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.

Hello, I would like to ask for guidance regarding the termination of my Apple Developer Program account. The account had been active for over 15 years and was my primary source of income. In November 2025, I received a notice stating: You provided fraudulent and/or false account information, documentation, or otherwise falsely represented yourself or your submitted app to Apple either during the account enrollment process or after the account was created. I take this matter very seriously. I have always used my real identity and valid documentation, and I have never intended to misrepresent myself or my apps in any way. I am fully willing to provide any documents again to reconfirm my identity if required. Over the past several months, I submitted multiple appeals in an effort to better understand the reason for this determination. However, I have only received general responses without specific details or actionable guidance. Six months later, I received a final Notice of Termination. I fully respect Apple’s policies and the need to maintain trust and integrity within the platform. At the same time, it’s been hard to understand what exactly caused this issue or what could have been fixed earlier. If anyone from the App Review Team or other Apple representatives can provide general guidance on (I am posting from the same account/email that was originally used to enroll in the Apple Developer Program.): what types of situations may lead to this kind of determination, or whether there are any possible steps to clarify or resolve identity-related concerns I would be very grateful.

My app Pelicula (App ID: 6763131679) has been sitting in "Waiting for Review" for almost 3 weeks... The app is a film ranking and discovery app — no payments, no sensitive permissions beyond push notifications and Sign in with Apple. I am not sure what I'm doing wrong, everytime I submit something the app sits for 7 days with no response. I am trying not to be the guy that smashes expedited review because I know other developers also have issues. I got one version of it through to the app store and users found a bug which is so not cool. Just wish to get an update through that allows for users to have a good experience. Has anyone experienced a silent hold this long recently? Any advice on getting a response from App Review would be appreciated. Happy to share the submission ID directly with anyone from Apple who can help.

Hi Apple Developer Community, My app was rejected under Guideline 2.3.2 because I accidentally uploaded the wrong promotional image. I want to remove the image as instructed by App Review, but the IAP is currently Ready for Review, and the image is locked. There is no option to remove or replace it, and the Save/Add for Review buttons are disabled. I have already contacted Apple Developer Support (Case ID: 102955732091) and am waiting for a response. Has anyone faced this issue? Is there a way to unlock the IAP metadata, or does Apple need to remove the image from their side? Thanks!

Its my First App. It has been ready for Distribution since August 18, in the Business tap,everything is "Active" but my status in Compliance -Digital Services Act is stack "in review"!! No email replies, no nothing. Can anyone help me please?

Our app Finbo (Apple ID 6761951739, iOS version 1.0.32, build 28) has been in "Waiting for Review" since August 20, 2026: 22 days with no reviewer assigned and no messages in Resolution Center. We sent two expedited review requests last week and never received a reply, not even the acknowledgement email. Today we opened support case 102959970140 (App Review Status). Has anyone seen a submission sit unassigned for this long? Is there any other channel to get it picked up? We are not going to cancel and resubmit because that sends it to the back of the queue.

Hello Apple Developer Community, My app's review has been stalled for around 30 days with no visible progress. I would appreciate guidance on how to get a status update and find out whether any action is required on my side. I understand that review times can vary and that some submissions may require additional evaluation. However, after about a month, I would like to understand what steps I can take to move the process forward. Has anyone experienced a similar delay? What is the appropriate way to follow up with the App Review team or request further assistance? I am happy to provide any additional information the review team needs through the appropriate private support channel. Thank you for your time and help.

Dear App Review Team, Our app No.IA (Apple ID: 6768742372) has been in "Waiting for Review" since July 20, 2026. This is version 3.1, resubmitted after the App Review Board cleared Guidelines 2.3.1 and 3.2.1 (Appeal Ticket APL509468). All Guideline 1.1 concerns have been addressed: metadata rewritten, in-app labels updated, screenshots replaced. We have tried: Resolution Center reply, expedited review request, phone call to Developer Support (Case 102912803305). All responses have been generic with no timeline. This app has been in review processes since May 19, 2026 — over 75 days. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

An update to our 10-year-old passport photo app for macOS was rejected under “Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content.” We have neither changed any of the app's existing features nor added new ones. This update only included minor changes to the user interface and an update to the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect. This is the reason for rejection provided to us by the reviewer: Guideline 1.1.6 - Safety - Objectionable Content Issue Description The app contains content or features that are misleading, intended to deceive users, or are otherwise fraudulent. Specifically, the app provides services for editing photos for government documents. Note that adding a disclaimer to the app description is not sufficient if the rest of the metadata and the app are misleading. Next Steps It would be appropriate to remove any content or features from the app that could be misleading or enable fraudulent activity before resubmitting for review. We are having difficulty understanding how Guideline 1.1.6 applies to our app. The app is simply a tool for creating passport photos. Users select their own portrait photo and manually position and crop it to the required photo dimensions. The app does not manipulate the content of the photo, change facial features, or alter a person's appearance. The app has been available for approximately 10 years and is also used as a professional tool by photographers around the world to prepare and print passport and ID photos for their customers. It does not edit passports, ID cards, visas, or any other government documents. The output is simply a portrait photo in the selected dimensions that can be saved or printed. The country-specific presets provide the required photo dimensions as well as a visual mask for head size and positioning, based on publicly available specifications published by the relevant authorities in each country. These presets are used only to help the user manually align and crop the portrait photo according to those published requirements. They are not templates for government documents. We have submitted an appeal, as we believe there may be a misunderstanding about what the app actually does. Has anyone else encountered a rejection under Guideline 1.1.6 for a passport photo or similar photo-formatting app? We would particularly appreciate any insight into the statement that providing services for “editing photos for government documents” falls under Guideline 1.1.6. Is there a specific App Review policy regarding passport photo apps that we may have overlooked? For additional context, this particular app does not include background replacement or automatic cropping. However, even if an app did offer such features, passport-style photos are not used exclusively for passports or government-issued identity documents. They can also be used for driver's licenses, student IDs, fishing licenses, membership cards, employee IDs, and many other purposes. For some of these use cases, background replacement may be perfectly acceptable. Requirements also vary depending on the country, authority, and intended use of the photo. It would therefore seem reasonable for users to decide how to prepare their photos based on the requirements applicable to their particular use case. We would be very interested to hear how other developers interpret this guideline and whether anyone has encountered a similar situation. Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I’m wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same issue. My app has been sitting in “Waiting for Review” for quite some time now, with no status changes or updates. I completely understand that review times can vary, and I truly appreciate the work the App Review team does. However, when there is no visibility into what’s happening, it can be difficult for developers to know whether everything is progressing normally or if there is an unexpected delay. It would be very helpful if Apple could provide more transparency during longer waiting periods, or publish a brief announcement when review queues are unusually busy. Even a simple status update would help developers better manage expectations and plan their releases. For many independent developers and small teams, every day of waiting can have a significant impact on launch plans, marketing schedules, and business operations. The uncertainty is often more stressful than the wait itself. I hope Apple can consider providing a little more communication around extended review queues. It would greatly improve the developer experience and reduce unnecessary anxiety. Has anyone else’s app been waiting for review longer than usual recently?

Hello, since July 31st, our app has been stuck in the waiting for review state for a long period of time. We have already taken some actions. July 31: first submission. August 10: after waiting for over a week, we assumed there was a problem with the review queue -> cancel and resubmit. We attempted to submit an expedited request, but there was an issue with Apple service. It keeps saying "Sorry, we didn't receive your request." August 13: request a call with the Support Team. There was a guy named Tony who answered. Unfortunately, even Apple's staff is unable to access their internal system, as he told us that, and "he don't know why"? August 14: request a call again. Apple staff - Andy took up the phone and said he could not do anything about this situation and said... We just have to wait. August 25: rejected the build, upgraded the version, and submitted once more. We're hoping that this build will get out of the stucked queue... Side notes: Attempted to submit another expedited request were unsuccessful, the problem remained, tried several times. Made an appointment for a App Review team. But even the registration is still pending. Does anyone here have suggestions or solutions for this situation? This is the first time we've encountered this situation, and it's quite strange. Isn't that a side effect of the August 8th maintenance?

My game was submitted for app review for few round, every time they rejected and i resolve the issue, but latest they reject as Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam and dont have response more than 1 week, I am confusing, early stage was Code of developer (showing what my game have with recording),later follow by some bug fix, then design copy-cat ( the game is totally written by me), but then i asked many round please pin point which part. End up they reject with "Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam" and i replied with full list of unique feature my game have and explaination on some feature where mostly every game have it such as stamina regen, ranking, gacha. Please help, my game was on google play for 1 week plus, some players of follower was asking for ios. google play link : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bubluestudio.beyondgod

Our new app needs an essential Background Assets asset pack (hosted by Apple) to work. The app is currently failing to get through App Review because the reviewer doesn't have access to the asset pack. We submitted the asset pack together with the application for review. The asset pack is already approved. However, the error the reviewer reported indicates that their device can't find or download the asset pack. Or to be precise, on macOS (Catalyst) the model information cannot be fetched—the model is not found. iOS seems to see the model and get the information, but the download fails or never proceeds past the first 0% progress. We already had the same issue with our TestFlight beta (see this post for details). In the end, App Review let it pass through without verification because it was a known issue. This will probably not work for the main app review. We even tried switching the download policy of the asset pack to essential (was preFetch before) in the hope that the reviewer will then automatically download the pack together with the app. But this still didn't work. We can't be the only ones having this problem, right? This is completely release-blocking for us, and we already have a close deadline...

We’ve been dealing with a review issue that has become extremely frustrating, and I’d like to understand whether this is something other developers have encountered before. We received a rejection and provided App Review with an explanation and additional information showing why we believed the rejection was not valid. After that, App Review replied: “Your submission’s review will require additional time as we take this new information into account. We do not require any further information at this time.” They also explicitly said that once they completed the review, they would either contact us with any issues or approve the submission. So we waited. Then we sent several follow-up messages because there was no response. Still nothing. Eventually, we contacted Developer Support to ask why we weren't getting any update. Their response was simply: “Your app was rejected as of July 27th.” That was very confusing, because according to the App Review message, our additional information was still being reviewed and we were waiting for their final response.So now we have two completely different messages from Apple: App Review telling us that the submission is still being reviewed, and Developer Support telling us that it was already rejected. We’ve tried to communicate through App Store Connect, followed up multiple times, and contacted Support, but still don't have a clear answer about what actually happened. Has anyone experienced a similar situation where App Review stopped responding after saying that additional information was under review? How did you resolve it? Did escalating through Developer Support help, or did you eventually have to resubmit the app? Would really appreciate hearing from other developers who have dealt with something similar.

Hi, my app NovaNews has been rejected again under Guideline 5.2.3 because of its Internet radio player. It does not download, record, convert, proxy or retransmit anything. It simply lists Internet radio stations and plays their public live streams directly from the user's device. After the first rejection, I even removed my curated list of Italian radio stations, thinking that was the problem. I left only a generic Community Radio directory. It was rejected again, and the screenshot provided by App Review simply shows that list with an ordinary station (PBS FM Melbourne) playing. So I am genuinely confused: are developers now expected to provide written authorization from every single radio station included in a radio directory? What makes this even harder to understand is that I can find apps currently on the App Store offering Internet radio players and even third-party media services such as YouTube. I don't want to name or criticize other developers. I am only trying to understand why apparently similar or broader functionality is accepted while a basic radio player is rejected under 5.2.3. I have appealed the decision, but I'd really like to hear from developers of radio apps: have you encountered the same issue recently? Thanks,

ENTITY_UNPROCESSABLE.BETA_CONTRACT_MISSING Is not allowing my app to review.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some clarification regarding Privacy Manifest requirements (PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy) after resolving a validation issue on my latest submission. In my previous build, I ran into an issue related to NSPrivacyTracking and NSPrivacyTrackingDomains. I updated the manifest to ensure NSPrivacyTracking is set to <true/> alongside our App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt, and restricted NSPrivacyTrackingDomains strictly to the required ad service endpoints (googleadservices.com, googlesyndication.com, doubleclick.net, etc.), removing any broad domains. I have just submitted the corrected build: • App Name: Girls vs Boys Tapping • Version: 1.1.2 • Build: 112 • Apple ID: 6809284204 • Status: Waiting for Review Since this is my first time submitting with the updated privacy manifest format after resolving that error, my question is: Once the build enters the review queue with these specific tracking domains and ATT configured, does App Review require any additional documentation in the review notes regarding the ad network tracking domains, or is the .xcprivacy file inside the bundle sufficient for automated validation and review? Just want to make sure everything is 100% in order so there are no unexpected hold-ups while it's in the queue. Thanks in advance for any insights!

Hi Apple Team and Developer Community, We are looking for guidance on how to best escalate / resolve an ongoing App Review issue. Our app has been going through multiple App Review cycles for nearly three months. Each time, we address the specific concern raised, provide clarification or documentation, and resubmit. However, after one issue appears to be addressed, a new or related issue is raised in the next round. This has resulted in a prolonged review cycle despite repeated responses and supporting documentation. The current issue relates to Guideline 3.2.1(viii) for an India financial-services app. We have provided detailed clarifications and supporting documents through App Review, including partner documentation, entity-structure documents, and explanations of the relevant user flows. We have also: submitted an appeal; requested expedited review; raised a Developer Support case; and requested an App Review appointment / call. The expedited review has been accepted, but we are still waiting for closure. The earliest available App Review appointment is much later, and the delay is causing material business impact. We are not looking to debate the guideline publicly or disclose confidential review materials here. We would appreciate guidance on the correct process to have the App Review team review all open issues together, or to arrange a call/escalation so that remaining concerns can be clarified in one discussion rather than through repeated review iterations. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

My app was removed and my account terminated without any notice. Apple indicated that I violated section 3.2(f) of the ADP, but I did not engage in any unlawful or misleading acts in my business practices. So I submitted an appeal to clarify the situation, but there has been no response. I also tried reaching out for help via general email, but still received no reply. Any advice on how to get a response from Apple? It seems my termination was automated, and no human has reviewed my appeal. I appreciate any help you can provide.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for guidance regarding an unusually long App Review delay. My first iOS app, EmpowerFI, has been in “Waiting for Review” for almost 30 days. In two days, it will reach a full month without moving to “In Review.” During this period, I have contacted Apple Developer Support several times. After my initial contact, Apple submitted an expedited review request as a one-time exception for my app. However, the status did not change. I contacted support again and received the following response: “We have confirmed that your app review is proceeding normally, and there is no further action you need to take.” I have followed up multiple times since then, explaining that I am not asking Apple to guarantee a review or approval date. I am simply trying to understand why this particular submission has remained in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month. Unfortunately, I continue to receive essentially the same standard response. There are no pending actions visible in App Store Connect, and Apple Support has explicitly confirmed that there is nothing further required from me. I fully understand that review times vary and that some apps may require additional scrutiny. However, almost 30 days without even moving from “Waiting for Review” to “In Review” seems exceptionally long, particularly after an expedited review request was submitted. I also know developers who submitted apps during this period and received a review response within approximately two days, so I am trying to understand whether there could be something specific affecting my submission. Has anyone recently experienced a similar delay with a first app submission? More importantly, is there any other appropriate escalation path when Developer Support confirms that everything is normal but the app remains in “Waiting for Review” for almost a month? I am not looking to bypass App Review or request guaranteed approval. I would simply like someone to investigate whether there is an issue affecting this submission or explain why it has remained in the queue for such an exceptional amount of time. Any guidance from Apple staff or developers who have experienced this recently would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,

Hi, I’m running into a persistent issue in App Store Connect related to TestFlight and app reviews, and I’m hoping someone has seen this before. Around two weeks ago, I started getting the following error when trying to create external TestFlight builds: ENTITY_UNPROCESSABLE.BETA_CONTRACT_MISSING Since then: I cannot create any external TestFlight tests Internal TestFlight builds appear, but cannot be downloaded (“The requested app is not available or doesn’t exist”) My apps do not progress properly through review One app got stuck in “In Review” for ~10 days; I eventually withdrew it and resubmitted it At this point, I cannot update two existing apps, and I can’t start testing a new app at all Important details: This is an individual developer account I am the Account Holder All contracts appear active and valid The issue affects multiple apps, not just one Nothing changed on my side (no contract updates, no account changes) before this started happening. I’ve already reached out to Apple Developer Support multiple times, but unfortunately haven’t received any response so far, which makes it unclear how to proceed. Has anyone experienced this issue or found a resolution? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!