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App Review rejection decoder

Paste the message App Review sent you in App Store Connect. The decoder finds every guideline Apple cited (2.1(a), 2.3.8, 4.3, 5.6 and the rest) and the facts Apple named: the review device and OS version, the bug or crash steps, mismatched names, in-app purchases that were not submitted, and a 5.6 resubmission date. For each guideline you get Apple's title, a plain explanation, the fix steps that usually work, whether to reply, fix and resubmit, or wait, and links to our guide and to Apple's text. It ends with a draft reply to edit. Everything stays in your browser.

Guideline numbers, titles and links come from Apple's App Review Guidelines, checked on 2026-10-30.

In App Store Connect, open the message from App Review, select all of it and paste it here, including the lines that start with "Guideline". It is read in this page and never uploaded.

The example is a real message with the app's name and IDs replaced.

Paste a message to see each guideline Apple cited, what it means and what to do next.

How it works

  • •It looks for Apple's headings, such as "Guideline 2.1(a) - Performance - App Completeness" or "Guidelines 4.3 - Spam and 4.2.6 - App Generation Services", and splits a combined heading into its guidelines. Lower-case mentions inside sentences ("see guideline 4.3(a)") are references, not citations, and are skipped. The header lines App Store Connect adds, in English or Chinese, are fine to paste.
  • •Each guideline is matched to Apple's current list of App Review Guidelines, transcribed with its section titles and the anchor of each section on Apple's page, so the link opens at the right place.
  • •Under each heading it reads the facts Apple wrote: Device type, OS version, Bug description, Steps leading to crash, both app names for 2.3.8, the paid content named for 2.1(b), brands named for 4.1(c), the background mode for 2.5.4, the number of questions for 4.3, the date for a 5.6 suspension, and whether crash logs or a screenshot were attached.
  • •The explanations and steps are written from Apple's guideline text, the wording of real App Review messages, Apple's App Review page and our own guides. Each one says where the fix goes: the listing in App Store Connect, a new build, or a reply.
  • •The draft reply has one short Issue and Change paragraph per guideline, filled with the facts from the message. Everything you have to state yourself is left in [brackets], so it promises nothing you have not done.

What it does not do

  • •It is not Apple and does not speak for App Review. Apple's message and the current guidelines always come first.
  • •It cannot see your app, your build or your App Store Connect account. It only reads the text you paste.
  • •It cannot promise approval. Following the steps makes a rejection less likely to repeat, nothing more.
  • •It has specific notes for the guidelines indie developers meet most often. For any other guideline it gives Apple's title, a link and general steps.
  • •It does not read attachments such as crash logs or screenshots; download those from App Store Connect.

Questions

How long does App Review take after I reply or resubmit?
Apple's App Review page says it typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Apple publishes no separate time for answers to replies. A resubmission goes back into the queue; Apple's guidelines say an app that is repeatedly rejected for the same violation takes longer to review, so fix the cause first.
Should I reply or resubmit?
Reply when the reviewer is missing information: a demo account, sample files, where a feature is, or a misreading of what the app does. Fix and resubmit when the message describes something real, which is most rejections. Metadata problems are fixed in App Store Connect, and Apple's help says the same build can be resubmitted for them; problems in the app need a new build on the same version.
When should I appeal to the App Review Board?
Apple says you may appeal if you feel App Review misunderstood your app's concept and functionality, or that you were treated unfairly. Give specific reasons why the app complies with the guidelines, submit only one appeal per submission, and answer any request for more information first. If you have not replied to the reviewer yet, reply first.
What does "Guideline 2.1 - Information Needed" mean?
The reviewer could not reach or check part of the app, so the review stopped. Apple asks for something specific, such as a demo account, sample files at a link that stays available, or where to find a feature. Reply in App Store Connect with exactly that, and add lasting details to the App Review Information section so the next review has them.
What does a 4.3 spam rejection mean?
Guideline 4.3 compares your app with others: it is about duplicating apps already on the store, or adding to a category that already has plenty of similar apps. A message that also cites 4.2.6 adds apps built from a commercial template or app generation service. Apple asks you not to resubmit until significant changes have been made; if you believe the app already complies, reply and answer every question in the message instead.
What does a 5.6 "Review Suspended" message mean?
It says the submission does not meet the quality standard and gives a date before which replies and resubmissions will not be reviewed. In our experience it is best treated as a schedule: send nothing before the date, use the time to review the app on a clean device, then resubmit once with detailed notes of the improvements in App Review Information.

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