should make for a useful and searchable post in case other devs run into the same headache. Let me know if you want any tweaks before posting! 🚀

Hi everyone, I’m looking for clarification regarding App Store Review Guideline 4.3 (Spam) and how it applies to unlisted apps. The guideline mentions that “Apps that are duplicates of others, or that spam the App Store with similar content, may be removed from the App Store or from the Apple Developer Program.” In my case, I’m considering distributing several unlisted apps that share a similar codebase but are customized for different clients (for example, with distinct branding and configurations). These apps would not be searchable or publicly listed on the App Store — they would only be accessible through direct links. Could anyone confirm whether Guideline 4.3 still applies to unlisted apps in the same way it does to publicly listed apps? If not, what is the recommended approach for distributing such client-specific builds while remaining compliant with Apple’s policies? Thanks in advance for any clarification.

I submitted a puzzle app called “Anime Jigsaw” to App Store Connect. The App Store Connect team initially rejected the app due to minor errors. I then fixed the errors and resubmitted it, but this time they said it violated “Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats” and that I didn't write the code. I responded that I wrote the code and could prove it. They rejected it again, citing "Guideline 4.1 - Design - Copycats,“ and I explained that my app was different from other puzzle apps because you solve puzzles while listening to Lo-Fi music. But this time, they issued a ”Pending Termination Notice“ and started saying ”Evidence of Dishonest or Fraudulent Activity." I am definitely not a scammer. I am trying to communicate with the App Store Connect team, but they are trying to close my account and label it as “Fraudulent Activity.” Why are you doing this? How can I resolve this? My account will be closed in 30 days, and I can't communicate with anyone. Team ID: 93LGGK4LG4 Apple ID: 6751961511 Please Apple Team Help Me.

I have two apps on my account. Both apps are older than 3-4 months, and I have published a few updates as well. However, since last week, I've tried to update both apps, and they've been showing "Waiting for Review." Since this was happening for both apps, I resubmitted them and requested an expedited review. Now only one has been accepted for expedited review and its status changed to "In Review," but it's still not ready for sale. I've been trying to update both of my apps for two weeks now, but there's been no progress from "Waiting for Review." Has anybody else faced this issue? Can anyone help?

hey everyone, recently we noticed an issue on AppStoreConnect here is brief , understandable, short description. when we upgraded our app from 2.1.8 to 2.4.9 we noticed something is not adding up, then we find out that the number of devices have been increased in AppStoreConnect - iPad/ Apple watch have been added. we checked the source code - the supported devices were just iPhone (which is what we want) -pls check XCODE.png we doubt something is not correct. in AppStoreConnect we checked previous release which was 2.1.8 - it was showing correct device just iPhone. pls check AppStoreConnect-previous.png in the most recent submission which was ready to submit 2.4.9 - the number of devices have been increased to 3. pls check AppStoreConnect-latest.png here is the screenshot: screenshot from XCODE.png screenshot from AppStoreConnect-latest.png (we believe its wrong) screenshot from AppStoreConnect-previous.png (correct one) it turns out that App Review team came with idea that our app is not correctly working on iPad (obviously appreciate their effort they found 2 more issues on the app besides with that) , but our App is not intended to work on iPad.

Hi everyone, I am developing a mobile application designed for rug cleaning businesses. The app allows businesses to register, subscribe, and use various tools to manage their daily operations — such as job tracking, rug status updates, and team coordination. Essentially, our platform provides a SaaS solution specifically for professional rug cleaning companies, not for general consumers. I have a couple of questions: Since the app is meant only for registered businesses, and users must have a valid business account to access the core features — what are the chances of the app being rejected during App Store review? If I integrate Apple In-App Purchase (IAP) for subscription instead of using an external payment method (like Stripe), would that reduce the chances of rejection, or could there still be issues since it’s a B2B app? Any guidance or real experiences with similar business-use apps would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Dinesh

Hi Apple Review Team, The app I submitted last week thursday has been in "waiting for review" for several days, but there has been no result yet. Could you please help with the progress of the review? App Name: Garcia Sports Shop Bundle ID: garciasports.shop.app

Hello, I have a new app with one in-app purchase and App Store Connect says I need to submit an app for review to get the in-app purchase reviewed and approved. But, my review always gets rejected, because obviously the in-app purchase doesn't work, as the product can't be found. So I already answered this, but it still got rejected a second time. So how can I have the in-app purchase approved, before the app gets reviewed? Thank you in advance.

ASO often feels like a constant uphill battle for indie iOS devs - the rules keep shifting, results are unpredictable, and competing with big-budget apps can be discouraging. Has anyone here actually figured out what truly works for indie apps, or is ASO just a never-ending grind we all face?

I recently released the first version of my app, and it was discoverable via App Store search. After pushing an update with bug fixes and improved keywords/category, the new version went live and showed as “Ready for Sale” within hours. However, since the update, the app no longer appears in App Store search results - even when searched using its exact name. It’s still accessible through the direct link. Any insights or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, My app (App ID: 1616628950) has been in the “In Review” state for quite some time. I first submitted it on October 14, and it stayed in review for over 7 days without any update. I then resubmitted the same build on October 21, but it’s still in review as of now. Normally, my app reviews are completed within 1–2 days, so this delay seems unusual. There were no policy-related updates in this version. I just wanted to share this here in case someone from the review team could take a quick look or check if the submission might be stuck. Thank you very much for your time and understanding!