App Store Review Stuck? What 'In Review' Actually Means and What to Do
You submitted your app or update, and now it's been sitting "In Review" for what feels like forever. Is something wrong? Has it been flagged? Will it be rejected? This guide explains what each status actually means, what counts as normal vs. genuinely stuck, and exactly what steps to take when something seems off.
The App Store Review Status Lifecycle
Every submission moves through a sequence of states in App Store Connect. Understanding what each one means helps you recognize when something is actually wrong versus when you're just being impatient.
Prepare for Submission → You're still making changes. No review process has started.
Waiting for Review → Your submission is in the queue. A reviewer has not yet been assigned. This is completely normal and can last anywhere from a few hours to 2–3 days depending on volume.
In Review → An Apple reviewer is actively examining your submission. This usually lasts 1–24 hours but can occasionally stretch to 48–72 hours for complex apps or apps in sensitive categories.
Pending Developer Release → Apple approved the app and is waiting for you to trigger the release. Nothing is stuck — you need to take action.
Ready for Sale → Your app is live.
Rejected → The reviewer found an issue and sent it back with a guideline citation. Check your Resolution Center for details.
Metadata Rejected → Your screenshots, description, or other listing content was rejected without rejecting the binary. You can resubmit metadata separately.
What "Normal" Looks Like in 2026
Based on community reports and Apple's own guidance, here are typical timelines for 2026:
- App updates: 90% reviewed within 24 hours; ~95% within 48 hours
- New app submissions: 24–48 hours for most; occasionally 3–5 days for first submissions or apps in new categories
- Apps with sensitive content (medical, financial, children's, adult): often takes 3–5 days as they go to specialist reviewers
The App Store Review Guidelines don't specify timelines, and Apple has said that most apps are reviewed within 24 hours. Apps requesting special capabilities (background processing, health data, VPN profiles) often take longer.
When Is It Actually Stuck?
"Stuck" means different things at different stages:
Waiting for Review → Stuck threshold: 5–7 days The queue is usually processed within 3 days. If you've been waiting longer than 5 days, it's worth investigating. Heavy volume periods (mid-November through December, post-WWDC in June) can extend this.
In Review → Stuck threshold: 72 hours Active review rarely takes more than 48 hours. If your submission has shown "In Review" for 3+ days, something may have caught the reviewer's attention that requires additional scrutiny or internal consultation.
Note: Transitions between states aren't always visible in real time. App Store Connect's status updates can lag by several hours.
How to Check Your Status
In App Store Connect:
- Go to My Apps → select your app
- Check the version/build status under the iOS App section
- Check the App Review section for any messages or notes
App Review Information page: Apple maintains a system status page at developer.apple.com/system-status/ that shows if any App Store services are experiencing issues. Occasional outages do delay reviews.
Community resources: Sites like AppFollow and various Twitter/X developer communities track real-time review times based on developer reports. During high-volume periods, these community reports often flag slowdowns faster than official channels acknowledge them.
What to Do When Your App Is Stuck
Step 1: Double-check your submission completeness
Before contacting anyone, verify:
- All required screenshots are uploaded for every device size you support
- Export compliance information is completed
- Privacy nutrition label is accurate and complete
- App Review notes are filled in (especially for apps requiring login)
- No "Additional Information Required" flags are showing
An incomplete submission may sit indefinitely without entering the review queue.
Step 2: Wait the appropriate threshold
For "Waiting for Review" — wait at least 5 business days before taking action. For "In Review" — wait at least 72 hours before taking action. These thresholds help distinguish normal processing delays from genuine stuck scenarios.
Step 3: Contact App Review via Resolution Center
If you've hit the threshold, send a polite inquiry through the Resolution Center:
"Our submission of [App Name] (version [X.X]) has shown 'In Review' status for [X] days without update. We're not requesting expedited review — we just want to confirm that the review is progressing normally and that no additional information is needed from our end."
This kind of inquiry typically generates a response within 1–2 business days. Often, it results in the review being completed shortly after, suggesting that the message re-queues attention on the submission.
Step 4: Request Expedited Review (if time-sensitive)
If the delay is genuinely causing business impact — a critical bug fix, a time-sensitive feature launch, or a regulatory deadline — you can request expedited review. This is different from a general inquiry and should only be used when there's a legitimate urgency. See our guide on how to request an expedited App Store review for details on eligibility and how to submit.
Step 5: Check for Technical Issues
Occasionally, apps get stuck due to processing issues unrelated to the review itself — binary processing failures, metadata indexing problems, or rare system errors. If App Store Connect shows any unusual states or if you see error messages in the build details, contact Apple Developer Support directly at developer.apple.com/support/.
Common Misconceptions
"My app will be rejected because it's taking so long." Not true. Length of review time is not correlated with rejection probability. Some apps take longer because they're in a new category Apple is evaluating carefully, or because a specialist reviewer needed to be involved — both of which can lead to approval.
"My competitor's update went live while mine is still 'In Review' — something is wrong." Apps from different developers are reviewed independently and in parallel. Queue position depends on submission time, not competitive order.
"I should resubmit to restart the queue." Don't do this. Canceling and resubmitting a build that's already "In Review" resets your position in the queue and can delay you further. Only cancel a submission if you need to fix a genuine issue with the build.
Monitor Your App Store Reviews Automatically
Staying on top of every review is crucial for maintaining your rating and catching issues early. AppStoreReview monitors your app across 175+ countries, sends instant alerts for negative reviews, and lets you set keyword filters — so you never miss a critical review again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is too long to be 'In Review'?
Most apps move out of 'In Review' within 24 hours. If your submission has been 'In Review' for more than 48 hours without any action, it may be flagged for additional scrutiny. At 72+ hours with no update, it's reasonable to contact App Review through the Resolution Center to ask for a status update.
Does contacting Apple speed up a review?
Reaching out through the Resolution Center for a simple status check does not typically speed up the review. However, if your submission is genuinely stuck due to a technical issue on Apple's end, a polite inquiry can prompt action. For time-sensitive updates, consider submitting an expedited review request through developer.apple.com/contact/app-store/.
Why does the review status sometimes show 'In Review' and then go back to 'Waiting for Review'?
This usually means your submission was assigned to a reviewer but then returned to the queue — either because the reviewer encountered a question, needed a different specialist, or the review session was interrupted. It is not a rejection and does not indicate a problem. The second review typically completes faster.
Is there a way to check my exact position in the review queue?
Apple does not provide queue position information. The best public resource for current review times is AppFollow or Apple's own unofficial community data. The Apple Developer Forums sometimes have threads where developers share current wait times, which can help calibrate expectations.