Guideline 2.1 Information Needed reply: review notes
Parent: Mac App Store App Review Guidelines for Sandboxed Utilities · Published reference · snapshot 2026-10-02
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Source-anchored research for Guideline 2.1 Information Needed reply: review notes. Run status: COMPLETED.
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How it works
- 'Information Needed' is a provisional rejection under Guideline 2.1: App Review asks questions (costs, hardware, account creation, business model, login access) because it could not complete review; the developer answers in Resolution Center or in the App Review Information section of App Store Connect. (high confidence) [source]
- Many Information Needed rejections need no new build: after correcting the App Review Information (demo account, notes) the developer can reply in Resolution Center; a new binary is only needed if a code bug is the cause. (medium confidence) [source]
Problems, failure modes and limitations
- Guideline 2.1(b) tells developers to explain in review notes any configured in-app purchase that the reviewer cannot find in the app. (low confidence) (verified as of 2026-10-02) [source]
- Unclear or evasive replies can trigger a slow secondary review; one author advises budgeting an extra 1-2 weeks when a reply is likely to prompt follow-up questions, so answer each question directly and completely. (medium confidence) [source]
- Effective review notes are short (3-5 lines), give concrete navigation to the features under review, list working credentials (no 2FA/email/SMS gate, not expired), explain features needing hardware the reviewer lacks, and avoid marketing copy; stale UI directions are a common pitfall. (medium confidence) [source]
Facts and statements
- Guideline 2.1(a) requires final, fully functional submissions with complete metadata and working URLs, demo account info if the app has a login (with the back-end turned on), and permits a built-in demo mode in place of a demo account only with prior Apple approval; apps that crash or are incomplete are rejected. (high confidence) (verified as of 2026-10-02) [source]
- Apple's standard text for flagged apps says the app gets a longer review and is ineligible for expedited review until the developer confirms compliance; resubmitting without the requested confirmation keeps the longer review. (medium confidence) [source]
- Replies may be written in the developer's preferred language, and developers should avoid loose wording that raises extra concerns. (low confidence) [source]
Children
- No children recorded.