Your app is ready to make its entrance, and there's one more hurdle to overcome: the App Store. Although many app owners think that uploading the app to an app store is the easiest task of all, it's not that simple when you look into the app store review guidelines. From the app's Privacy Policy URL to app store screenshots, you'll need a lot of things to be lined up before submitting your app to the store.
Since 2011, our company has been developing mobile apps for global startups, and we know first-hand how tricky the submission process can be. So let us tell you how to upload an app to the App Store stress-free.
Four things you need to consider before submitting an iOS app to the App Store
App store success begins long before the upload button is clicked. Here are a few basic things to cover before you upload your app to the App Store.
Prepare all the promotional materials
To help drive the discovery of your app and draw in as many early users as possible, your app will need an attractive marketing image. Apart from the app name and description, app marketing materials also include screenshots and promotional text. If your app is available in several languages, make sure to localize all materials for each target market. Keep in mind that the App Store has specific requirements for marketing materials.
Assign the app build to your account
You need to assign the latest app build to your Apple developer account before sending out the app for review. To do that, you'll need a Developer account (necessary for accessing the App Store Connect dashboard) and a valid certificate. You can ask your app development team to create the required certificate and sign the build. For building and archiving, you can select a generic iOS device as a placeholder.
Meet all legal requirements
Apple pays particular attention to user data. Check out the Apple Developer Program License Agreement to find out more about data usage and storage, health research data protection, etc. Your iOS app must also comply with the legal requirements in the target country. You should also ensure that all app content is original or legally licensed to avoid App Store rejection.
Check Apple’s official guidelines
Apple has special requirements for the quality of submitted apps and the detailed app information featured on the Product Page. Since the App Store is constantly changing, it's better to check out the latest requirements before each app submission.
How to publish an iOS app: nine steps
1. Create a developer account and access App Store Connect
Without a developer account, you won't be able to go through the app certification process. It costs $99 a year for both individuals and organizations. Besides the ability to publish apps, you also get many other benefits, like the ability to create Safari extensions, review advanced app analytics, access Beta versions of Apple software, and use TestFlight.
Right after you create a developer account, you get access to App Store Connect, where you can manage your apps and access all the information about them.
To enroll as a legal entity, you need to go through a verification process and get a D-U-N-S Number, a unique nine-digit business identifier. It’s better to get it beforehand since obtaining a D-U-N-S Number can take some time.
2. Create a new app and fill in the product page
In order to create a new app, open My Apps, and tap the plus button in iOS App Store Connect.
You will need to fill in the following information on your Product Page:
- Platforms – here, you specify which Apple platforms your app supports.
- App name – contains up to 30 characters. This is the name that users will see in the App Store. Since the app’s name is verified, it should be unique.
- Primary language – the main language for the app’s information.
- Bundle ID – here, you can select from the app identifiers registered in the developer account. This value is unique for every app on the App Store. The Bundle ID must be an exact match of the bundle identifier in your Xcode project’s Info.plist file (in the target’s General > Identity section).
- SKU – stands for Stock Keeping Unit. The SKU is an optional field and is not visible to users. It can be an identifier you use in your company or something else that is meaningful for you.
- User access – specify if your application should be accessible to all members in your App Store Connect organization or just to specific groups of people.
After filling in all the required fields and tapping the “Create” button, you'll be redirected to the Product Page. Here, in the App Information section, you can add localizable information. This is very important for iOS apps that target different regions. If you don't add this information, the app will be defaulted to the primary language you set earlier.
The app category is one more value to fill in. You must choose a primary category, and if your app can fall into more than one, you can pick a secondary category.
If your app is paid, you need to decide on the pricing in the Pricing and Availability section. Unlike the Google Play marketplace, the App Store doesn't allow you to set your own price. You need to choose a suitable price tier from the list. Here, you can also manage the availability of your app for different countries; this comes in handy when soft launching a product.
If your app requires a sign-in, you have to provide test credentials for the Apple reviewer and fill in contact information in case Apple wants to ask something.
In the App Privacy section, the Privacy Policy URL is required. It will be visible on your app’s page and can either be a link to a PDF file or a web page.
3. Set the roles, certificates, identifiers & profiles
Once registered, you need to set roles, permissions, certificates, identifiers, profiles, and more. Check out the Roles for the Apple Developer Program for more information about roles and permissions. Your developers also need to get permission to create certificates and provisioning profiles. Without those permissions, your developers won’t be able to make any necessary changes.
After getting the necessary permissions, developers can sign their app and specify the identifier as well as the app’s capabilities in the Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles section.
- Distribution certificate – the certificate that identifies your app development team and allows you to submit an app to the App Store.
- App ID – the identifier of your app. The Bundle ID must be the same as the bundle identifier in your app’s binaries.
- Provisioning profile – only apps signed by Apple can be installed on an iOS device. This becomes an issue when developing because you will likely want to test the app on a real device before submitting it for review. Provisioning profiles are the solution to this problem; they are embedded in your app binaries and allow the app to run on certain devices before Apple signs it. A provisioning profile must be created for each app.
4. Upload your app build
Next, the developers need to assemble the app’s build and upload it. Open your app in Xcode, go to the Signing and Capabilities section, choose the right account, proceed to the General section, and set the build’s version to upload. Don’t forget to set your app version to 1.0.0 if you are publishing a new app or increment the build version if you are publishing an update.
After you fill in all the necessary information, go to Product -> Archive and let it bundle your app. Once this is done, the app archive window will open; this is where you can manage all the archives generated by Xcode. Then, press the “Distribute App” button and upload your build to App Store Connect. Xcode will generate all the certificates automatically. It will alert you if there are any errors.
5. Test your app
Once your app is uploaded to the App Store Connect, you need to open the TestFlight section and add QA engineers to your Apple team so that they can test the app and detect any bugs.
6. Fill in the version information
Now, you need to go to App Store Connect and choose the iOS app you want to publish. Here, you need to add the app’s screenshots (in JPG or PNG) and essential information.
- Screenshots
You can upload up to ten screenshots. Apple requires uploading screenshots for 6.5-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones. Check out the Screenshot specifications to study Apple’s requirements. Screenshots need to be both informative and catchy. The first two screenshots (if there is no app preview) are shown in search results, which makes them one of the first things the user sees. Screenshots can be different for each supported language.
- App previews
An app preview is an optional short video demonstrating the core app features. It can be up to 30 seconds long, and you can add up to 3 app previews. Similar to screenshots, the app preview can be localized.
- Promotional text
The promotional text is the only field you can update without adding a new version of the app to the App Store. Users can see the promotional field before they press the “Read More” button. This is an optional field.
- Description
The description field contains all the information about app features. It should not exceed 4000 symbols.
- Keywords
Keywords make your app more searchable, help users discover it in the App Store, and boost your App Store listing. Here are some requirements for keywords:
- Must be shorter than 100 symbols
- Use spaces to separate words within keyword phrases
- Use commas to separate keywords and keyword phrases
- Support URL
This is the URL where users can get help. It is a required field.
It is best that you have a website, so you can put a proper link here. Otherwise, you can use one of many free website creators.
- Marketing URL
This is the URL where users can find marketing information about the app.
- Icons
Your app icon should be unique since it is an important part of the user experience on all Apple devices. Apple has specified the correct shape and requirements — for more information, go to the Human Interface Guidelines.
- Resolution: 1024px x 1024px, 72 dpi
- Format: PNG
- Color space: RGB, flattened with no transparency
- Shape: Square with no rounded corners
Note that you cannot change the app information in the App Store Connect right after publishing. All the information, except for the promotional text, can only be changed with version updates. So, check all the fields carefully before submitting the app.
Next, you will be asked to fill in sections on App Clip, iMessage App, and Apple Watch, if applicable to your application.
7. Choose the release date
After you submit the app for review, your app will be on the waiting list for Apple's review and certification team. The reviewing process may take up to two weeks, but it's hard to predict the exact timeline.
You can choose the release mode for your app:
- Manually - you will need to click the “Release” button after the positive review
- Automatically - your app will be automatically released right after the positive review
- Automatically with date restriction - the app will be released on a specific date after the positive review
8. Set age ratings
This is the last step before submitting your app for review. You need to go to the Set app age rating section and complete the survey. Apple will set the age rating of your app automatically based on the answers.
9. Submit your app for review
Now, you can submit your app for review. Go to TestFlight and choose the tested app build. Double-check your app for compliance with all Apple requirements.
Reasons why your app can get rejected
The App Store has a rather strict approval process. In 2020, Apple rejected 150k+ apps that violated the App Store guidelines. Over 500 Apple experts who are based around the world review over 100k apps or updates manually every week. But despite the meticulous review process, the App Store claims to review 90% of submissions in less than 24 hours. Yet, as we've mentioned earlier, it may take longer.
There are quite a few reasons why your release can get red-lighted. The app won't get into the App Store if it contains:
- Any malicious software
- Broken links
- Placeholder content
- Unclear data access requests
- Overtly sexual material or pornography, images of people or animals being killed, descriptions that encourage illegal use of weapons or encourage consumption of tobacco products, illegal drugs, etc. See App Store Review Guidelines for more information.
Apple maintains strict control over all aspects of the ecosystem to make the App Store a safe and trusted place for amazing experiences. If your app has no valuable content and is just a bunch of pages with no rhyme and reason, Apple won't let you submit your app to the App Store.
Sometimes even the apps meeting all guidelines can get rejected. This only means that the app needs some follow-up revisions. Go through the review information and fix all the reported issues. Use the Resolution Center in App Store Connect to communicate with Apple about any questions you may have. You can also escalate the issue and submit an appeal if you believe your app was wrongly rejected.
Most common reasons for App Store rejection:
Inconsistent UI and UX
Since Apple has strict guidelines around the look and feel of the apps, flouting the guidelines leads to your app getting rejected. For example, a tab bar should appear at the top of the screen. Check out Human Interface Guidelines to learn all interface essentials.
Bugs and crashes
When you submit your app for review, you need to ensure that it is stable and no bugs or crashes can occur during the review process. At Orangesoft, we can test your app and ensure its flawless performance.
Sign in
If your app requires users to create an account, you need to share a test account with the Apple Review Team. Otherwise, your app will get rejected.
Access to users’ data
If your app requires access to contacts, location, and photos, you need to point out the reasons to the Apple Review Team. You need to persuade the team that your app isn’t trying to steal user data.
Not enough lasting value
Another reason for a release failure is the lack of value-added features or content. If your app caters to a small niche market, it won't be greenlighted by the Apple App Store as well. Therefore, before publishing your app, take a look at the applications in your category and compare them with your product.
Submitted by an incorrect entity
Sometimes, it's not an individual developer who should submit the app for review. Some application types must be submitted by the legal entity that provides the app-related services. These include compliance-heavy solutions such as healthcare applications, banking software, cryptocurrency, and others.
Repeated submission of similar apps
You can't slip through the reviewal by submitting multiple similar applications. Instead, you should combine the functionality into one high-quality product and submit it for review.
Summing up
There are lots of things you need to consider when you submit your app for review to the App Store. When doing it for the first time, there is a higher chance that something may go wrong.
There is a way to minimize your risk and take the publishing process out of your hands completely. While developing mobile apps with Orangesoft, you don't need to take care of all the App Store hassles. We can do it for you! Contact us to estimate your project.