The short answer: Apple says App Review typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. That is typical, not guaranteed. Incomplete submissions, rejections and busy seasons such as the December holidays make it longer. After approval, allow up to another 24 hours before the app appears on the App Store.
App Store review time: what Apple says
Apple’s App Review page says App Review “works around the clock”, typically reviewing at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Two details matter:
- It is a statistic about all submissions, not a promise for yours. Roughly one submission in ten takes longer than two days.
- The clock covers review, not release. Once approved, the app still has to be processed and appear on the App Store.
Apple also says that if a submission is incomplete, “review times may be delayed or your submission may not pass.”
The timeline, status by status
What you see in App Store Connect tells you where the wait is. These are Apple’s own status definitions:
| Status | What it means | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Ready for Review | All required metadata is in, but the app hasn’t been submitted yet. Nothing is waiting at Apple. | Submit it. Until you do, the review clock hasn’t started. |
| Waiting for Review | Apple received your submission but hasn’t started the review. | Edit certain app information, or remove the build from review. You can’t upload or edit screenshots or app previews. |
| In Review | App Review is reviewing the app. | Keep the demo account and backend working. Watch your email. |
| Rejected / Metadata Rejected | The app or its metadata wasn’t accepted. | Read the message in App Store Connect, fix the issue, reply or resubmit. |
| Pending Developer Release | Accepted; you chose to release it yourself. | Release when you’re ready. |
| Processing for Distribution | Accepted and being processed. | Apple says it will be ready within 24 hours. |
| Ready for Distribution | Accepted and ready. | Your agreements must be in effect for the app to distribute. |
Apple emails you when the status changes, and you can also check it in the App Store Connect app on iPhone or iPad.
Most of the waiting happens in Waiting for Review. That is the queue. In Review is usually much shorter.
Why your review is taking so long
1. The submission is incomplete. Apple says that, on average, over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness: crashes, placeholder content and incomplete information. A missing demo account or a broken sign-in can send the app back and restart the wait. See our plain-language guide to the App Review Guidelines.
2. It was rejected, and you are waiting again. Each resubmission goes back through review. The fastest way out is to fix exactly what the rejection message names and say so in your reply.
3. It is the holiday season. Apple accepts submissions over the holidays but warns of high volume. In 2024 it said reviews might take longer from December 20 to 26 and asked developers to submit time-sensitive releases early. Check Apple Developer News in late November for this year’s notice.
4. It is your first app. A new app has no history with App Review, and everything is checked from scratch: the listing, privacy answers, sign-in, payments. Updates to an approved app tend to have less to check.
Stuck in “Waiting for Review”: what to check
Before assuming the queue is slow, rule out the things you can fix:
- Messages. Open App Review in App Store Connect and your email. A question from the reviewer stops progress until you answer.
- Reviewer access. If the app has accounts, the App Review Information section needs a working demo account or a demo mode, plus notes for anything not obvious.
- Your backend. Servers, test data and any paid features the reviewer needs must be live for the whole review.
- Agreements. An app can only be distributed when your agreements are in effect. The Account Holder accepts them in the Business section.
- Wait past the 48-hour mark before you act. Most submissions are reviewed by then.
If you have a genuine emergency, you can request an expedited review. Apple considers two cases: a critical bug fix in the live version (include the steps to reproduce it), or a release tied to an event you are directly associated with (include the event, its date and your connection to it). A missed internal deadline doesn’t count. Our expedited review guide walks through the form and what to write.
Think twice before removing a build from review. Apple says the app is removed from the queue, its status changes to Developer Rejected, and if you resubmit, the review process starts over. Do it only if you need to change something you can’t edit while waiting, such as screenshots.
After approval: how long until the app is live
- Automatic release: the app goes out once approved. Apple says it can take up to 24 hours to appear on the App Store.
- Manual release: the status stays Pending Developer Release until you press release.
- Scheduled release: released automatically after approval, but no earlier than a date you set.
- Updates: you can turn on phased release, which reaches users with automatic updates over seven days.
If a launch date matters, submit early and schedule the release instead of submitting on the day.
If the app is rejected
A rejection isn’t the end of the timeline. Apple sends the reason and the guideline in App Store Connect. Fix it, reply, and resubmit. If you think the reviewer misunderstood the app, reply with specifics first and appeal to the App Review Board only after that.
Apple also has a shortcut for updates: if you submit a bug fix and the reviewer finds other issues, you can usually ship the fix now and resolve the other issues in your next submission, as long as there are no legal or safety concerns.
A real example: when the Irohas Photo film lab shipped its app, Canistr, the first version was rejected under guideline 5.1.1(v), which covers account deletion. It was rejected before lunch; AirBuild fixed the issue and resubmitted it after lunch. Read the Irohas story.
How AirBuild handles App Review
AirBuild’s AI agents build the iPhone app and take it through App Review: the listing, the privacy answers, the reviewer notes and demo access, and the fixes if Apple sends it back. The parts of the wait that come from an incomplete submission are the parts we work to remove. The queue itself is Apple’s. Join the waitlist to get early access.
New to publishing? Start with how to publish an app on the App Store and our beginner’s guide to App Store Connect.
FAQ
How long does App Store review take in 2026?
Apple’s published figure is unchanged: at least 50% of submissions reviewed in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours. Individual waits vary, and holiday weeks are usually slower.
Why is my app review taking so long?
The usual causes are an incomplete submission (missing demo account, crashes, placeholder content), a rejection that sent the app back into the queue, or seasonal volume. Check App Store Connect for messages from App Review first.
What does “Waiting for Review” mean in App Store Connect?
Apple has received your submission but hasn’t started reviewing it. You can still edit some app information, but not screenshots or app previews.
How can I speed up App Store review?
Submit a complete app with working reviewer access. For a critical bug fix or an event-tied release, request an expedited review. There is no paid fast lane.
How long after approval does an app appear on the App Store?
Up to 24 hours after release, according to Apple. With manual release, the clock starts when you press release.
How long does review take after a rejection?
Apple doesn’t publish a separate figure. A resubmission goes back through review, so the same typical times apply.