Metadata Rejected on the App Store: What It Means and How to Fix It Fast

Metadata includes everything in your App Store Connect listing:

• •App name, subtitle, and description
• •Screenshots and app preview videos
• •Keywords field
• •Privacy policy URL, support URL, marketing URL
• •App category and age rating
• •Demo account credentials (if your app requires login)
• •In-App Purchase descriptions and metadata

A Metadata Rejected status means one or more of these fields violated Apple's guidelines. The reviewer leaves a message in the Resolution Center explaining the specific issue.

Metadata Rejected:

• •Issue is in your listing information, not the code
• •Fix it directly in App Store Connect
• •No new build upload needed
• •Re-review is typically faster (metadata-only review)
• •Common causes: screenshot issues, missing demo account, URL problems, description violations

Binary Rejected:

• •Issue is in the compiled app itself
• •Requires code changes and a new build upload
• •New build must process before re-review
• •Re-review goes through the full queue again
• •Common causes: crashes, private API usage, missing account deletion, IAP issues

Metadata Rejected is the faster rejection to fix. You can often resubmit within minutes of reading the Resolution Center message.

For screenshot issues specifically: export at exact App Store sizes, use Apple device frames only, remove any promotional text, and ensure no transparency. A screenshot tool that exports at correct sizes eliminates the most common metadata rejection.

• •Screenshots: correct sizes for all required device families, Apple devices only, no promotional text, no transparency
• •Demo account: provide credentials if your app requires login (username and password in App Review Information)
• •URLs: test all three URLs (privacy policy, support, marketing) in a browser — they must return 200, not 404
• •Description: no keyword stuffing, no platform mentions, no 'beta' language, no unverified claims
• •Name and subtitle: within character limits, no other app names, no pricing language
• •Age rating: complete the questionnaire accurately, especially web access and user-generated content
• •Privacy policy: covers all data your app actually collects, including third-party SDKs
• •Keywords: no other app names, no trademarks you don't own, within 100 characters
• •Category: matches app functionality
• •In-App Purchases: descriptions match actual IAP content, screenshots show real purchase screens

Run through this checklist before every submission. Most metadata rejections are preventable.

• •Metadata-only re-review: typically 12-24 hours (faster than full review)
• •The reviewer checks only the metadata you changed, not the entire app
• •If your fix doesn't address the issue, you may get rejected again with the same reason
• •Multiple metadata rejections for the same issue can slow future reviews: Apple may scrutinize your submissions more closely

The fastest path is to fix the issue correctly the first time. Read Apple's message carefully, fix exactly what they asked, and don't make unrelated changes that could trigger new issues.