Apple rejects "almost done"
There's a huge difference between a simple V1 and an unfinished app. And Apple sees it immediately.
This is probably one of the most absurd… and most common problems on App Store Connect.
Apple requests a test account. The team says : "No problem." Then at review time : wrong password, expired account, 2FA code unreachable, email never confirmed, locked access. And the review is rejected.
Not because of the product. Because of the test account.
Apple discovers your app from scratch
The problem is that before publishing, the entire team already knows the app perfectly. So tons of things feel "obvious". But Apple discovers the product completely from zero.
They don't know which flow to follow, where to tap, which user role to test, which features matter. So if access becomes complicated… the review experience degrades immediately.
The App Store Review Guidelines require full access to the product, including features hidden behind authentication.
Many rejections aren't "technical" at all
And honestly, many App Store rejections simply come from :
- bad access,
- incomplete information,
- poorly explained flows,
- or badly prepared test accounts.
The paradox is that these problems often have nothing "technical" about them. But they can massively slow a publication down. Sometimes for several days.
The minimum to prepare before submitting
When a minimum of prep usually suffices :
- create a dedicated clean account,
- disable unnecessary security (2FA on the review side if possible),
- clearly explain the flow in the review notes,
- test the account yourself before submission.
Sounds administrative. But in mobile, administrative details can cost a lot of time.
And honestly, many teams discover this reality after their first rejection.
Preparing an App Store submission and want to avoid this classic trap ? Book a 15-minute call to review the package before sending it to Apple.
