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.

I have 3 apps that have been waiting for review for weeks now. Im not sure how to escalate or get someone to review them. It's pushing back my go live dates. Is been a pretty frustrating experience.

Our app Mithaq (App ID 6779142005) has been live on the App Store since June 2026. Every version was reviewed and approved by App Review, the most recent being 1.3.2, approved on 22 July 2026. It is live today and serves 288 active accounts, 201 of them on iOS. Since early August, every update we have submitted has been rejected under Guideline 4.3(b), including one that contained only bug fixes, with no new features, no new business model, and no change to the app's purpose or design. We appealed. The App Review Board upheld the rejection, explaining that Apple does not accept "new apps" in saturated categories. Our difficulty is that Mithaq is not a new app. It is not asking to enter the category. It is already in it, with Apple's repeated approval. We replied in App Store Connect asking for clarification and have not yet had a response. The question we cannot answer is this: does Guideline 4.3(b) prevent an app that is already approved and live from shipping updates? If it does, our existing iOS users remain permanently on a version we cannot maintain, including a photo upload defect that leaves some of their profiles incomplete. Any guidance from App Review, or from developers who have faced 4.3(b) on an update rather than a first submission, would be very welcome.

I am developing an application exclusively for devices that support Metal 4. Is it possible to publish this app on the App Store and restrict its availability solely to compatible hardware? The iphone-performance-gaming-tier key is not an option, as we need to maintain support for older devices.

I recently had my Apple Developer Account removed from the App Store. I have spent 3 months trying to reach someone at Apple who can clarify the issue and help reinstate our developer status. No one has responded to us, explained the situation, or reviewed the case. I was able to get in contact with an old Apple App Store executive. After hearing the story, he agreed the situation seemed wrong. However, he no longer has connections at Apple, so he wasn’t able to help us. The app had millions of users and 50,000+ five-star reviews. Resolving this would allow us to restore the app and continue launching new products. Right now I’d appreciate anyone’s thoughts or guidance on this situation. Thanks!

Radio Dad (App ID 6798412909, version 1.0) is an internet radio player: it reads the radio-browser.info directory and plays each station from the broadcaster's own public stream URL, on the listener's device, with nothing hosted or re-streamed by us. It also plays podcasts from their public RSS feeds via Podcast Index. It was rejected under 5.2.3 (Legal: Intellectual Property, Audio/Video Downloading) on 26 August and again on 21 September, each time with the request to "attach documentary evidence evidencing that you have all necessary rights or permissions to the third-party audio or video streaming, catalogs, and discovery services." We have attached, in the App Review Information section, a signed statement with exhibits: the directory's public-domain dedication and API terms permitting commercial use; Podcast Index's published terms; a survey of 2,000 stream addresses showing the broadcasters' own servers serve the streams unauthenticated (97.4%) and identify themselves in the transmission (84% name the station, 60% their own website, 44% set icy-pub: 1); the directory's owner mechanism, under which only the stream owner can change or delete a listing; and our own takedown path, actioned typically within 48 hours. The app cannot save, convert or download a radio stream, and accesses none of the services the guideline names. The reply to the second submission was "The issues we previously identified still need your attention", without saying what form of evidence would resolve them. For publicly broadcast streams there is no rights holder to obtain a licence from beyond the broadcaster, who publishes the stream for public reception. Submission ID 448bc0d6-d797-444b-934f-9f0d7c1a5a28. We have asked for an App Review Appointment in the Resolution Center. If App Review can say what document would satisfy 5.2.3 for this kind of app, we will provide it.

Hello Apple Developer Community, We would really appreciate some help with the status of our developer account appeal. App name: Soul Dating and family Case ID: 20000149096871 We submitted an appeal to the App Review Board more than a month ago and have contacted Developer Support several times since then to check the status. The last update we received was on September 10. Since then, we have not received any new information or decision. We completely understand that these reviews can take time, and we do not want to submit duplicate appeals or interfere with the process. We simply want to make sure that our appeal is still under review and that no additional information or action is required from our side. If someone from the App Review team could please check the status of our case, we would be very grateful. We are ready to provide any additional information if needed. Thank you very much for your time and help.

Our app was waiting for review for about a month. I then canceled the submission and resubmitted it, hoping this would place it back in the review queue. It has now been more than two weeks since we resubmitted it, and the status is still showing as “Waiting for review.” In total, we have been waiting for more than six weeks without the review starting. Is this normal? Is there anything we should do to follow up or check whether there is an issue with our submission?

Many years ago—back in the Windows 3.0 era and inspired by Michael Jackson’s then-popular "Black or White" music video—I wrote a harmless app that smoothly morphed one face into another. Now, in retirement, I ported the app to various platforms (including iOS) to stave off boredom and supplement my rather meager pension. Everything was going fine; the app received occasional updates without any issues. But yesterday, during a routine update, I received a shocking and terrible message from the App Store team. They claimed that the app or its metadata included content some users might find upsetting, offensive, or otherwise objectionable—meaning the app violated Section 1.1 of the App Review Guidelines. That section lists things I find absolutely horrifying, such as realistic depictions of people or animals being killed, sexual or pornographic material, and the like. In their verdict, the App Store team didn't bother to specify exactly what content was in violation or which specific rule it broke. This situation has left me depressed, wondering if I actually made a mistake and have been offending people with my app for over 30 years. Could anyone advise me on what to do? Apologies for the long-winded post, but this is a truly difficult situation for me. PS: Here is the link to the previous version of the app published on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/face-video-morph-animator-hd/id1551050080

Hi everyone, I'm posting here because I honestly don't know where else to get answers anymore. I've been trying to release my first app for about 2–3 months now, and the review process has been, frankly, a disaster for us. As a first-time publisher I've genuinely tried to do everything by the book — I've read the guidelines carefully, prepared reviewer notes, a demo account, sign-in instructions, everything that's recommended. But here's the pattern I keep running into: Every submission sits in "Waiting for Review" for around two weeks — currently even longer. I know the official expectation is that most apps are reviewed much faster, but that has never once been our experience. When the review finally happens, it stops at the first issue found. Instead of reviewing the whole app once and giving me a complete list of everything that needs fixing, I get exactly one rejection point, I fix it, resubmit — and then wait another two weeks just to learn about the next issue. If I got all findings in one pass, I could address everything in a single build. This one-issue-per-cycle loop is what turns a fixable week of work into months. Right now I've been waiting 2.5 weeks for a metadata-only change (updated store screenshots). No binary change at all. I've contacted App Review support to ask for a status update and have received no response. For context: the same app has been live on Google Play for several weeks and is doing well there. We're not trying to sneak anything past review — we want to comply. We just need to actually be told what to fix, ideally all at once, and to not lose two-plus weeks per iteration. So my questions: Is there any way to get a complete list of issues in one review pass instead of one rejection per cycle? Is a 2+ week "Waiting for Review" time normal right now, or is there something about our account/app that could be causing this? Is there any effective way to get a status update when support doesn't reply? (Expedited review requests haven't helped either.) I understand App Review has to handle enormous volume, and I'm not looking to bash anyone — but as a small developer, this process has been demoralizing. Any advice from people who've been through this, or any pointers from Apple folks who read here, would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

Hello, Our first submission was previously reviewed and we received feedback under Guideline 2.1 because the reviewer was unable to access the app due to a forced update issue. We fixed the issue completely, uploaded a new build, and resubmitted on Friday. The submission has now been in Waiting for Review for approximately 4–5 days with no further messages or requests. Could someone please confirm that the submission is correctly queued and that nothing else is required from our side? App: KIBAKI: Persian Community Submission ID: d1f921a3-9001-4ef2-a392-657860c437cd Current status: Waiting for Review Thank you.

Our Apple Developer Program membership for Avorp LLC was recently terminated under Section 3.2(f), citing “documented indications of fraudulent conduct associated with” my account. I am trying to understand the basis for this decision. Avorp LLC is a legitimate and independently operated U.S. software company. Its enrollment information was verified by Apple, and the account currently has no published apps on the App Store. I have not engaged in fraudulent reviews, payment fraud, account circumvention, or any other dishonest activity through this developer account. Like I said we don't even have a published application yet. I also work professionally as a freelance software developer and have previously worked on unrelated client projects involving Apple development resources. If an association with a former client account, project, device, or development environment contributed to this termination, I would like to clarify that such client work is entirely separate from Avorp LLC and does not imply ownership of or responsibility for the client's account or activities. The termination notice does not identify the specific activity, account, transaction, application, or association that Apple considers fraudulent. I have already submitted a reinstatement request. I am posting here to ask whether an Apple representative can clarify the appropriate escalation path for a manual review of the account associations involved in a Section 3.2(f) termination. I am fully prepared to provide company records, contracts, client-work documentation, or development records if needed to verify that Avorp LLC is independent and legitimate.

I am trying to add testers to External Tester groups for a couple of our iOS apps and after adding them it shows "No Builds Available". This is despite the app being available to that External Tester group with other people having already installed the latest version of the app which is "Available" and not expired. Can someone please fix this? It is so frustrating the number of times I try and release apps to TestFlight and there's some issue blocking me, completely out of my control and I have to rely on someone at Apple fixing something on this terrible AppStoreConnect system.

Hi, My app was submitted for review on Sept 4th. It was finally picked up for review 2 weeks later but was rejected as the reviewer said he couldn't find my iap purchase sheet. Several clarifying messages and a developer support case are now just sitting there unanswered. Does anyone have any idea what's going on, or what I can do to get this moving? Should I pull the release completely and start a new one? Thanks

Hello, We are raising a concern about the prolonged App Review process for our app: App name: Bling: Cute Calorie Tracker Apple App ID: 6789046574 Apple Developer Support Case ID: 20000141543427 Review Submission ID: 8e470b29-dde2-4c7e-abb5-5e54001763d6 Latest reviewed version: 1.0 (41) We have been trying to release our first version since July, with six rejection reviews across multiple builds and approximately 11 days of waiting per review cycle. We already attended an App Review appointment on September 10 specifically to resolve this situation. During that appointment, we discussed the review concerns directly with an Apple representative. Our understanding from the conversation was that the issues discussed had been resolved. We were also told that reviewing functionality unrelated to the paywall would be much faster. We relied on that guidance when moving forward with our next submission. Instead, we waited approximately another 11 days and received a new rejection concerning App Store screenshots. This makes the appointment particularly frustrating. We took the additional step of speaking directly with App Review, yet the next cycle brought the same long wait and further issues. We left the appointment expecting a clearer path forward, but the subsequent experience did not reflect that understanding. Here is the review history: July 30 — Build 24: Paywall dismissal flow. August 10 — Build 27: Paywall flow and subscription trial disclosures. August 19 — Build 34: The same concerns raised again. August 31 — Build 35: Returning users to onboarding after dismissing the trial. September 10 — Build 36: Camera permission prompt wording. September 10: App Review appointment to discuss the concerns and next steps. September 22 — Build 41: App Store screenshots. Our complaint concerns the overall feedback process. Issues have been raised across successive reviews, each requiring another lengthy wait. Why were the permission wording and screenshot concerns only identified in later rounds? Could they have been communicated alongside the earlier feedback so we could address them together? Developers are responsible for making their apps compliant. Apple also has a responsibility to provide clear, timely, and coordinated feedback. After roughly two months of revisions and waiting, including support correspondence and a direct appointment, we still lack a complete understanding of what remains outstanding. We would appreciate answers to the following: How is guidance given during an App Review appointment documented and communicated to the team reviewing the next submission? Why did the next review still take approximately 11 days after we were told that reviewing non-paywall functionality would be much faster? Can someone follow this case through to resolution and reconcile the appointment guidance with the subsequent review? Can the current build and metadata receive a comprehensive review, with consolidated feedback on all currently identifiable issues? We have already contacted Developer Support and attended an App Review appointment. What is the next escalation route when those steps do not lead to clearer expectations or meaningful progress? We are willing to make the necessary changes. But repeated 11-day cycles with fragmented feedback have delayed our initial launch for roughly two months. We need a coordinated review and an actionable path to completion. Thank you.

Hello, I have a general question about App Store eligibility for financial applications. Would an iOS Open Banking app developed by an independent technology company be eligible for the App Store if it: aggregates accounts from multiple participating banks; uses only official Open Banking APIs; requires users to authenticate directly with their bank and provide consent; does not store bank passwords or hold customer funds; does not use private APIs or screen scraping; has formal authorization or partnership agreements with the participating banks? The app would essentially provide a unified interface for accounts, balances and transactions, while the actual banking services remain provided by the respective banks. Additionally, would the App Store requirements be different if one of the participating banks were subject to international sanctions or other restrictions, despite providing an official API and authorizing the third-party application? I am asking generally to understand Apple's requirements for this type of application. Thank you.

I have a problem to solve. Wondering if anyone can help me? My app (auto-mobile Apple ID: 6802762195) uses a standard encryption algorithm, instead of using or accessing the encryption within Apple's operating system. So Apple requires you to fill out and submit App Encryption Documentation on appstoreconnect. Well I did that on Sept 5th 2026 and it is now Sept 21 2026 and Apple says “still in review.” So I contacted Apple Support on Sept 12. Asked why "still in review" on Sept 12. Their first reply is on Sept 15: “Your inquiry will be forwarded to Apple’s Export Compliance Department team for review and response.” A week passes and I hear nothing. So I email support again (Sept 18) and their second reply (Sept 21) is: “We currently do not have the right tools to share you the exact information you are looking for. if the status shows "In-review" for you that means "Your binary is currently being reviewed by Apple. If you want to remove your binary from the App Review queue, click Reject Binary". But if I remove the submitted App Encryption Documentation (“binary”) the app will be rejected. So I am kinda confused by Apple’s answers and advice so far. Anyone else have this issue? How did you resolve it? Why is Apple telling me "they don't have the right tools" to investigate the App Encryption Documentation on their own AppStoreConnect? Any input would be amazing... Because I've tried Apple and get no answer... or an answer that would make my app ineligible. Thanks in advance community!

Hello App Review team, PerseusTV+ version 2.0.0 (build 23), App ID 6751275926, has been Waiting for Review since September 17, 2026 at 8:46 PM (GMT+7). As of September 21, review has not started. Previous updates were usually reviewed much faster. We requested expedited review on September 20, contacted Developer Support, and sent a follow-up. We have not received a request for additional information. Android V2 went live on Google Play last week, but iOS users are still waiting for this update, delaying our cross-platform rollout. Could you please check that the submission is correctly queued, advise whether anything is needed from us, and update us on the expedited request? Have other developers experienced similar delays with updates recently? Thank you for your help.

Hello, I'm hoping someone from the App Review team can take a look at our submission. App name: Happyy UAE Latest submission date: 10 September 2026 Current status: Waiting for Review We have been trying to publish this app for more than two months. We addressed the feedback from previous reviews before resubmitting, but the latest submission has now been waiting for 11 days with no feedback, questions, or status change. This delay is holding up our launch. Could someone please check whether the submission is stuck, or let us know if anything else is needed from our side? Thank you for your help.

Hello everyone, This is my first ever game submission to the App Store, so I’m honestly very excited to finally be at this stage. I’ve spent a lot of time working on the game, and seeing it reach the review process for the first time is a really exciting moment for me. The app has now been in “Waiting for Review” for around 5 days. I completely understand that the review process takes time and that Apple’s review team has many submissions to handle. At the same time, since this is my first game and I’m really looking forward to launching it, I’m starting to get a little concerned about the waiting time. I wanted to kindly ask if there is anything I can do from my side to help move the review forward, or if there is any possibility of requesting an expedited review in this situation. I absolutely understand that the normal review process needs to be followed, and I’m not expecting any special treatment. I would just be very grateful if there is anything I can do, or if someone could let me know whether a faster review might be possible. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and thank you to everyone who can share their experience or advice. It’s my first game, so I’m both excited and a little nervous about seeing it finally go live. :)

Could someone from the App Review team please check whether this submission is currently blocked internally or requires any further action from our side? I’ve been dealing with App Review for almost a month now. We’ve already made multiple changes based on the review feedback, submitted new builds, followed up, and tried to clarify everything they raised. Now it’s been several more days with no update at all. At this point, I’m genuinely frustrated and pretty discouraged. This isn’t a small update for us either. We potentially have hundreds of thousands of users waiting for this release, and every additional day matters. What I really don’t understand is how larger apps — especially games that ship frequent updates — seem to manage the review process without getting stuck for weeks like this.