Back to blog

Top Tips to Avoid Your App From Being Rejected by Apple App Store


Abhinav Girdhar
By Abhinav Girdhar | Last Updated on September 12th, 2023 10:50 am | 4-min read
Avoid App Getting Rejected by Apple App Store

App Builder Appy Pie, February 07, 2018: So, you have built an awesome app for iPhone! However, it is not the end of the journey you took up so enthusiastically! The last hurdle and probably one of the scariest one, is to submit your app to the Apple App Store and to get it published. To get the job done and your app up and running on the Apple App Store, you need to understand the submission process a little better and in depth. The whole process of submission, approval, and publishing your app with Apple can take time and if you are anything like us, you would want to do it right, the first time!

Appy Pie makes it super easy for you to build your own iphone app, but when it comes to submission of your app on the Apple App Store, it must be done from your own account. Below we are listing out the top tips to help you get through the submission process like a breeze and to help get your app approved in your first attempt.

1. Devil’s In The Details

Not having enough details or omission of any information is not taken kindly by Apple and is one of the main reasons why your app may be rejected by them. When you are filling out the details or the features of your app, it is imperative that you specify the details as clearly as possible. Failing to do this would lead to rejection of your app. While filling out these details, there would be quite a few3 other sections like “Content Rating” which would help Apple know what kind of content you would be posting. In case you are building an app for kids, then you would need to pick and specify the age range that it is meant for. Apart from this, include a set of instructions to explain how the app works, what the app is designed to solve, and how the app is supposed to be used. Apart from that any other vital information, like whether the app needs any additional software to function must be mentioned clearly. While submitting your app for publishing on the Apple App Store take care to include content in all your app modules. The description of the app needs to be well written and the screenshots must be designed well. If the description and the screenshots are inaccurate or vague, the app will be rejected. So, before sending your submission out, make sure that you double check, even triple check to ensure that no information is missing, and that every little detail is in place.

2. Don’t Ignore The ‘Terms & Conditions’

It is more of an automated, mechanical response that we have for any kind of ‘Terms & Conditions’ we might encounter while trying to work on anything. You will definitely be presented with a set of terms & conditions or guidelines from Apple as well, if you are trying to publish an app on the App Store. At this stage, it can be tempting to just skip past the terms & conditions in the developer agreement and move on to the fun part and begin the process of submitting your app without any delay. However, doing so might actually backfire and lengthen out the whole process as your app might get rejected because you were not aware of a certain condition that you missed out because you gave in to the temptation. It is therefore, important that you carefully go through and read the Apple Developer Program License Agreement in detail before going ahead with the process of submission. Doing so would help you discover any elements of your app that might not be in compliance with the prescribed guidelines or terms & conditions. This gives you a chance to rectify these issues and save you from the hassle of rejection and resubmission.

3. Keep The User Interface Lucid

Apple as an organization provides exemplary experience to all its customers in every way possible and is known for the premium services and product line. There is an image that they need to live up to and the users who use Apple products have certain set expectations from anything associated with Apple. Hence, it is only natural that Apple expects a certain standard from the apps that are showcased or published on their platform. Apple is especially strict about the user interface or UX of the apps that come to them for approval. In case the app in question has an interface that isn’t designed well enough or is difficult for the intended user to understand and use, Apple is definitely going to reject it. For this reason, and to help the developers understand their requirements, Apple has some well drafted guides of user interface. Apple encourages the developers to use these guides as they can be of great help to the developers in avoiding fatal mistakes in their interface design for the app. The idea here is to provide the users with an experience that will be smooth and flawless instead of confusing & difficult.

4. Make Sure All The Information Is Accurate

App Builder Appy Pie

Any quality institution would not want to put out any information that is inaccurate and Apple is no different here! While we talked about filling the content and details earlier, here we emphasize on the accuracy of information on your app. Take care that all the information you provided is not just accurate but relevant as well. If the app needs to be signed into, then the developer must make sure that the username and password is provided. In addition to this, if there is a particularly special or unique way to use the app, it must be mentioned as well in the submission process. If there is a need for proper instructional guide, or a tutorial then it must be enclosed or attached along with it. All other details including the contact details of the app developer should be accurate. It is important that you take care not to include any web content or web links in the app. Apple doesn’t want an app on their store that just has web pages in it. They need to know that your app has been designed for iOS and brings in value to the users. Scrutinize and go through the entire submission with a fine-tooth comb in order to ensure not only that all the details are filled out, but that it is filled out with accurate and relevant content.

5. Eradicate All Possible Bugs

A company like Apple prioritizes their users above everything else, hence, when you are developing an app for their platform, you too need to honor this policy and keep the user’s satisfaction at the top of your priorities. If an app is rife with bugs or crashes intermittently, Apple is going to reject it. It is therefore important that you put your app through extensive testing in the real-world environment. When your app has been tested through beta testers that you hire, and all the bugs that they encounter are quashed out, the chances of the app being approved by Apple get higher. The key is to keep testing the app till you have an app free of bugs and crashes or any other performance issues and then submit it to the store.

6. Do NOT Mention Android…Anywhere!

Let me ask you a question here! Would KFC sell you the new burger from McDonald’s? Probably not, right? So why should Apple showcase an app on their platform that mentions Android anywhere. A competitor is a competitor and you must respect that. When you are submitting your app to Apple App Store check every column you fill out and make sure that you do not mention Android or Google Play anywhere. Come to think of it, do not mention anything else related to any other mobile app platform or operating system. If you are not giving anything that is exclusive to Apple App Store, then you are not going to be accepted there. Even if you have an app that is designed for all the leading platforms, it’s best not to mention any names as it not only borderlines on unethical but also undermines the platform itself.

7. Showcase What’s Unique!

Everyone loves unique content, especially Apple. If the app you are submitting is just a duplication of other apps available on the App Store or is similar to any of the ones you have submitted earlier, there isn’t much value to what you are offering as a developer. Hence when you are building an app, ask yourself, what makes your app unique, what is it that it does that no one else has done before you, and what is it that people have probably been looking for in the apps that they are going through. If you do not have a satisfactory answer for any of these questions, Apple wouldn’t have any interest in what you are offering and therefore are going to reject your app. Find the unique aspects or elements of your app and highlight them well while submitting it to Apple. Let it be clear that your app is like no other and helps solve a problem no one else has been able to solve in the way that you can.

8. Similar Apps Are Bound To Be Rejected

Appy Pie App Builder

Apple promotes unique ideas, hence, if you try and submit a new app by simply renewing the old one, Apple is probably going to reject it. Apart from multiple similar apps submitted by the same developer, if an app is attempting to ride to the top by unethically (in some cases illegally) emulating the popular apps, Apple is going to catch on to it and reject such apps. It is important that your app name or description do not mislead a potential user into thinking it as something that it is not. Refrain from picking a name for your app that sounds similar to any other popular app but has no connection with it. Additionally, in case you offer functions and features that are similar to a popular app, make sure that you build a completely different identity for yours with an original name and design.

9. Name & Design Of The App

Apple’s design sensibility is all about simplicity, subtlety, and minimalism. The design of your app needs to be intuitive, and simple while being aesthetically appealing to the user. The name of your app is the identity that you are going to build for your app. Make sure that you spell the name correctly and consistently in all the columns where it is mentioned. If the app name on the app itself and the app name on iTunes do not match, it leads to inconsistencies and inaccuracies. This inconsistency would not be tolerated by Apple and they will reject the app. When you follow the basic design principles and iOS issued guidelines, you naturally create an app with a superior experience increases your app’s chances of success with the App Store. It might be a good idea to follow iOS Human Interface Guidelines for good measure as they explain the basic design principles for a user-friendly interface.

10. Placeholder Images & Text Are A Straight Road to Rejection

This happens sometimes when you are submitting your app on the Apple App Store right after the beta version of the app has been released. The apps that have been submitted on the App Store with any kind of placeholder text or visual content instead of the correct information that is relevant and curated, will be rejected immediately. Hence, be careful and check your app for all these details before going ahead and submitting it on the app store and ensure that your app is fit for public use now.

Conclusion

Apple keeps a stringent scrutinization process in place so that the apps on their app store are free of bugs, crashes or any other performance issues, thus providing a great user experience. They reject apps with solid reasons as they want to maintain a certain quality standard for all parties involved.

Since you have put in a lot of time, efforts, and money into creating an app, it is natural that you would want to see it published on the Apple App Store without having to go through the hassle of rejection. Make sure that your app offers something with value, is unique, and functions smoothly.

The tips listed above in the post can help you make sure that your app meets the stringent standards set forth by the tech giant and get your app listed on their popular app store in no time.

Appy Pie not only lets you build your own iOS app, but also guides you through the entire submission process and helps you scrutinize your app to weed out any loopholes that may hold you and your app back.

Create Your Own iPhone App

You May Also Like:

Take a deeper dive into the digital ecosystem and start expanding your business with these helpful resources:

Abhinav Girdhar

Founder and CEO of Appy Pie

App Builder

Most Popular Posts