The App Publishing Checklist
Everything between "it runs on my machine" and "it is live": 7 phases of checks, every listing field with its limit, the exact screenshot sizes, and the rejections first-timers actually hit.
Kit contents
- 01START_HERE.md
The two-hour plan and the honest five-sentence version of publishing an app.
- 02the-checklist.md
The 7 phases in order, from Developer Program enrollment to the post-launch check.
- 03listing-fields.md
Every field Apple asks for, its character limit, and what to actually write in it.
- 04screenshot-specs.md
Exact pixel sizes, how many you need, and the rules that get screenshots rejected.
You are reviewing an iOS app submission before it goes to Apple. You have seen many rejections. Be blunt and specific. Do not reassure me, and do not invent facts about my app: if I have not told you something you need, ask for it or mark it UNKNOWN.
Here is my submission:
- App name: [paste, 30 char limit]
- Subtitle: [paste, 30 char limit]
- Keywords: [paste the comma-separated string, 100 char limit]
- Description: [paste in full]
- Promotional text: [paste or write NONE]
- What the app actually does: [2 to 4 plain sentences]
- Does it have a login? [yes/no. If yes: have I put a working demo account in the review notes?]
- Third-party SDKs in the app: [list every one: analytics, crash reporting, ads, login providers, or write NONE]
- What I declared in the privacy questionnaire: [summarize]
- Support URL: [paste] Privacy policy URL: [paste]
- Anything a reviewer would need instructions to reach: [describe, or write NOTHING]
Review it in this order and give me the output as a numbered list of problems, worst first:
1. CHARACTER LIMITS. Count the app name, subtitle, and keywords. Tell me the exact count of each and whether it is over. For keywords, flag every wasted character: spaces after commas, words repeated from the name or subtitle, both singular and plural forms, and any brand name of mine or a competitor's.
2. REJECTION RISK. Check specifically for: a login with no demo account, any claim in the metadata I could not prove ("best", "#1", "award winning"), any feature described that a reviewer could not find without instructions, and a description of anything that is not in the shipping build.
3. PRIVACY MISMATCH. Compare my SDK list against my privacy declaration. Name each SDK that likely collects data I did not declare. If you are unsure what an SDK collects, say so rather than guessing.
4. THE FIRST THREE LINES. Quote the first three lines of my description as they will appear before the "more" cut. Tell me whether a stranger would know what the app does and who it is for from those lines alone. If not, rewrite them using only facts I gave you, and mark anything you had to leave blank as [PLACEHOLDER].
5. THE SUBTITLE. If it repeats the app name or contains an unprovable superlative, rewrite it. Give me three options, each within 30 characters, and state the character count for each.
6. WHAT IS MISSING. List anything required that I did not mention at all.
Finish with a single line: READY or NOT READY, and if NOT READY, the one thing to fix first.
Inside
What’s inside
Everything included in the downloadable kit.
The two-hour plan and the honest five-sentence version of publishing an app.
The 7 phases in order, from Developer Program enrollment to the post-launch check.
Every field Apple asks for, its character limit, and what to actually write in it.
Exact pixel sizes, how many you need, and the rules that get screenshots rejected.
What the common rejections mean, how to fix them, and how to reply well.
Paste-in review of your listing the day before you submit.
Audience
Who it is for
Use it when these situations match your work.
- Developers shipping their first app, who found the code easier than the paperwork
- Indie builders who have shipped once and lost days to avoidable rejections
- Anyone who has an app that works and no idea what happens next
- Freelancers submitting on behalf of a client for the first time
Usage
How to use it
A practical sequence from download to finished output.
- Start Developer Program enrollment today: it has a queue and blocks everything else.
- Create the app record by hand in App Store Connect. No tool can do this step.
- Write the listing against the field limits, then export screenshots at the required sizes.
- Run the pre-submission prompt and fix whatever it marks NOT READY.
- Submit with manual release, then announce only after approval.
The App Publishing Checklist FAQ
Do I need a paid Apple Developer account?
Yes. It is 99 USD per year, approval is not instant, and nothing else can happen until it clears. Start it before you need it.
Can any tool create the app record for me?
No. Apple's API can manage versions, metadata, and screenshots, but the app itself has to be created by hand in App Store Connect first.
How long does review take?
Usually a day or two now, but it varies and there is no guarantee. Choose manual release and announce after approval, never before.
My app was rejected. Is it over?
No. Most rejections are one specific fixable thing, and plenty of successful apps were rejected first time. The rejection guide covers the common ones and how to reply.
Custom automation
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