By Specita
Expedited app review: when to ask and what to write
How to request an expedited app review from Apple, which situations qualify, what to put in the Notes field, and what to do while you wait for a decision.
An expedited app review is a request asking Apple to move a submission that is already with App Review up the queue. Apple names two situations where you can ask: fixing a critical bug and timing a release to an event. You submit the app first, then fill in Apple's request form. Apple decides case by case, based on availability and demand, so a request doesn't guarantee a faster review.
Before you ask, check how long the normal route is likely to take. Apple's stated goal is to review at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. If your deadline is three days out, you may not need the request at all.
The steps below follow Apple's documentation. We did not test them on a live submission, and App Store Connect labels can change.
How to request an expedited app review
- Submit the app for review in App Store Connect. Apple only expedites submissions that have already been sent.
- Add everything App Review needs to the submission, including the Notes field and a demo account or demo mode if the app has account-based features.
- Open Request an Expedited App Review, select the app and platform, and send the form.
The order trips people up. If the build is still in Prepare for Submission, there is nothing for Apple to expedite yet.
What counts as a good reason
Apple says to keep these requests for matters of genuine urgency. The two cases it describes need different details.
| Reason | What to put in the Notes field |
|---|---|
| Critical bug fix | Say that the submission fixes a critical bug, and what the bug does |
| Event-related release | The event, its date, and how your app is connected to it |
A marketing launch you scheduled yourself is a weaker case than an event with a date you don't control, such as a live sports season or a public conference. That is our reading, since Apple doesn't publish a list of accepted events. A missed sprint target probably isn't urgent to anyone outside your team.
For an event you know about in advance, you may not need to expedite. Apple's expedite page points developers toward scheduling the release ahead of time, and you can choose a release option that holds an approved version until the date you want.
How to write the Notes field
The reviewer needs to understand the problem quickly and be able to reach the fixed behavior. Write down what is broken, who it affects, and how to check the fix.
A hypothetical example for a critical bug:
Version 4.2.1 fixes a crash on launch that affects users on iOS 17 who updated to 4.2.0 yesterday. To check the fix, open the app and sign in with the demo account below. The app should reach the home screen. This build contains only this fix.
The last sentence helps if it is true. A small, single-purpose build is easier to explain than a fix bundled with a new feature, and it is a good habit for urgent releases anyway.
Include a demo account if the affected flow needs a sign-in, and confirm that it still works. A review that stalls on a dead login costs you the time you were trying to save. Use a dedicated demo account for this, and leave your own credentials out.
While you wait
Keep the review contact reachable. If App Review has a question, your request only helps if somebody answers it.
Think carefully before you replace the build. Removing a submission from review sets the status to Developer Rejected, and the review process starts over when you resubmit. If you find a second bug, weigh that restart against shipping the first fix now and following up with another version.
You can also reduce the damage while the fix is in review:
- Pause the phased release if the broken version is still rolling out.
- Turn the feature off on your server, if you built it behind a flag.
- Tell support which versions are affected, and when you last checked the review status.
After the review
Check how the release is set up before the approval arrives. If the version is set to manual release, it will sit at Pending Developer Release until somebody releases it, and an urgent fix can lose hours that way. Apple also says a released version may take up to 24 hours to appear on the App Store, so don't tell users it is live the moment the status changes. Our guide to App Store review status explains each state.
Write down what happened once the fix is out: the bug, the versions affected, when you submitted, when Apple approved it, and when users could get it. Those dates are what you will want the next time someone asks how fast an urgent iOS fix can ship.
Specita keeps each release's source changes and reported deliveries in one workspace, and its App Store Connect integration maps each iOS app to its product. To connect it, start with the App Store Connect guide.
Apple guidance checked on November 4, 2026.