apple-app-review-skills

App Store rejection prevention for iOS/macOS apps. Covers privacy, UGC, IAP, metadata, layout, and quality checks based on real Apple rejection cases.

Detects apps that send user data to third-party AI systems without explicit in-app consent and disclosure, enforcing Guideline 5.1.2(i).

Detects apps that abuse iOS background execution modes — particularly silent audio used to keep the app alive, location background mode used for non-navigation purposes, and background task implementations that do excessive work — enforcing Guideline 2.5.4.

Detects push notification implementations that violate Guideline 4.5.4 — including requesting push permission at launch, using push for unsolicited marketing, and broken notification handling.

Detects mismatches between features claimed in App Store metadata and features actually implemented in the codebase, enforcing Guideline 2.3.1 which prohibits misleading app descriptions.

Detects missing or insufficient in-app account deletion functionality required since June 30, 2022 under Guideline 5.1.1(v) for all apps that support account creation.

Detects external payment processors and WebView payment flows used for digital goods and verifies StoreKit integration, enforcing Guideline 3.1.1's requirement to use Apple IAP for all digital content purchases.

Detects fixed font sizes, fixed-height text containers, and Dynamic Type suppression patterns that prevent text from scaling with the user's preferred reading size, violating Apple's HIG Typography guidelines.

Detects hardcoded iPhone-sized widths, missing iPad orientation keys, and absent size-class adaptation that cause layout failures on iPad reviewers' devices under guidelines 2.1 and 2.4.1.

Detects feature patterns that require a higher age rating than commonly submitted, enforcing Guideline 2.3.6 which requires age ratings to accurately reflect the app's content and social features.

Detects screenshot submission issues including launch-screen-only assets and cross-platform UI references, enforcing Guideline 2.3.3 which requires screenshots to show the app in actual use.

Detects missing, broken, or placeholder privacy policy links in-app, enforcing Guideline 5.1.1(i) which requires a functional, accessible privacy policy within the app itself.

Detects app name violations including names exceeding 30 characters, beta labels, Apple trademark terms, and version numbers in the display name, enforcing Guideline 2.3.7.

Detects absence of a content moderation service integration for apps that accept user-uploaded media or posts, enforcing Guideline 1.2's requirement for timely response to content reports.

Detects missing report, block, filter, and contact information mechanisms required for all apps with user-generated content under Guideline 1.2.

Detects over-broad permission requests where a narrower permission or privacy-preserving alternative API is sufficient, violating Guideline 5.1.1(iii) data minimization requirements.

Detects permission requests triggered at app launch or before meaningful user interaction, which violates Guideline 5.1.1(ii) requiring permissions to be requested only at the moment of need with contextual explanation.

Detects missing or insufficiently descriptive NS*UsageDescription keys in Info.plist that cause guaranteed App Store rejection under Guideline 5.1.1(ii).

Detects missing iPad orientation keys, portrait-only orientation locks, and forced-rotation patterns that cause layout failures when an iPad reviewer rotates their device, violating guideline 2.4.1.

Detects unsafe safe-area overrides and hardcoded inset values that hide content behind the Dynamic Island, notch, or home indicator, violating Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for adaptive layout.

Detects loot box, gacha, and randomized reward purchase mechanics that lack odds disclosure before purchase, enforcing Guideline 3.1.1's requirement to disclose item drop rates.

Detects apps that offer third-party social login without offering Sign in with Apple, violating Guideline 4.8 which requires Sign in with Apple wherever third-party authentication is used.

Detects missing or obscured subscription disclosure elements on paywall screens, enforcing Guideline 3.1.2(c) requirements for auto-renewal terms, trial end dates, and actual price.

Detects placeholder content, stub UI, hardcoded test credentials, and non-production endpoints that signal an incomplete app to reviewers under Guideline 2.1.

Detects force unwraps, force casts, force try, and other crash-prone Swift patterns that can cause unrecoverable crashes during App Store review, violating Guideline 2.1.

Detects usage of private Apple APIs, undocumented frameworks, and runtime introspection patterns that bypass the public SDK, enforcing Guideline 2.5.1. Private API usage causes automated binary rejection at upload.

Detects review-blocking configuration issues including sub-1.0 version numbers, beta in app name, staging endpoints, and missing demo credentials that prevent reviewers from evaluating the app, violating Guidelines 2.1 and 2.3.

Detects improper use of SKStoreReviewController.requestReview() that violates Guideline 5.6.1 — including prompts triggered by button taps, excessive frequency, or satisfaction gating.

Detects apps built with outdated Xcode SDKs or deprecated iOS deployment targets, enforcing Guideline 2.5.10 which requires apps to be built with the current SDK from Xcode.

Detects analytics or tracking SDKs present without the required App Tracking Transparency prompt, enforcing Guideline 5.1.2(i) which requires user consent before any cross-app or cross-site tracking.

Detects data collection patterns that exceed what is necessary for the app's stated functionality, enforcing Guideline 5.1.1(iii) data minimization requirements.

Detects missing or incomplete PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy privacy manifest files, enforcing Guideline 5.1 and Apple's required-reason API declaration policy enforced from May 1, 2024.