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.(c) You cannot use another developer’s icon, brand, or product name in your app’s icon or name, without approval from the developer. 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.

Our app has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for over a week now. We have submitted expedited review requests, but none of them have received a response. We also reached out through the Contact Us support page, but have not heard back either. What's strange is that during this same period, we submitted an update for another app under the same developer account, and it was approved in less than 12 hours. We believe there may be an issue on the App Store side. We are posting here in hopes of getting assistance from the engineering and review teams. Our app has been on the App Store for 7 years and has 10 million users. We need to deliver a critical bug fix and address certain review compliance requirements, but for reasons unknown to us, the submission has been stuck — something that has never happened to us before.

I submitted an app build and filled out the expedited review form, they quickly replied: “The issues we've identified below are eligible to be resolved on your next update. If this submission includes bug fixes and you'd like to have it approved at this time, reply to this message and let us know. You do not need to resubmit your app for us to proceed.” I replied with “Yes, please accept the current version now as it contains bug fixes, will resolve that issue later lalala” I replied again 1 day after the letter. And nothing. 2 days total have passed. So the replies do not go to the Expedited Review queue? What should I do? Reply again? Or resubmit the build with a comment “Important bug fixes, please accept immediately”? Or maybe call them, will a call help? Thank you so much!

Our app has been stuck in "Waiting for Review" for over a week now. We have submitted expedited review requests, but none of them have received a response. We also reached out through the Contact Us support page, but have not heard back either. What's strange is that during this same period, we submitted an update for another app under the same developer account, and it was approved in less than 12 hours. We believe there may be an issue on the App Store side. We are posting here in hopes of getting assistance from the engineering and review teams. Our app has been on the App Store for 7 years and has 10 million users. We need to deliver a critical bug fix and address certain review compliance requirements, but for reasons unknown to us, the submission has been stuck — something that has never happened to us before. Support case ID: 102849522537 Submission ID: fbb04bae-9f1d-4385-9f5b-6362004d03e3

Hello all - just developed my first app. Submitted to apple for review since February 26, 2026 and still stuck in "Waiting for review" status. Is this timing normal? I've filled out support tickets and no response I can see either. Curious how app review and response timing is for others?

I've been rejected a couple of times for Guidelines 5.1.1(i) and 5.1.2(i) regarding third-party AI data sharing consent. Each time, the reviewer states they cannot see the consent prompt, even though it is the first screen displayed on every app launch. My app (GymFusion) uses Anthropic's Claude AI for features like meal scanning, body composition analysis, and workout coaching. Here is exactly what I've implemented: IN-APP CONSENT (embedded in view hierarchy, not a sheet/popup): In my RootView.swift, the consent is a conditional view that blocks the entire app: } else if !consentManager.hasConsented && !consentManager.hasSeenConsent { AIConsentView() } else if auth.isAuthenticated { MainTabView() } The hasSeenConsent flag is reset to false on every app launch in the App's init(), so the consent screen appears on every launch until the user accepts: init() { UserDefaults.standard.set(false, forKey: "user_ai_consent_seen") AIConsentManager.shared.hasSeenConsent = false FirebaseApp.configure() } THE CONSENT SCREEN INCLUDES: Lists all personal data shared (meal photos, water glass photos, workout history, progress photos, body measurements, fitness profile) Names Anthropic, PBC (Claude AI) as the third-party recipient 3 required acknowledgment checkboxes that must all be checked before "I Agree" is enabled Cannot be swiped away (.interactiveDismissDisabled) "Decline" lets user proceed but consent reappears next launch Users can revoke consent anytime in More tab PRIVACY POLICY INCLUDES: Names Anthropic as third-party AI provider Lists all data collected and shared States Anthropic provides "same or equal protection of user data" Explains consent and revocation process Link: https://ahmedali420911.github.io/gymfusion-legal/privacy-policy.html WHAT THE REVIEWER SAYS EACH TIME: "We were not presented with the consent prompt on launch or anywhere else in the app." WHAT I'VE VERIFIED: Aiconsentview.swift is in the Xcode build target (confirmed in project.pbxproj with 4 references) Consent appears correctly on simulator and physical device UserDefaults resets hasSeenConsent to false on every launch The file compiles without errors DerivedData has been cleared before archiving Clean build performed before every archive MY QUESTIONS: Could there be a reason the consent screen doesn't appear on the reviewer's device even though it shows correctly on mine? Is there a known issue with SwiftUI conditional views not rendering on certain devices or iOS versions? Has anyone else experienced App Review not seeing UI that works correctly in their own testing? Should I attach screenshots of the consent dialog in the App Review notes or reply? Is there something else Apple expects beyond an in-app consent dialog and privacy policy for third-party AI data sharing? I've been stuck on this for over a month across 8 submissions. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

I’m working toward an official release of our application. The app is designed to interface with peripheral devices, which means users need both the mobile app and the peripheral devices to log in and use it. Because of that, how would the review process work when I get to that point?

I am seriously taken aback by the efficiency of the App Review team. Jul 8, 2022 at 2:46 PM - We submitted our app on this date. Jul 9, 2022 at 10.47 AM - Our app was rejected due to 5.1.1 Legal - Data Collection and Storage. Jul 9, 2022 at 1.02 PM - I provided detailed information in relation to our business being in a highly regulated industry. Jul 13, 2022 at 8.22 AM - App Review Team replied stating that additional time is required to review. App Review status was changed to App In Review. Jul 13, 2022 at 8.36 AM - I received the same message that the issue previously identified requires our attention. Jul 13, 2022 at 1.42 PM - I replied again that information has been provided and it was confusing to have received another same App Rejection message. I contacted the App Review Team for assistance and was assured that my app will be reviewed. Jul 14, 2022 at 9.57 AM - App Review team replied that the team will continue the review and will notify if there are any further issues. 27 Jul, 2022 at 3.10 AM - App Review team replied with the same rejection message again "The issues we previously identified still need your attention..." 27 Jul, 2022 at 4.05 AM - I replied explaining that this is the 3rd time App Review team provided the same, non-helpful message and I have provided the information right from the start. 28 Jul, 2022 at 10.27 AM - App Review team replied with the same message intent explaining the policy and requested for additional information AGAIN. 28 Jul, 2022 at 10.40 AM - I replied with FRUSTRATION, providing my detail explanation and information once again (which was already provided on the Jul 9, 2022, 1.02 PM). This app has been withheld since Jul 8. Another app of ours was approved merely after 2 days of submission with the similar additional information provided in the submission notes. The App Review team has been very UNHELPFUL by replying templated messages. I am not sure the team reads through the trail of communications. Many time and money has been wasted when we had to go back to our legal advisors. I need proper avenues to get this push through. Is this a common poor attitude and service of the App Review team? Can someone from the App Review team shed some light on this?

My app has been rejected repeatedly for showing 3rd party content but the content they flagged is owned by me. I believe it was caused by me charging the display name of the app, however the add id is the same and the bundle id is the same as before. Any time I submit with those comment, it is still being rejected. If you have any suggestions it would be helpful.

Hello everyone, I recently submitted my iOS app for review, but it was unfortunately rejected under Guideline 2.1(a) - Performance - App Completeness. For context, my app is a healthcare application built with Ionic. According to the App Review team's message, they found the app to be incomplete. They stated they were unable to review the app because they couldn't get past the login screen. The Root Cause: Upon investigating, we discovered the issue is related to IP Geo-blocking. Because the app handles sensitive healthcare data, our API provider strictly blocks all network traffic originating from outside of Italy to legally comply with European GDPR regulations. Since the App Review team tests from the US, their requests are being entirely blocked by the firewall, causing the login to fail and the app to look broken on their end. What I have verified so far: I have provided valid demo account credentials in the App Store Connect App Review Information section. I have tested the app thoroughly on physical devices and simulators (iOS 16/17) in Italy and couldn't reproduce any crashes or login issues. My Questions for the Community: Has anyone successfully navigated this situation before? Will Apple accept a detailed video demonstration of the app functioning correctly from an Italian IP? Is it possible to request that they review it using a local VPN? Or is the only reliable solution to build a completely separate "mock" environment with dummy data just for the App Review team? Are there any common pitfalls I might be overlooking here? Any advice on how to properly address this with the App Review Board would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Hi, Please review my app I’m reaching out regarding an issue with my app review process. I was expecting a call last week but unfortunately didn’t receive any contact. I would really appreciate it if someone from the team could either review the app as soon as possible or contact me directly. I’m available anytime for a call. thanks

Hi everyone, My app has been stuck in "In Review" status for over 20 days with no updates. I submitted the app on March 1, 2026, the status changed to "In Review" on March 4, 2026, and after that no changes. App ID: 6755649144 I also reached out to Apple Developer Support on March 15 but haven't received any response. Support Case ID: 102845096494 Could someone from App Review please take a look? Also any advice on how to move things forward would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone, My TestFlight build has been stuck in 'Waiting for Review' for over 32 hours and I'm hoping someone can help or share their experience. The situation: I have an External Testing group with a Public Link set up. The build was submitted for Beta App Review on March 19th but it's been over 32 hours with no update. I have 25+ testers waiting to install the app. What I've tried: Waited patiently Checked App Store Connect multiple times No rejection emails received No issues flagged by Apple Questions: Is anyone else experiencing unusually long review times for TestFlight external builds right now? Is there anything I can do to speed up the process or check if something is wrong? Has anyone successfully resolved this by contacting Apple Developer Support directly? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Apple Support Case ID: 102846633409

I am looking for some guidance regarding a significant delay in the review process for my app update. Platform: iOS Submission Date: March 6, 2026 Current Status: In Review It has now been 12 days, and the status has been "In Review." I have checked my App Store Connect "App Review" section, but there are no outstanding requests for information or messages from the review team. I have already attempted to contact the App Review team via the official "Contact Us" form but have only received generic automated responses. Is anyone else experiencing similar delays this month? Are there currently known backlogs, or should I consider canceling this release and re-submitting? Thank you for any insights.

Hello everyone, My app has been in "Waiting for Review" status since February 20, and it still hasn’t moved to the review stage yet. On March 9, I submitted a support ticket asking whether there might be any issue with my submission or if additional information is required from my side. However, I have not received any response from Apple so far. At this point, I’m not sure if I should continue waiting or if there is anything else I should do to resolve the situation. App ID: 6759365919 Ticket ID: 102839874589 If anyone has experienced a similar situation or if an Apple staff member could help check the status, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

hii submitted app yesterday to review, This morning I was surprised that the application was rejected, Reason 4.3 Design: Spam.And I've introduced an application programmed by myself, and a unique design.This message I receivedGuideline 4.3 - DesignWe noticed that your app provides the same feature set as other apps submitted to the App Store; it simply varies in content or language, which is considered a form of spam.The next submission of this app may require a longer review time, and this app will not be eligible for an expedited review until this issue is resolved.what should I do ?

Hello, I am facing a rejection under Guideline 4.3(a) - Spam for "duplicate apps". However, this submission is an update of an existing app (same bundle identifier), not a new app. The update only includes a company rebranding (name, icon, and screenshots). At the moment, we only have one app with this functionality available on the App Store, and we are not intentionally distributing multiple apps targeting the same users or storefronts. The review team mentioned that the app duplicates another app we submitted, but we are unable to identify which app they are referring to. Has anyone experienced a similar issue where Apple flagged a duplicate app even though only one app is live? How did you resolve it? Any guidance 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! 🚀

everything is working perfectly fine on my end and I continue to get this message, please help me navigate this. Review date: March 23, 2026 Review Device: iPad Air 11-inch (M3) Version reviewed: 1.0 Guideline 2.1(a) - Performance - App Completeness Issue Description The app exhibited one or more bugs that would negatively impact users. Bug description: When we tried to log in the app was returning to the login page. Review device details: Device type: iPad Air 11-inch (M3) OS version: iPadOS 26.3.1 Internet Connection: Active

Hello, our app has been stuck in Waiting for Review for 9 days already, which is unusually long in my experience. I also opened a support ticket (Case ID 102845782608), but still haven’t received any response. Could someone from App Review please take a look? Thank you

Hello iOS Developer Community, I have two apps stuck in "Waiting for Review" and would appreciate any advice from developers who have faced a similar situation. 📱 App 1 — BookAstors (User App) Submission ID: 33bc446c-42aa-425d-9eba-2b79e88e9c9f Version: iOS 1.0.4 (Build 15) Date Submitted: March 17, 2026 Waiting since: 6+ days 📱 App 2 — Admin BookAstors (Admin Panel) Submission ID: c8af128f-0666-492a-bd88-3a2cad64d74c Version: iOS 1.0.5 (Build 8) Date Submitted: February 28, 2026 Waiting since: 23+ days Both apps are live on the App Store with an active user base. These updates contain critical bug fixes that our users and business operators are waiting on. The delay is directly impacting user experience and platform operations. I submitted an Expedited Review Request for both apps and received Apple's confirmation: "We'll expedite review for BookAstors / Admin BookAstors." However, even after the expedited request was accepted, neither app has moved from "Waiting for Review" to "In Review". Has anyone experienced such long delays in 2026 even after an expedited review was approved? How long did it eventually take to move forward? Any advice or shared experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Setu Hariyani