App Store Review Checklists

Contents

• Current Release Requirements
• Entitlements and Usage Descriptions
• Phased Release Schedule
• App Review Information Checklist
• Privacy Manifest Checklist
• In-App Purchase Checklist
• Metadata Compliance Checklist
• HIG Compliance Checklist
• Pre-Submission Checklist

Current Release Requirements

Treat this table as a dated release snapshot, not a durable policy source. Re-check the linked current Apple requirements at the start of every audit and record the checked date beside each blocker.

Sources: Upcoming requirements and Screenshot specifications.

Entitlements and Usage Descriptions

Every entitlement must be justified by an active feature and its release evidence:

Use valid property-list entries with specific user-facing purposes:

<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>Your location is used to show nearby restaurants on the map.</string>
<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>The camera is used to scan barcodes for price comparison.</string>

Vague strings such as “This app needs your location” do not explain the feature or why the data is needed.

Phased Release Schedule

After approval, an automatic phased release uses this seven-day schedule:

Users who manually request the update receive it immediately. App Store Connect can pause, resume, or complete the rollout.

App Review Information Checklist

Use this to avoid Guideline 2.1 rejections:

• Demo credentials provided in App Review Information notes (if login required)
• Demo mode available if credentials are impractical or account state is hard to reproduce
• Demo account works and has access to all features
• App Review notes explain login-gated, role-gated, region-gated, hardware-gated, or otherwise non-obvious features
• All screens have real content (no placeholders or Lorem Ipsum)
• No broken links or dead-end flows
• All hardware-required features have fallback or reviewer instructions

Privacy Manifest Checklist

Verify PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy completeness:

• PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy exists where app code, SDK code, executables, or dynamic libraries need it
• All required-reason API categories in app and bundled SDK code are declared with approved reason codes
• NSPrivacyTracking is true only if tracking occurs
• Third-party SDK manifests present and up to date when SDKs collect data, use required-reason APIs, enable data collection, or contact tracking domains
• Privacy nutrition labels match actual data collection
• Audit runtime network traffic and SDK transmissions; observed behavior must match privacy labels, manifests, privacy policy, and ATT state

In-App Purchase Checklist

• Digital goods and subscriptions use StoreKit IAP unless current storefront rules or approved entitlements allow otherwise
• Subscription price, duration, billing frequency, auto-renewal terms, and any trial duration/post-trial price shown before purchase
• Restore purchases button present and functional
• No external purchase path, link, button, or call to action for digital goods unless current rules or approved entitlements allow it
• Ask-to-buy and interrupted purchases handled
• Transaction verification uses StoreKit 2 or server-side verification

Metadata Compliance Checklist

Keep this checklist about App Review compliance. Route keyword research, ranking, conversion optimization, screenshot ordering, and A/B testing to app-store-optimization.

App Name and Subtitle

• Name and subtitle meet the limits in Current Release Requirements
• Name is unique and not only a generic category term
• Name and subtitle omit prices, competitor names, and trademarks you do not own

Screenshots

• 1-10 screenshots are uploaded for each required platform and localization
• iPhone and iPad sets match Current Release Requirements
• Screenshots show localized, actual app UI and no unavailable features
• Overlays and marketing frames do not obscure or misrepresent the interface

Keywords

• Keyword field meets the limit and delimiter format in Current Release Requirements
• Terms do not duplicate the app name or subtitle
• Terms use either singular or plural, not both
• Terms omit competitors, trademarks, and irrelevant words

App Previews

• Up to three previews per localization, each no longer than 30 seconds
• Footage shows the actual app; framing and effects do not misrepresent it
• Optional audio or narration complies with rights and metadata claims
• The first frame works as the product-page poster frame

HIG Compliance Checklist

Navigation

• NavigationStack used (not NavigationView)
• System back chevron used; no custom back icons
• Tab bar uses <= 5 tabs; use More tab if needed
• Avoid hamburger menus

Modals and Sheets

• Sheets have a visible dismiss control
• Full-screen modals have close/done button
• Alerts use system alert styles

System Feature Support

• Dark Mode renders correctly
• Dynamic Type supported throughout
• iPad multitasking supported (Slide Over, Split View)
• Dynamic Island / Live Activities render correctly when used
• System gestures not disabled

Widgets and Live Activities

• Widgets show real content (not placeholders)
• Timelines update meaningfully
• Live Activities show time-sensitive info
• Lock Screen widgets are legible at small sizes

Pre-Submission Checklist

Completeness

• No placeholder or test content
• All features functional without special hardware
• Demo credentials or demo mode provided, with App Review notes for gated or non-obvious features
• No dead-end screens

Metadata

• App name matches functionality
• Screenshots are real app screenshots using the sets in Current Release Requirements
• Description contains no prices or competitor mentions
• Category is correct

Privacy

• Privacy manifest present where required, with approved reason codes
• Third-party SDK manifests verified
• Privacy policy URL present and accessible
• Audit runtime network traffic and SDK transmissions; nutrition labels, privacy manifest declarations, privacy policy, and observed behavior match actual data collection
• ATT prompt only if tracking occurs

Payments

• Digital content uses StoreKit IAP unless current rules or approved entitlements allow otherwise
• Subscription price, duration, billing frequency, auto-renewal terms, and any trial duration/post-trial price visible before purchase
• No external purchase paths, payment links, buttons, or calls to action unless current storefront rules or approved entitlements allow them
• Free trial terms clear
• Restore purchases implemented

Design

• Standard navigation patterns used
• Dark Mode supported
• Dynamic Type supported
• No custom alerts mimicking system alerts
• Launch screen not an ad
• Empty states provide guidance

Technical

• Archive meets the upload toolchain floor in Current Release Requirements
• No private API usage
• No dynamic code execution
• Entitlements justified with usage descriptions
• Background modes justified and used
• Deployment target is intentionally chosen and tested