Hi there,
I need your help with a specific issue we're facing. We recently submitted our app, but it was rejected for violating Apple's Guideline 4.3 (Spam Design).
Our situation is unique: our principal company ceased operations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the previous app is no longer functional. The Apple Developer account and web services associated with it are also inactive. We're trying to rebuild using the legacy source code from the previous company.
We don't have access to the old app or the Apple Developer Account, but we do have the source code, which is built using Xamarin. Our Android app, which uses the same codebase, is already live, and we're attempting to upload the iOS version.
The support team has asked us to change the app concept, but this isn't feasible due to the app's purpose: it's designed for monitoring and reporting within our hotel management system and isn't open to the public. Changing the app would require significant alterations to our business flow, re-educating our customers, and impacting our Android app, which shares the same codebase.
Could someone experienced with Guideline 4.3(a) assist us with this issue? Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
App Review
RSS for tagApp review is the process of evaluating apps and app updates submitted to the App Store to ensure they are reliable, perform as expected, and follow Apple guidelines.
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The app or its metadata appears to contain potentially misleading content. Specifically, the app includes content that resembles AlphaCargo without the necessary authorizatin.
Hello there,
We have created fresh new app for Password auto fill and passkey handling with unique UI and then when we submitted out app apple rejected app for the reason App Review Guideline 4.3(a) so please guide us how we can resolve still we have created as new app and code was also created by us!
Thank you,
LOGICLINE Infotech.
I am Pakaytip,Here is the detail infomation about my issue:
The first time I registered a developer account for my organization, I used my gmail email address. When I submitted the app for review for the first time, the review team replied to me that because our app provides loan services, the developer account must use an email address in the same domain as the company. So I followed the guidance of the developer rules and transferred the holder of our developer account from my previous gmail to the current email address with the same domain as the company in Membership: ******@thiensuratleasing.com
Now the name of our organization is: THIENSURAT LEASING COMPANY LIMITED
Account Holder: ******@thiensuratleasing.com
But when I resubmitted for review, I still received a rejection for issue 3.2.1, as follows:
__****Hello,
Thank you for your response.
However, in terms of 3.2.1, we continued to find that the verified email domains for the "Contract Admin" only end with gmail.com and do not match domains for the submitting company or partnered financial institution.
Should you require additional assistance, you can use the contact us page to request help with setting up or distributing your app through App Store Connect.
We look forward to reviewing your resubmission.
Best regards,
App Review**
**__
So, I want to know how to update the email address here in "Contract Admin"?
Hi everyone,
Our app helps users block adult websites to promote focus and digital wellness. During the App Store review, it was flagged under Guideline 2.5.1 for using a VPN profile to block content, with Apple advising us to remove this feature.
Since blocking adult content is core to our app, we’re looking for compliant alternatives:
Can Network Extensions Framework (e.g., NEDNSProxyProvider) be used for on-device filtering?
Would pre-configured safe DNS (e.g., CleanBrowsing) be acceptable?
Are there compliant examples of similar apps?
Any advice on achieving this functionality within Apple’s guidelines would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Hi,
I was notified about quarantine files but I don't know why?
ITMS-91109: Invalid package contents - The package contains one or more files with the com.apple.quarantine extended file attribute
The mentioned file is to project logo as PNG image. The PNG file is located here:
MyApp.app/Contents/Resources
My app was denied because the 6.7" screenshots are outdated. But I can't find the 6.7" screenshots to update them. So I am stuck I can't update my app.
App ID: 6470781599
After receiving the mail below, my developer account was canceled and my app was taken down. I contacted Apple and they said they are reviewing it and haven't gotten back to me in 3 weeks. I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same situation and if anyone knows how much longer I should wait?
Since it's a company app, I'm getting a lot of resentment from existing app users. Should I upload a new app?
As previously advised, App Store Review Guidelines 5.6.4 (App Quality) states, "[Customers expect the best quality in the App Store, and maintaining high-quality content, service, and experience increases customer confidence. Signs that this expectation is not being met include excessive customer reporting and excessive refund requests for concerns about apps such as negative customer reviews. The inability to maintain high quality can be a factor in determining whether developers comply with the developer code of conduct," it states.
You have not done enough to tailor your Apple Developer Program account to the Developer Code of Product. Therefore, Apple is exercising its right to terminate your status as an Apple developer under the DPLA.
As an Apple developer, I would like to remind you of your obligations under DPLA regarding all software and other confidential information obtained from Apple. You must immediately cease and desist from any use of these materials and comply with all other termination obligations set forth in Section 11.3 of DPLA and Section 10 of ADA.
If applicable, no additional payment will be made in accordance with Section 7.1 of the Paid Application Agreement (DPLA Schedule 2 and 3).
This letter is not a complete description of the facts in this matter, and nothing in this letter should be construed as waiving any rights or remedies Apple may have. All such rights or remedies are hereby protected.
We have an app that’s been in the store for a year, and the latest version was rejected for
Guideline 5.6 - Developer Code of Conduct. The app attempts to manipulate customers into making unwanted in-app purchases. Specifically, the app shows a one time offer for subscription when the user closes the initial subscription page launched upon opening the app.
Essentially we have a soft paywall at the end of onboarding, and if the user closes that paywall we pop a second paywall with a one-time offer with an introductory offer (2 months for $1, “Once you close your one-time offer, it’s gone!”). We’ve had this in the last few versions of the app, but not been flagged for it.
The strategy of having a one time offer after end of the onboarding paywall is not uncommon, and we are copying the approach used by many other apps in the app store. Limited time offers are a staple of marketing across all types of B2C stores.
Does anyone have any experience with this type of rejection? Should we stick to our approach and escalate to a phone call? Change the one-time offer to a “limited time offer” (e.g. reduced price for 12 hours) so there is less pressure to decide right then? It’s a strange rejection because it doesn’t seem like we are doing anythign unusual. An onboarding soft-paywall followed by a one time offer is less of a push than a hard paywall (which is approvable), and offers some people an appealing way to test the app before committing to pay for a subscription (which doesn’t offer free trials).
However, we don’t want to get flagged as a bad actor by the App Store reviewers.
We are trying to publish an app using React. We are getting the above refusal code but it's not enough to go off of to fix the issue. As far as I can tell, that method name isn't in use? Can I get some help please?
This question came up, a customer wants to add payment, with gesture, to their app. This gesture is a swipe, from bottom to top (like when minimizing applications). The question immediately arose, will the application pass the review with such UI/UX ? Will there be any problems ? I'm not talking about problems when the user can minimize the application when paying, or pay (accidentally) when minimizing. I want to know if there will be any problems from Apple's rules when releasing the app ? I haven't found the exact information yet
Thank you for your feedback on our app submission. We noticed that our latest version (1.1.7) was rejected for 4.3.0 Design: Spam. However, the previous version (1.1.6), with similar features and design, was successfully approved.
We can confirm that our app is unique, offering distinct functionality and user experience. It is developed using the React Native framework, with a carefully crafted interface and interactions to provide a high-quality user experience.
Due to issues with in-app purchases and several bugs in version 1.1.6 affecting user experience, we urgently need to release this update (1.1.7) to resolve these issues and ensure a stable, secure app for our users. We hope to fully resolve this matter to avoid inadvertently encountering this guideline in future releases.
We kindly request that the review team re-evaluate the uniqueness and design of our app and assist us in expediting the review process so that we can push this update to our users. If you need further clarification or additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Best regards,
[Your Name or Team Name]
Hi devs community,
I've run into an interesting situation with App Review that I'd like to get the community's perspective on.
My Safari extension "Protego for Reddit" (a content filter for Reddit) was rejected under Guidelines 2.3.7 for using "Reddit" in the name/subtitle, citing potential customer confusion.
What's puzzling is there are many established apps using the same naming pattern for the app name and subtitle, all currently on the App Store:
Narwhal 2 for Reddit - "Highly customizable Reddit app"
Sink It for Reddit - "Upgrade Your Reddit Experience"
Reno for Reddit - "instagram styled Reddit app"
Dystopia for Reddit - "A Better Way to Reddit"
MultiTab for Reddit - "Best viewer for image/video"
Nano for Reddit - "The wrist-based Reddit client"
Focus for Reddit - "A unofficial app for Reddit"
Monocle for Reddit - "A comprehensive Reddit client"
Redirect for Reddit - "Redirects to old.Reddit.com!"
Alerts for Reddit - "News"
rex for Reddit - "Lurk with ease!"
Comet for Reddit - "Fast, Robust, and Beautiful"
Redista client for Reddit - "Entertainment"
Readder for Reddit - "Entertainment"
lurkur for Reddit - "a new way to browse"
Pics HD for Reddit - "Entertainment"
Apollo for Reddit - "Closed. Goodbye and thank you!"
and more
I submitted a reply to the app review rejection and they told me that if I disagree with the outcome of their review that I need to file appeal to the App Review Board.
I've already submitted an appeal pointing out these precedents and explaining that the name accurately describes the app's functionality without implying any official association. While I wait for the response, I'm curious about a few things:
For those who maintain apps with "for [Platform]" in the name:
Do you face this rejection with every update?
Did you only have to appeal once, after which subsequent updates were approved?
Was there any special process to get your app "whitelisted" for this naming convention?
Has anyone noticed if this is a recent change in enforcement? The number of existing apps with similar names suggests this wasn't always strictly enforced.
For those who successfully appealed similar rejections:
How long did the appeal process take?
Did you need to escalate beyond the initial appeal?
My concern is whether I'll need to go through this rejection/appeal cycle with every update, which would significantly impact our ability to push out timely fixes and improvements. I've had to delay two updates due to this issue.
Context:
App description: Safari extension for filtering Reddit content on Mac
Current name: "Protego for Reddit"
Subtitle: "Filter your Reddit Feed"
Version: 1.3
Status: Awaiting appeal response
Many of these established apps even use "Reddit" in their subtitles, which makes the rejection of my subtitle "Filter your Reddit Feed" particularly confusing.
Thanks in advance for any guidance or shared experiences!
Hello Apple Developer Community,
I hope this message finds you well. My app submission was recently rejected under Guideline 4.3(a) due to the App Review Team's determination that my app shares similarities in binary, metadata, and concept with apps submitted by other developers, with only minor differences.
The feedback I received stated:
"We still found that your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences. Since we do not accept spam apps on the App Store, we encourage you to review your app concept and submit a unique app with distinct content and functionality."
I have already made significant efforts to differentiate my app by implementing unique features and functionality tailored to my audience. However, I’d like to better understand:
What specific aspects of my app might be contributing to the similarity concerns?
How can I further highlight the unique features and functionality of my app to meet Apple's expectations?
Are there any tools or resources to validate that my app concept is distinct enough from others?
If anyone has faced a similar rejection or has advice on how to navigate this, I would greatly appreciate your guidance. Additionally, I am hopeful that the Apple App Review Team might consider contacting me by phone to discuss my app in detail, as I believe a direct conversation could help clarify any misunderstandings and expedite the resolution process.
Thank you for your time and support!
Best regards,
Bryan
Can multiple apps with different bundle IDs under the same development team be sold on the AppStore using the same App icon?
My company has multiple apps, and we expect to be able to use the same company logo as the App icon on multiple apps to facilitate the management of the company's apps.
Hi, this is my app:
https://macsyzones.com
Here, a video that demonstrates my app:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNx3ZUD8Rw
It's a very cute window management app with unique features. It needs Accessibility Permission but App Store requires App Sandbox enabled which makes to request Accessibility Permission impossible.
How can I submit my app without App Sandbox enabled to Apple?
Apple can review the code and build it themselves? There are apps that uses Accessibility Permissions on App Store as I can see. Hope you help to have my app on App Store, it will be very good. 😇
I hope you'll give my app a place on App Store. 🥳
Thank you.
We are a team of beginner developers, and we recently published our game (made in Unity) on the App Store for both macOS and iOS. It was live for about 15 days until three days ago, when we received a notice from Apple that our account had been flagged for removal.
The email mentioned that our game violates section 3.2(f) of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement.
We've been trying to identify the issue since then, but we're not involved in any fraudulent activities.
Any guidance on how to resolve this would be a huge help. Thanks.
Hello,
My app was rejected because of App Review Guideline 4.3(a). The guideline says: "Don’t create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app. If your app has different versions for specific locations, sports teams, universities, etc., consider submitting a single app and provide the variations using in-app purchase."
The original answer is: "We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences. Submitting similar or repackaged apps is a form of spam that creates clutter and makes it difficult for users to discover new apps."
I am very confused. I just bought a Mac and iPhone
So I don't have other apps in the Apple App Store. I created my app all by myself and did not repacked another apps or similar procedure. I have only one bundle id.
There is one app with a similar concept in the store which unfortunately has the name "weapon mods for gmod". So I renamed my app for iOS to " map addons for gmod to addons for gmod". The difference is that this app give mods regarding Garry's game and redirect user to the steam community and my app has provided different category of mods rather than others and my app has functionality for that user have not to redirect any website From my understanding my app is relatively unique in concept.
Anyway I don't understand why my app is rejected. The uploaded version does not contain In-App-Purchase, Achievement, Leaderboard and Sharing like the Android version does because it is still work in progress. I admit the uploaded screenshots are polished and final.
I don't know how "shares similar binaries, metadata" with other apps can be fixed if this is the case. It is because I used Unity like most developers and this results in similar filename?
Anyone can help?
Kind regards,
Jay limbani
Forgive me for using this forum I need a quick reply and resolution. Apple says on the iPad Air, ios18.1 the "enter as guest" button doesn't work. But it works for me. Can you tell me if you have the same issue or not? Heres the TestFlight URL: https://testflight.apple.com/join/E97ZXM9T
Apples message:
Guideline 2.1 - Performance - App Completeness
Issue Description
The app exhibited one or more bugs that would negatively impact App Store users.
Bug description: We were unable to login or enter as guest. The "sign in" and "enter as guest" buttons were unresponsive when tapped on.
Review device details:
Device type: iPad Air (5th generation)
OS version: iPadOS 18.1
Hello, developers!
I recently submitted my app for review, but it was rejected under Guideline 3.1.2 related to auto-renewable subscriptions. According to the review team, my app is missing some required information:
The title of the auto-renewing subscription
The length of the subscription
The price of the subscription
Functional links to the privacy policy and Terms of Use (EULA)
I’ve checked my app and believe I have included these details, but it seems there might be something I am overlooking.
I will attach a screenshot of my app's subscription screen to provide more context.
Has anyone experienced a similar issue or can provide guidance on ensuring compliance with this guideline? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
I might be interpreting their feedback incorrectly since I'm not a native speaker and the feedback comes from another country.