5 Common Reasons for App Store Rejection

Clearly, Apple’s App Store has the strictest approval process, however, it’s one of the company’s biggest competitive advantages as well. 

It is therefore necessary to understand Apple’s app approval process, why apps are rejected, and put all your effort into building an app that adheres to App Store guidelines. In this article we are listing 5 reasons that can lead to app rejection-  

Long Load Times 

As per Apple's standards, apps that take more than 15 seconds to load from the beginning are rejection candidates because users aren't expected to wait longer than that time. Apple expects all of the app's data to be loaded into RAM, a connection to the back-end database, and have the home page ready for user interaction in about 15 seconds.  

To avoid abnormal long load times, design a simple and flexible app that loads basic features quickly. Apps that try to perform too many functions without a clear goal are generally disliked by Apple's testing team. 

Hardware and Software Compatibility 

We noticed that your app did not run or display as expected when viewed on [Apple’s latest devices] 

Guideline 2.4.1 – Performance – Hardware Compatibility 

As per Apple’s guidelines, you must build an app that is compatible with all the latest hardware and software systems and users can use it on any device. Your app should not drain battery rapidly, generate extra heat or put unnecessary strain on devices.  

On the software side, you should ensure that your app runs on public APIs only. Also, you need to keep your app up-to-date by phasing out any redundant features, framework or technologies that will no longer be compatible with future versions of OS. 

You Have No Privacy Policy  

The App Store gives utmost importance to the privacy practices employed by apps in order to safeguard users’ privacy. Any app that doesn’t prevent privacy incidents or tries to misuse confidential user data is most likely to face rejection from the App Store. 

Therefore, be transparent and do not use or share private data without explicitly informing the user. Furthermore, when requesting permission to access user data, you should clearly and completely describe how your app will use the data.  

Inaccurate Metadata  

Metadata is the information users view on your App Store page before installing it. It includes app description, screenshots, age ratings, payment options, and privacy information.  

Providing incomplete metadata misleads users, which breaks their trust in your app. Therefore, your app should not give users the impression of being something it is not and must perform as advertised or the Apple Store can disapprove it. 

The key here is to bring transparency into your metadata. For instance, if your app has in-app purchases, you must state it clearly. Furthermore, make sure that your app is rated for the right age group, so that it can be filtered appropriately through the App Store’s parental controls.  

Bugs and Crashes Occur During the Review Process  

The most common reason to fail in order to get App Store’s approval is- your app has significant bugs or it crashes during review. In order to prevent this from happening, you must be aware of the rigorousness of Apple’s review process which makes your app undergo a series of stress and performance tests. Therefore, you must subject your app to the same level of tests before submission.  

For this you can use Apple’s TestFlight or other third-party services to perform beta testing on your app beforehand. Also, it would be prudent to run your app on every Apple device to catch any UI or layout glitches early on.  

To avoid app rejections, it is important to know why they take place in the first place. As long as your app is delivering high quality experience, rejection is very less likely to happen. If you want to know more about how to create a better app experience checkout our article on common development mistakes you should avoid. 

Click to know more about our mobile app development services or visit us here.