App Store Submission Reference
Complete reference for every App Store submission requirement. Covers metadata fields, privacy manifest schema, App Review Guidelines, age ratings, export compliance, account requirements, monetization, EU compliance, build upload, and WWDC25/WWDC26 changes.
When to Use This Reference
Use this reference when you need:
- Specific metadata field requirements or character limits
- App Review guideline numbers for a specific topic
- Privacy manifest schema fields or Required Reason API categories
- Age rating tiers and capability declarations
- EU DSA trader status requirements
- IAP submission pipeline and review flow
- Build upload SDK requirements and processing details
- WWDC25/WWDC26 submission changes (draft submissions, Asset Library, Retention Messaging, group subscriptions)
For pre-submission workflow: See App Store Submission for the pre-flight checklist and pressure scenarios.
For rejection troubleshooting: See App Store Diagnostics for diagnosis from rejection message to fix.
Example Prompts
Questions you can ask Claude that will draw from this reference:
- "What are the character limits for App Store metadata fields?"
- "What screenshot sizes do I need for iPhone and iPad?"
- "What guideline covers Sign in with Apple requirements?"
- "What are the Required Reason API categories for privacy manifests?"
- "What are the new age rating tiers as of 2025?"
- "What's required for EU DSA trader status?"
- "How does the IAP review pipeline work?"
- "What changed for App Store submissions in WWDC25?"
- "How do I set up Retention Messaging or a Product Page Header?"
- "How do I onboard my app to Xcode Cloud and set up TestFlight distribution?"
What's Covered
- Part 1: Metadata Fields – Immutable fields warning (Bundle ID, Product ID, Subscription Duration), all required fields with character limits, complete screenshot pixel dimensions for all device sizes with fallback chains, App Preview codec specs (H.264/ProRes 422 HQ, 15-30s, 500MB), icon requirements, localization rules
- Part 2: Privacy Requirements – Privacy manifest XML schema, Required Reason API categories with reason codes, Privacy Nutrition Labels, ATT, purpose strings, plus gotchas (custom values silently rejected by Xcode, IP address declaration, iOS 17 tracking domain blocking, web view collection)
- Part 3: App Review Guidelines – Verified index (Feb 6 2026 revision) for all sections 1-5, top 10 rejection causes, zero-tolerance guidelines, sensitive app types requiring extra documentation
- Part 4: Age Rating System – Five-tier ratings (4+/9+/13+/16+/18+), OS 26 adds 12+ and 17+, capability declarations, regional mapping, questionnaire topics
- Part 5: Export Compliance – Three-tier encryption system (exempt/industry-standard/proprietary), decision tree, Info.plist keys, France-specific ANSSI requirements
- Part 6: Account Requirements – Account deletion checklist, SIWA rules and exceptions, token revocation
- Part 7: Monetization – IAP submission pipeline, subscription rules, loot box disclosure, external payment eligibility, subscription group architecture
- Part 8: EU Compliance – DSA trader status, trader requirements, alternative distribution
- Part 9: Build Upload – Upload methods, build identifiers, SDK requirements, processing stages, TestFlight readiness checklist (90-day expiry, 10K external testers, 6 builds/24h limit, first external build needs full review), Xcode Cloud CI/CD (onboarding, ephemeral-VM source handling, distribution setup, build webhooks, additional repositories)
- Part 10: WWDC25 Changes – Draft submissions, reusable build numbers, accessibility nutrition labels, AI-generated tags, custom product page keywords, expanded offer codes
- Part 11: WWDC26 Changes – Product Page Header and search-results visuals via the Asset Library (standalone review, real-time swaps), Retention Messaging in the subscription cancellation flow (including the real-time server API), group and volume subscription purchasing (ABM/ASM, volume pricing bands), enhanced IAP review submissions (grouped review items, reviewSubmissions API expansion)
Key Pattern
App Review Guidelines Top Rejections
| Rank | Guideline | Issue | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.1 | Crashes, placeholders | Thorough QA |
| 2 | 4.3 | Duplicate/spam apps | Genuine unique value |
| 3 | 2.3.3 | Inaccurate screenshots | Screenshots match app |
| 4 | 5.1.1 | Privacy policy/strings | Complete all privacy |
| 5 | 4.0 | Design quality | Follow HIG |
Privacy Manifest Required Reason APIs
| Category | APIs | Common Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| File timestamp | NSFileCreationDate, NSFileModificationDate | C617.1 |
| System boot time | systemUptime, mach_absolute_time | 35F9.1 |
| Disk space | NSFileSystemFreeSize | E174.1 |
| User defaults | UserDefaults (cross-app) | CA92.1 |
Documentation Scope
This page documents the axiom-shipping reference skill — complete API-level coverage Claude uses when you need specific App Store submission details, field specs, and guideline numbers.
For submission workflow: See App Store Submission for the pre-flight checklist and anti-patterns.
For rejection diagnosis: See App Store Diagnostics for mapping rejection messages to fixes.
Related
- App Store Submission – Pre-flight checklist and submission workflow
- App Store Diagnostics – Rejection diagnosis and remediation patterns
- StoreKit 2 Reference – IAP and subscription API details
- Privacy UX Patterns – Privacy manifest implementation and ATT UX
- App Store Connect – ASC navigation, crash data, metrics
Resources
WWDC: 2022-10166, 2025-224, 2025-241, 2025-252, 2025-328, 2026-205, 2026-210, 2026-309, 2026-391
Docs: /app-store/review/guidelines, /app-store/submitting, /app-store/app-privacy-details, /help/app-store-connect
Skills: axiom-integration, axiom-shipping