How do you submit an app to the App Store?

Apple's process is strict, technical, and easy to misstep. It's the question every builder hits the moment their app is ready to ship: how do you submit an app to the App Store without running into rejections, privacy issues, or confusing build errors?

This guide breaks down Apple's requirements step by step. If you're building with Anything, most of this happens automatically—the platform handles your build, signing, and App Store submission while you focus on your app. Understanding what Apple requires helps you avoid rejections, regardless of how you build.

If you're using Anything

Anything handles the technical requirements automatically—no Xcode installation, no SDK management, no certificate configuration. You'll still need to prepare your visual assets (app icon, screenshots) and marketing content (description, keywords), but the build and submission process is handled by the platform.

What Anything automates:

• iOS and Android builds from a single codebase
• Code signing and provisioning profiles
• Build uploads to App Store Connect
• Common rejection issue detection before submission

What you still prepare:

• App icon and screenshots
• App Store description and keywords
• Privacy policy URL
• Compliance questionnaire answers

Skip ahead to "Step 4: Add App Store details" for the parts that require your input. The sections below on Xcode, archives, and build uploads won't apply to you.

What you need before you submit

Start with an active Apple Developer account, which gives you access to App Store Connect. Beyond this baseline, here's what every builder needs—whether you're using Anything or submitting manually.

Visual assets:

• App icon at 1024×1024 px for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS (other sizes for tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS if applicable)
• Screenshots for all required device sizes (1–10 per device type)
• 30-character subtitle

Marketing content:

• App Store description
• 100-character keyword list (comma-separated, no spaces)
• Promotional text
• Category selection and age rating

Compliance requirements:

• Publicly accessible privacy policy URL
• Privacy manifest file matching App Privacy questionnaire (mandatory since May 1, 2024)
• EU trader status information
• Export compliance details (encryption documentation—HTTPS connections count)

Any discrepancies between your privacy documents and your app's actual behavior will trigger automatic rejections.

For manual submission only (Anything handles these automatically):

• Xcode 16 and iOS 18 SDK (mandatory since April 2025)
• Verified toolchain and signing certificates
• Provisioning profiles configured correctly

1. Create your App Store listing

Open App Store Connect, head to "My Apps," and click the add button (+) in the top left. Select "New App" from the menu, and Apple walks you through the basic setup:

• Platform: Choose iOS, macOS, tvOS, etc.
• App name: Must be unique across the entire App Store
• Bundle ID: Select from the dropdown—this unique identifier tracks your app and can't be changed later
• SKU: An internal tracking code for your own records that Apple never displays publicly

After creating the app record, you'll see the full App Store Connect interface with sections for App Information, Pricing and Availability, and your version details.

2. Prepare your app for production

"It works on my device" isn't enough. Apple's reviewers test on physical devices with various iOS versions, and performance issues are the top rejection category according to Apple's 2024 data.

Test on physical devices

Test on devices running iOS versions from 16.0 through 18—that's the range reviewers actually use. Most developers test on devices where the app is already installed, which means everything works smoothly. But reviewers test on fresh devices where your app has never been installed, and that's where first-launch crashes reveal themselves.

Configure version numbers correctly

Your version number (like 1.0.0) and build number (1, 2, 3) need to follow Apple's rules: you can reuse a version number when fixing a rejected submission, but you need a new build number each time you upload.

Write specific permission strings

Generic strings like "This app needs camera access" get rejected. Instead, explain exactly why: "Camera access allows you to scan QR codes for event check-in and take photos to share in your posts."

Before submitting, verify your app icon displays correctly in all contexts, all interactive elements actually respond when tapped, and you've removed any "Coming Soon" placeholders that don't lead anywhere.

Anything users: The platform automatically builds and tests your app across iOS versions, catches common rejection issues like generic permission strings, and ensures your app is production-ready before submission. You won't need Xcode or manual testing across SDK versions.

3. Upload your build

If you're using Xcode directly, archive your project (Product → Archive), then use Organizer to distribute to App Store Connect. Select "Upload," configure App Thinning and distribution options, then run "Validate App" to catch signing errors before uploading. When validation passes, upload the build.

This is where the traditional process gets technical—provisioning profiles, code signing certificates, and archive validation errors. Each step has its own failure modes, and debugging signing issues can consume hours.

Anything users: The platform handles builds, signing, and uploads automatically. You won't touch Xcode, configure certificates, or troubleshoot provisioning errors. Your build appears in App Store Connect ready for submission.

4. Add App Store details

Once your build is uploaded, you need to make people actually want to download it. Your App Store listing is your storefront—it determines whether browsers become users.

Write your description for skimmers

Start with what the app does and who it's for, then explain the main features in plain language. Front-load the important information because most users only see the first few lines before the "more" button, which means marketing fluff wastes your best real estate.

Choose keywords strategically

You get 100 characters total, separated by commas with no spaces. Focus on terms people actually search for, not aspirational words you wish they'd associate with your app. Check what competitors rank for and find gaps.

Capture screenshots from your actual app

Reviewers compare your screenshots to your submitted build, so use real screens from your current version—not mockups, not conceptual designs, not placeholder content. Show real data, not Lorem Ipsum.

Set up in-app purchases correctly

If you have subscriptions or one-time purchases, create each product in App Store Connect with its own ID, pricing, and description. Verify each shows "Ready to Submit" status before you submit your app, because mismatched purchase states cause rejections.

5. Complete Apple's compliance questions

The compliance questions feel overwhelming because Apple doesn't explain them in plain English. Here's what you actually need to know.

Nearly every app requires encryption documentation

HTTPS connections count as encryption under export regulations. If your app makes any secure network requests (and it almost certainly does), you'll need to declare this.

Privacy manifest requirements are strict

Since May 1, 2024, you must document all data collection in your PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy file, and you must select from Apple's predefined approved reasons for each API you access. The privacy questionnaire asks about each data type:

• Whether you collect it
• Whether it's linked to user identity
• Whether it's used for tracking

You must disclose all data collection by your app and any third-party SDKs you've integrated. Mismatches between your manifest and your app's actual behavior trigger automatic rejections.

EU trader status matters

Since February 17, 2025, apps without trader status are removed from the App Store in the EU until status is provided and verified. If you sell goods or services to EU consumers in a professional or commercial capacity, you qualify as a "trader" and must provide your physical address, phone number, and email in App Store Connect. If you're distributing a free app without commercial activity, declare "not a trader" status.

Anything users: The platform's AI agent analyzes your build for privacy manifest errors and configuration problems before submission, catching issues that would otherwise result in rejection.

6. Submit for review

After you've completed all metadata, uploaded your build, and answered compliance questions, click "Submit for Review" in App Store Connect.

According to Apple's official metrics, 90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours. You can track your app's status in App Store Connect:

• Waiting for Review: Your app is in the queue
• In Review: A reviewer is actively evaluating your submission
• Approved or Rejected: You'll receive notification of the outcome

During holiday periods (especially December 20–26), Apple officially warns that reviews take longer because of high submission volume. Plan accordingly if you have a time-sensitive launch.

7. Fix rejections (if needed)

Rejections are normal, even for experienced developers. Here are the common issues and how to fix them.

Crashes or incomplete features

These are the most common rejection reasons. Apps that crash during review are automatically rejected under Guideline 2.1. Reviewers test on fresh devices you may not have tested on, so crashes that never happened in your development environment can surface during review. The fix: test on physical devices across iOS 16.0 through the latest version, add robust error handling for network requests, and either complete or remove any "Coming Soon" features.

Inaccessible privacy policy or vague permission strings

These trigger rejections because reviewers verify they can access your policy and understand why you need each permission. Make sure your privacy policy URL works without requiring login, and update permission strings to explain exactly why each permission is necessary.

Screenshot mismatches or misleading metadata

These get caught because reviewers compare your screenshots to your actual app. Replace any placeholder sections with functional alternatives, capture fresh screenshots from your submitted build, and verify every feature shown in screenshots is accessible and working.

Missing Sign in with Apple

This is required under Apple guidelines section 4.8 if your app uses third-party login services. You must offer Sign in with Apple as an equivalent option, positioned at the same level as Google, Facebook, or other login methods.

Broken login or payment flows

These result in rejection because reviewers can't access your app's core features. Provide valid test credentials in the App Review Information section, verify your sandbox environment works for in-app purchases, and test your payment integration on a fresh device with test accounts.

How to respond to a rejection

Use the Resolution Center in App Store Connect. Click "Reply to App Review" to explain your fixes or ask for clarification. For metadata-only rejections, you can often fix the issue and resubmit the same build. For code-related rejections, you'll need to upload a new build with an incremented build number.

If you believe Apple misunderstood your app, submit an appeal through the official appeal form—but make sure you've genuinely addressed the stated concerns first.

8. Release your app

After approval, you control when your app becomes available. App Store Connect offers 3 release options:

1. Automatic release makes your app available immediately after approval. Best for urgent bug fixes or when you're ready to go live the moment Apple says yes.
2. Manual release gives you complete control over timing. Use this when you need to coordinate with a marketing campaign, prepare your support team, or align with a specific launch date.
3. Phased release (only available for updates, not initial releases) rolls out your update gradually over 7 days. This reduces risk by exposing only a percentage of users to potential issues initially—useful for significant updates where you want to catch problems before they affect everyone.

Skip the technical friction

The App Store is where apps become businesses. A med student built a CPR training app on Anything and now charges $85/month per user. A real estate agent launched a property portal earning $85/month in subscriptions plus $1,000 from training sessions. They didn't learn Xcode or fight provisioning errors—they described what they wanted, and Anything built, tested, and submitted it.

The traditional submission process requires mastering Xcode, understanding code signing, and troubleshooting cryptic provisioning errors. Each step has failure modes that can consume hours or days.

Anything eliminates these barriers:

• Automatic iOS and Android builds from a single codebase—no platform-specific setup
• Zero Xcode configuration—the platform handles installation, updates, and environment management
• Automatic signing and provisioning—certificates and profiles configured without manual intervention
• Direct App Store Connect integration—builds upload automatically with proper credentials
• AI agent pre-submission review—catches common rejection issues before you submit

If you're ready to skip the technical friction and get your app in front of paying customers, build with Anything.