App Store review status: what it means, what to do next

An App Store review status tells you where a version sits in Apple's review and release process, and whether the next move is yours. Waiting for Review and In Review mean Apple has it, Pending Developer Release and Ready for Distribution mean it was accepted, and Rejected or Metadata Rejected mean you need to act. Developer Rejected sounds like a verdict, but it only means your team removed the version from review.

After a rejection, the right response depends on what App Review actually said. Some rejections need a new build. Others need only a reply, and resubmitting can make those slower to resolve.

The steps below follow Apple's documentation. We did not test them on a live submission, and App Store Connect labels can change, so check the current screen before you act.

App Store review statuses at a glance

This table covers the app statuses most teams meet. Apple's app and submission statuses reference has the full list.

App status	What it means	What to do next
Waiting for Review	Apple received the submission but has not started the review.	Wait. You can edit certain information or remove the build, but you can't upload or edit screenshots or app previews.
In Review	App Review is reviewing the app.	Wait, and make sure your review contact can be reached. Removing the build from review means starting over.
Pending Developer Release	The app was accepted, and someone still has to release it.	Release the version when you are ready.
Ready for Distribution	The app was accepted and is ready for distribution.	Confirm that your agreements are in effect, then check App Store availability by region.
Rejected	The app wasn't accepted.	Read the App Review message, then follow the route that fits it.
Metadata Rejected	App Review didn't accept your metadata.	Read the message, edit the metadata, and reply to App Review.
Developer Rejected	Your team removed the app from review.	When ready, resubmit the build or submit a new one. Review starts again.

You may also see these along the way:

• Invalid Binary: the build doesn't meet current requirements. Upload a new build or select one that does.
• Processing for Distribution: Apple says the app will be ready for distribution within 24 hours.
• Pending Apple Release: Apple is holding the version until the matching operating system version is public.

App status, submission status, and item status

Apple reports status at three levels, which is why two screens can seem to disagree.

The app status belongs to the version. The submission status belongs to the group of things you sent to App Review. The item status belongs to each piece inside that group, such as an In-App Event or custom product page.

Two labels cause most of the confusion:

• Unresolved Issues is a submission status. It means App Review rejected one or more items in the submission.
• Accepted is an app and item status. It means this item passed, but another item in the same submission was rejected. Nothing publishes until every item is accepted, or until you remove the rejected ones.

Availability is a separate question again. A status such as Available tells you the app is live for users in a specific country or region. Treat "accepted by App Review" and "available to your users in this region" as two different facts.

While the app is waiting or in review

Apple's stated goal is to review at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. That is a goal across all submissions, not a promise about yours. Apple says apps with little review history, submissions that need documentation, and complex or novel issues can take longer. It also notes that submissions may not be reviewed in the order you submit them.

Think twice before pulling a version out of the queue. Removing a submission changes the app status to Developer Rejected, and the review process starts over if you resubmit. If you cancel a whole submission, any items marked Accepted must be resubmitted too. Removing and cancelling require the Account Holder, Admin, or App Manager role.

If you have a critical bug to fix or an event date to meet, you can request an expedited review. The submission must already be with App Review, and Apple asks you to put the reason in the Notes field when you submit.

After approval: release it and confirm availability

Pending Developer Release means the app was accepted and still needs to be released. To release it manually, open the version, select Release This Version, and confirm. This needs the Account Holder, Admin, or App Manager role.

Three details from Apple are easy to miss:

• It may take up to 24 hours for the version to appear on the App Store after you release it.
• Release is per platform, so another platform's version needs its own release.
• Apple sends an email reminder if a version stays in this status for more than 30 days.

Ready for Distribution still has one condition: your agreements must be in effect, and the Account Holder accepts them in the Business section. If you set a release date in the future, the App Review Guidelines say the app won't appear before that date, even when approved. Before you tell your team the release is out, check the App Store status for the regions you care about.

What to do after a rejection

Apple's rejection message explains how the app violates the guidelines. To find it, open the app in App Store Connect, select the link about unresolved issues at the top of the page, then choose Resolve next to the submission in the In Progress section.

Older guides and forum posts call this place the Resolution Center. The Apple help pages we checked now describe it as the App Review section, with a Reply to App Review button.

Apple notifies users with the Admin, App Manager, or Developer role about a rejection. Replying requires the Account Holder, Admin, or App Manager role, so a developer who gets the notice may need someone else to respond.

Choose your route from what the message asks for. Apple's guidance on when to resubmit supports most of this table.

What App Review said	What to do	Resubmit?
It needs more information	Reply to the message.	No
The issue is in metadata or can be fixed on your server, such as demo credentials	Make the change, then reply.	No new build needed
The issue is in the build	Fix it, upload the new build, and submit that version.	Yes, and it gets a full review
Some items passed and others were rejected	Edit or remove the rejected items.	Yes, with Resubmit to App Review
The message offers a Bug Fix Submission	Reply to accept the offer and fix the issues in your next update.	No
You believe your app follows the guidelines	Reply first, then appeal if that doesn't resolve it.	No

Resubmitting too early has a real cost. Apple says a resubmission starts a new review, after which App Review can no longer reply to your previous message. It also warns that resubmitting with unresolved issues delays review and leads to the same outcome.

A hypothetical example: App Review rejects version 3.2.0 because the demo account it was given no longer signs in. The build is fine. Reactivating the account and replying is the route Apple describes, while uploading a new build would start a new review without fixing anything in the app.

How to write a useful reply

Apple's advice for contacting App Review comes down to being specific. Name the exact feature, guideline, or step you need clarified. If you think the reviewer misunderstood the app, explain what it is meant to do. You can attach screenshots and supporting documents.

Keep credentials out of the attachments unless they are the demo details App Review needs, and use a dedicated demo account for those.

If you still need help after App Review replies, you can ask for a call in the same message window. Check the contact details in the App Review Information section first, and include your time zone. Apple says calls are typically completed within three to five business days.

The reply field isn't for appeals or expedite requests. Each of those has its own form.

How to appeal to the App Review Board

An appeal fits when you believe a rejected or removed app follows the guidelines and the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, or when you believe you were treated unfairly during review. Apple asks you to reply to the rejection message first, and to appeal only if that doesn't resolve it.

A few rules shape how you write it:

• Answer the guideline directly. Cite the guideline and explain, point by point, how your app meets it. Saying the app matters to your business doesn't address the rejection.
• Send one appeal per app. If the message cites several guidelines, cover them all in that one appeal.
• Don't resubmit while it is open. Resubmitting starts a new review and closes the appeal.
• Don't use it for other requests. Status updates and expedited reviews have their own routes, and requests from App Review for more information aren't grounds for an appeal.

The App Review Board replies in App Store Connect, and it may ask for more information or schedule a call. A complete appeal doesn't guarantee that the decision will be overturned, so prepare a fix in parallel if the release can't wait. Just remember that submitting the fix closes the appeal.

Keep a record while the review runs

App Store Connect keeps some of this for you. The app status history lists each status, when it changed, and who initiated the change. If you want automatic notifications, Apple also supports webhooks for status changes.

The rest belongs in your release notes: the version and build number, the guideline cited, the route you chose, who owns the next step, and when you will check again. If a version comes back rejected, the person picking it up shouldn't have to rebuild that story from chat.

Specita brings source changes, reported deliveries, and available quality signals into one workspace, and its App Store Connect integration maps each iOS app to its product. That gives your team one shared place to see what changed in a release and where it was delivered.

For setup, use the App Store Connect guide. If you are choosing a credential, read individual vs team API keys. If your build hasn't reached this stage yet, start with TestFlight build stuck processing.

Apple guidance checked on November 3, 2026.