The Most Common App Store Rejection Reasons (and How to Fix Each)
2.1 — App Completeness
The #1 rejection: the reviewer hit a crash, a dead feature, or a login they couldn't pass. Fix: test the exact build you submit on a clean device, provide a working demo account in review notes, and make sure server-side features are live during the review window — a sleeping backend reads as a broken app.
4.3 — Spam / Design Duplication
Triggered when your app looks like a re-skin of existing apps (including your own) or a saturated template category. Fix: differentiated UI, at least one genuinely distinct mechanic, and category positioning that doesn't scream template. If you publish multiple similar apps, expect this guideline to follow you — consolidation is sometimes the only cure.
5.1.1 — Data Collection & Consent
Anything that collects photos, camera, health data or sends user content to third-party AI services needs explicit, in-app consent — a privacy policy link alone does not pass. Fix: a consent screen shown before the data flows, describing what is collected and who processes it; and never gate the whole app behind granting a permission (offer an alternative path when permission is denied).
3.1.1 — In-App Purchase
Digital goods and subscriptions must use Apple's IAP; linking out to external checkout (outside the specific entitlements and regions where Apple allows it) earns instant rejection. Fix: keep digital purchases on StoreKit, use approved external-link entitlements only where they genuinely apply, and don't mention cheaper web prices inside the app unless your entitlement covers it.
2.3 — Accurate Metadata
Screenshots showing features that don't exist, hidden functionality, or keyword-stuffed names. Fix: screenshots from the real build, feature claims your app demonstrably delivers, and app names that read as names rather than keyword lists.