Daniel Haiem is the CEO of AppMakers USA, a mobile app development agency that works with founders on mobile and web builds. He is known for pairing product clarity with delivery discipline, helping teams make smart scope calls and ship what matters. Earlier in his career he taught physics, and he still spends time supporting education and youth mentorship initiatives.
If your app release timeline keeps slipping because “the stores take forever,” you are probably blaming the wrong thing.
Yes, review times vary. But most delays are self-inflicted. Apps get stuck because something is missing, unclear, or breaks during review. The good news is that these issues are predictable, and you can prevent most of them with a repeatable pre-submit process.
This checklist is written for real teams shipping real updates. It focuses on the stuff that actually triggers review friction: access, privacy, subscriptions, user safety, and the basic reality that a reviewer is testing your app quickly on a device you do not control.
The Two Buckets Of Delays
Almost every rejection fits into one of these.
1) Policy And Compliance Problems
These happen because the app violates a rule, or you did not disclose something properly. The most common categories are:
- privacy disclosures and permission usage
- account deletion requirements
- subscription and billing clarity
- user-generated content and safety controls
- deceptive metadata, misleading claims, or missing legal links
Policy rejections usually take longer because you often need product changes, not just a quick bug fix.
2) Quality And Reviewability Problems
These happen because a reviewer cannot reliably use the app in the review environment. Typical triggers are:
- crashes, freezes, infinite spinners
- broken login, broken sign-up, broken password reset
- required flows that only work with production data or a live phone number
- incomplete features blocking the core experience
- broken links (privacy policy, support URL, terms)
Quality rejections are usually fixable fast, but only if you can reproduce them and you do not argue with the reviewer.
Most teams focus on feature work and leave both buckets to the last minute. That is why release weeks turn into release months.
What Reviewers Actually Need From You
You can make review dramatically easier by giving reviewers three things up front: a clean way to test, accurate metadata, and clear privacy context.
1) A Clean Path To Test The App
If your app requires login or has account-based features, provide a working demo account or a demo mode with access to what needs to be reviewed.
Also provide review notes that answer the reviewer’s silent questions:
- how do I reach the core feature in under 60 seconds?
- what should I tap to see the paid flow?
- if this app needs sample data, where do I get it?
- if this app uses QR codes, invites, or hardware, how do I test without special setup?
Practical tips that reduce rejections:
- create a reviewer-only “sandbox” account that is always valid
- pre-load demo content so the app is not empty
- avoid requiring real phone numbers, real credit cards, or real third-party accounts for basic review
When reviewers cannot reach the core functionality, they reject the app. Not because they are picky, but because they cannot approve what they cannot test.
2) Honest Metadata
Reviewers compare your listing, screenshots, and description against actual behavior.
Common problems:
- screenshots do not match the current UI
- feature claims that are not present in the build
- unclear pricing or subscription terms
- keywords and titles that oversell what the app does
- confusing age ratings or category selection
Think of metadata as a contract. If the app does not match, you will get flagged.
3) Clear Privacy Disclosures
Privacy is one of the fastest ways to get stuck because reviewers are trained to look for inconsistencies.
Your goal is to make it obvious:
- what data you collect
- why you collect it
- where it goes (first party, third party, analytics)
- what the user can control (opt-out, delete, manage)
Also make sure your in-app behavior matches your disclosures. If you ask for location access, there should be a clear feature reason. If you request tracking, the user should understand what changes if they say no.
If privacy is vague, reviewers assume the worst.
The 30-Minute Pre-Submit Checklist (Run This Every Time)
This is a fast pass through the most common “why did we get rejected” scenarios.
A) Crash And Bug Sweep
- open the app from a cold start
- test sign-up, login, and password reset
- complete the top 3 user flows end-to-end
- test on a slower device or throttled network
- confirm no placeholder content, broken buttons, or dead screens
- confirm deep links and push notifications do not crash the app
If the app crashes during review, nothing else matters.
B) Permissions And Privacy Prompts
- request permissions only when the feature needs them
- include a clear, human explanation before the OS prompt appears
- confirm the app still works when a user denies the permission
- confirm the permission request matches the feature behavior
This is where many apps fail. Permission requests that feel unrelated to the feature raise instant suspicion.
C) Account Deletion And Data Controls
If users can create accounts, both Apple and Google expect a clear path to delete the account.
Before you submit:
- confirm there is a discoverable “Delete Account” option inside the app
- confirm it deletes the account, not just deactivates it
- confirm you explain what will be deleted and what may be retained for legal reasons
- confirm the flow works without contacting support
Teams often implement account deletion late and forget to surface it properly. That leads to delays.
D) Subscription And Payment Clarity
If you have subscriptions:
- make the price, billing period, and renewal terms obvious
- avoid confusing upsells or misleading “free” language
- confirm the restore purchases flow works
- confirm cancellation instructions are clear
If your app sells digital content or features, platform rules are strict about when you must use in-app purchase systems. If your app tries to route around those rules, expect rejection.
E) Content And Moderation
If users can post content, message, upload photos, or interact:
- provide a way to report abuse
- provide a way to block users
- define moderation policies
- include a support contact method
- ensure content filters are appropriate if you target minors
Reviewers care about user safety. If your app includes user-generated content without controls, it raises red flags.
F) Listing Accuracy
- update screenshots to the current UI
- ensure the description matches what the build actually does
- remove claims you cannot prove
- ensure links work (privacy policy, support URL, terms)
- confirm your support email is monitored
If your listing is stale, reviewers assume your app is sloppy.
The Most Common Avoidable Rejection Triggers
These are the issues that create the most unnecessary delays.
1) Reviewer Cannot Access Key Features
No demo account, broken login, or features hidden behind a setup that only works in production.
Fix: provide a demo account, create a demo mode, and write clear review notes.
2) Permission Requests That Feel Unjustified
Apps asking for location, contacts, photos, microphone, or tracking without a clear reason.
Fix: request permissions at the moment of use and explain why. Also ensure the app stays usable when permission is denied.
3) Missing Or Weak Privacy Policy
Especially when you collect personal data or use analytics/ads.
Fix: include a privacy policy link and make it consistent with app behavior.
4) Subscription Confusion
Apps that do not clearly explain what is paid, what is free, and when billing occurs.
Fix: tighten the subscription screen, use plain-language disclosure, and ensure restore purchases works.
5) App Feels Incomplete
Placeholder content, dead flows, or “coming soon” screens that block core functionality.
Fix: hide unfinished features or remove them from the build.
If You Get Rejected: How To Resubmit Fast
Rejections are frustrating, but you can speed up recovery if you treat them like a checklist, not a debate.
Step 1: Translate The Feedback Into A Single Sentence
Example: “Reviewer could not access premium features because login requires a live phone number.”
If you cannot write the issue clearly, you will fix the wrong thing.
Step 2: Reproduce It In A Review-Like Environment
Use a clean device or simulator, fresh install, and a basic network condition. Many issues only appear on first launch or first login.
If you cannot reproduce it, add instrumentation or logs and test again. Guessing leads to repeat rejection.
Step 3: Fix The Root Cause, Not The Symptom
If you add a demo account but the app still crashes on first launch, you will be rejected again.
Start with stability and access first.
Step 4: Reply Like A Human
When you resubmit, write review notes that say:
- what you changed
- where the reviewer should look
- how to reproduce the issue and confirm it is fixed
The goal is to remove guesswork.
The Quiet Advantage: Design For Reviewability From Day One
The fastest approvals happen when reviewability is built into the product.
That means:
- demo mode is planned early
- privacy and permissions are tied to real feature needs
- subscriptions are transparent
- account deletion is not a last-minute scramble
- the team treats store submission as a repeatable process
If you want a team that can build with these constraints in mind, work with a mobile app development company that has shipped multiple apps through both App Store and Google Play reviews and knows where projects usually get stuck.
Make Store Reviews Boring In The Best Way
App reviews do not have to feel like a slot machine. Most delays come from the same repeat patterns: unclear access, stale metadata, weak privacy disclosure, and confusing subscription flows.
If you want fewer surprises, treat store submission like a product surface, not a last-minute chore. Keep a permanent demo path ready, tie permissions to real feature use, keep your privacy and billing language plain, and run the 30-minute checklist before every build. When you do that consistently, approvals stop being luck-based.
The best sign you’re doing it right is simple: reviewers can understand your app quickly, test the core flow without friction, and see that your disclosures match your behavior. That’s what makes a submission easy to approve.
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