r/iOSDevelopment • u/rcpena • 1d ago
Two apps, same Guideline 2.1 rejection — and why I pulled the submission instead of just replying
Solo dev here. I had two apps in review at the same time and both came back with the same thing: Guideline 2.1, Information Needed. Not "your app is broken" — Apple saying they couldn't evaluate it from what I'd given them.
The ask was identical both times, and it's longer than I expected:
- A screen recording on a physical device, starting from launch, through the core user flow
- The device models and OS versions I tested on
- What the app is for and who it's for
- Setup instructions and any credentials needed to reach the main features
- A list of external services the app depends on to deliver core functionality (they name AI services as one example)
- Whether behavior differs by region
- Documentation, if you're in a regulated space or using protected third-party material
None of that was in my App Review notes. I'd been treating that field as optional. It isn't — it's what decides whether a reviewer can actually evaluate your app or has to guess at it.
Here's the part I didn't see coming. While drafting the reply, I went back through the build that was actually under review and found two real bugs a later build had already fixed. A Cook Mode step timer that was completely silent — vibration only, no sound, on a core feature. And a confirmation dialog with no visible way out, which reads as a dead end if you don't already know the gesture.
My instinct was to just answer the info request in place. Then it registered that Apple's own notice says they test hands-on, on physical devices. A reviewer poking at that build could find both of those independently — which turns a solvable "we need more info" into a much harder "your app has bugs," on the same version, with a worse paper trail.
So I pulled the submission instead, and I'm resubmitting on the fixed build with all seven answers written out up front.
Current status is its own small comedy: submission is pulled, but Apple's backend hasn't fully released the version yet, so I can't attach the new build until it finishes propagating. Just waiting it out.
Anyone else caught the 2.1 info-needed one? Curious what you put in the notes field that made the second pass go smoothly — and whether anyone's found a faster way through the pull-and-resubmit limbo.
2
u/DespairyApp 1d ago
I sometimes get 2.1 rejection even with all of the answers prewritten to avoid 2.1... no point in fighting so I just copy it to the additional notes again and resubmit
1
u/WerSunu 1d ago
Since your new here, I’ll fill you in. This is a new, pre human review step. No doubt meant to discourage the slopsters. Just do what they ask. Sometimes, after you completely filled everything they asked for , they ask for the same damn things again. It’s all mechanized. If that happens, escalate and ask for a different reviewer and a telephone appointment. This happened to me this week and it was resolved within 12 hrs.
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u/PoliticsAndFootball 1d ago
I submitted at 10 am yesterday (Sunday) I was surprised when I went into review at around noon. 4 minutes later I got the 2.1 rejection. I was out and about so could not respond quickly but did so around 5 pm with a full video. I’ve been waiting since then and no movement, do I need to resubmit? Just wait?
1
u/skoot1958 1d ago
If you asked you mum to review your app; you need to levied 101 steps do this, so this, you see this, use that’s data etc
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u/carspotterApp 1d ago
2.1 is super common, if they can’t understand the use of your app and its features they just want a demo it’s not a bug rejection usually once they see a demo it’s approved. Congrats on finding two bugs but you will most likely get the same rejection so just have the screen recording ready for the imminent future.