If you’re an app developer, at one time or another, you’ve probably received the dreaded Apple rejection email. It’s often vague and always gut-wrenching, and it can feel like you’ve been sentenced to life for a crime you didn’t commit. Maybe (maybe) an exaggeration, but you get the point: rejections aren’t fun.
However, there are definite, proven ways to avoid them altogether. Follow the advice below and stay out of the slammer.
Apple Approval Tips
1. Be Design-Minded Apple’s mantra is design design design. Their primary focus, in addition to ease of use, is simplicity and “flatness,” a redesigned look iOS 7 put at the forefront last year. This preference for the clean over the complex extends beyond their own products: they want apps to integrate well with their software, and the ever-common 10.6 rejection is an easy one to run into if your app’s images and overall design are less than great. Keep your design consistent, using a defined color scheme, texture, and image quality throughout.
2. Content It Up Completeness is another must. Apps that appear unfinished, mention anything along the lines of “beta” or “demo,” or don’t offer up details on their functionality in the app description are very likely to be rejected. Don’t trade thoroughness for speed by uploading an app that’s not ready for review. It ultimately just tacks more time onto the process if it’s rejected and needs to be altered and resubmitted. Focus your wrap-up design efforts on covering all your bases: include a brief functionality list in the description and check every tab for completeness before submitting.
3. Test, Then Test Again If your app crashes or doesn’t load content properly, Apple will reject it without hesitation. It’s crucial you test it exhaustively before submitting. Load every tab, and every item within every tab. Make sure specific functions are working as they should. If you have a variety of Apple devices, even better (hint: Apple reviews on iPads). Also pay attention to red flags like inaccessible content. If you use a Membership Tab to password-protect your app, or have features that require users to log in, Apple will need demo credentials to ensure there’s no questionable content hidden behind the login page.
4. Don’t Mince Metadata App name, app icon, screenshots, description. All this stuff makes up your app’s metadata, most of which can’t be changed after approval and plays a big role in Apple’s review decisions. If your app name or icon seems irrelevant to its content, your screenshots show features & design that aren’t actually in the app, your description mentions platforms besides Apple (like Android & Windows), or your app rating doesn’t add up, it can result in a rejection. Go over this stuff twice before submitting. After all, it’s also the first thing a potential user sees when they land on an App Store listing.
Refer to Apple’s review guidelines for more details. And if you ever do encounter the dreaded rejection, we’re your get out of jail free card. See our common rejection explanations & fixes or reach out to us directly—we’ll throw you a lifeline.
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