How to Publish an iPhone App to the App Store: Submit Your iOS App Step by Step
A complete guide to publishing an iOS app: what Apple now requires before you can submit, your developer account, certificates and provisioning profile, the exact screenshot and metadata specs, uploading your build, TestFlight, review, and why apps get rejected.
You have built your iOS app, and now comes the part that trips up most first-time publishers: getting it live on Apple’s App Store. The process has a fixed set of moving parts, an Apple Developer account, a distribution certificate, a bundle ID, a provisioning profile, an App Store Connect listing, and a final upload and review. This guide walks through all of them in order, so the iPhone app you build with no code reaches the store cleanly the first time.
What This Guide Covers
- What Apple requires before you can submit
- Create an Apple Developer account
- Certificates, bundle ID & provisioning profile
- Exact screenshot and metadata specs
- Upload your build and submit for review
- Test with TestFlight first
- Why apps get rejected, per Apple
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Build an iPhone App FreeTL;DR Quick Summary
To publish an iPhone app to the App Store: (1) satisfy Apple’s current requirements — a valid privacy manifest, declared required-reason APIs, a working privacy policy URL and reviewer access, (2) enrol in the Apple Developer Program ($99/year), (3) create a distribution certificate, bundle ID and provisioning profile, (4) prepare one 1290 × 2796 screenshot set and your metadata, (5) build the listing in App Store Connect, (6) upload your build with Transporter, (7) test it through TestFlight, and (8) submit for review. Apple reports that 90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours.
Build an iPhone App Free →Table of Contents
Jump to any section: what Apple requires before you submit, your developer account, certificates and identifiers, the exact asset and metadata specs, the App Store Connect listing and upload, TestFlight, what happens after you submit, why apps get rejected, and an FAQ.
What Apple Requires Before You Can Publish
Four requirements now block a submission before anyone at Apple looks at your app. They are the fastest way to fail, and none of them existed when most App Store guides were written. Check all four before you touch App Store Connect.
A valid privacy manifest
Your app needs a PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy file describing the data it collects. Apple states plainly that App Store Connect rejects submissions containing invalid privacy manifest files. If the invalid file comes from a third-party SDK, you need an updated SDK from its developer, not a fix of your own.
Declared required-reason APIs
Certain APIs can be used to fingerprint a device. Apple requires you to declare why you use them, and is explicit that fingerprinting is not allowed regardless of whether the user granted permission to track. Undeclared use is a rejection, not a warning.
A working privacy policy URL
This is a required field for every iOS app, and Apple lists both broken links and privacy policy problems among its most common rejections. A link that 404s on review day fails the submission even though the app itself is fine.
Reviewer access to everything
If any feature sits behind a login, Apple needs a working demo account or a fully-featured demo mode, plus any hardware, credentials or sample data required. Your backend must be live during review. Apple asks for this explicitly in its pre-submission checklist.
The single biggest cause is more boring than policy. Apple reports that over 40% of unresolved review issues fall under guideline 2.1, App Completeness — crashes, placeholder content and incomplete information. Most rejected apps are not rejected for what they do. They are rejected for shipping unfinished.
How to Create an Apple Developer Account
Before you can submit anything, you need an Apple Developer account. The process can be unfamiliar the first time, so here is the short version (for the full walkthrough, see how to create a free Apple Developer account). Apple periodically refreshes this flow, so screen names may shift slightly.
Create your unique Apple ID
- Go to the Apple Developer portal at developer.apple.com and open the Account area.
- If you do not already have an Apple ID, choose to create one and enter the required details.
- Click the verification link Apple emails you to confirm your address.
Enrol in the Apple Developer Program
- Sign in, review and accept the Apple Developer Agreement, then choose Join the Apple Developer Program and Enroll.
- Select your entity type (individual, company/organization, or government) and enter your contact details.
- Accept the Program License Agreement and complete the purchase, the membership is a paid annual fee shown at checkout.
Set Up Your Certificates & Identifiers
Once you are enrolled, set up the signing pieces Apple needs to trust your build. You will create these in Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles on the Apple Developer site.
Download your .CSR file
- From your Appy Pie AI account, download the Certificate Signing Request (.CSR) file.
- You will use it in the certificate steps below, and come back later to download your finished .ipa build.
Create a distribution certificate
- In Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles, click + next to Certificates.
- Choose the distribution certificate for App Store and Ad Hoc (labelled Apple Distribution or iOS Distribution, either works).
- Upload your .CSR file, continue, then download the certificate.
Create a bundle ID
- Open the Identifiers tab and click + next to Identifiers.
- Choose App IDs, fill in a description and the Bundle ID, continue, then register the identifier.
Configure push notifications (APNs)
- In Identifiers, select the App ID you plan to submit and configure Push Notifications.
- Create the SSL certificate, upload your .CSR file, continue, then download the certificate.
Create your distribution provisioning profile
- Open the Profiles tab, choose Distribution, then click + and select App Store.
- Pick the App ID and the distribution certificate you created, name the profile, generate and download it.
Screenshots, Icon and Metadata: The Exact Specs
This is where first-time publishers lose an afternoon, usually by making six sets of screenshots when Apple only needs one.
You only need the 6.9″ set. Apple’s own specification notes say that when screenshots for a given display size are not provided, scaled versions of your larger screenshots are used — 6.5″, 6.3″, 6.1″, 5.5″ and 4.7″ all fall back this way. Produce 1290 × 2796 once and you are done.
| Asset or field | Apple’s requirement |
|---|---|
| Screenshots | 1 to 10 per device, .jpeg / .jpg / .png. No alpha channel or transparency — a PNG exported with a transparent background is rejected at upload. |
| 6.9″ display | 1290 × 2796 portrait (also accepts 1260 × 2736 or 1320 × 2868). Supply this and smaller sizes scale automatically. |
| 6.5″ display | 1284 × 2778 or 1242 × 2688. Required only if you do not provide 6.9″. |
| App name | 2 to 30 characters. Editable until you submit for review, then locked to the version cycle. |
| Subtitle | 30 characters maximum. |
| Privacy Policy URL | Required for every iOS app. |
| Age rating | Required. Set once at app level and applied across every platform. |
Screenshots also carry a review risk of their own: Apple lists inaccurate screenshots among its common rejections, and requires that your UI and product images match the app as it actually ships. Marketing overlays are fine; showing a screen the app does not have is not.
Create Your Listing & Submit in App Store Connect
With your signing set up, build your store listing, upload your binary, and submit. This all happens in App Store Connect plus Apple’s free Transporter app. Publishing to Google Play as well? Our guide to publishing your app on Google Play and the App Store covers the Android side.
Three fields you can never change, so get them right the first time. Your Bundle ID is frozen the moment you upload your first build and must match your Xcode project exactly. Your SKU is frozen as soon as you add the app. And if you mark an app Made for Kids, that selection cannot be changed once the app is approved. Everything else on the listing you can edit later; these three you cannot.
Create your app listing in App Store Connect
- At appstoreconnect.apple.com, open My Apps, click + and choose New App.
- Pick the platform (iOS), then enter the app name, primary language, your Bundle ID and an SKU.
- Set the category, pricing and availability, upload screenshots, and fill in the icon, age rating, copyright and App Review contact.
Upload your app build with Transporter
- On your Mac, open Transporter (Apple’s free uploader that replaced Application Loader; get it from the Mac App Store).
- Click + to add your build, choose it, and continue, Transporter validates and uploads it.
- When you see the delivered confirmation, click Done. (You can also upload from Xcode’s Organizer instead.)
Submit your app for review
- In App Store Connect, open your app’s version and add the build with the + or Select a build control.
- Choose the most recent build, confirm and save your changes.
- Click Add for Review / Submit for Review and answer the Advertising Identifier (IDFA) question, Yes if your app shows ads, otherwise No.
Test with TestFlight Before You Submit
TestFlight puts your real build on real devices before App Review sees it. Given that crashes and incomplete builds are the largest single category of rejection, this is the cheapest insurance available, and it uses the binary you already uploaded.
Upload the build you intend to ship
- In App Store Connect, open your app and go to the TestFlight tab.
- Pick the same build you uploaded with Transporter, not a separate debug build.
- Add a short “What to Test” note so testers know where to look.
Start with internal testers
- Internal testers are members of your own App Store Connect team.
- They get the build without a separate Apple review pass, so this is the fast loop.
- Use it to catch launch crashes, broken links and anything still showing placeholder text.
Add external testers if you need wider coverage
- External testers are anyone you invite by email or public link.
- The first external build goes through a Beta App Review, which is lighter than App Review.
- Fix what testing surfaces, upload a new build, then submit that one for review.
Working through TestFlight first also gives you something App Review asks for directly: confidence that the build is complete, the backend is live, and a reviewer signing in for the first time will not hit a wall.
After You Submit Your App
That is the end of the submission process. If everything was done right, your app’s status changes to Waiting for Review. Apple publishes the timing: on average, 90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours. You are emailed at each status change, and an incomplete submission is the main thing that delays it. If your app is rejected, Apple tells you why, fix the issue and resubmit the same way.
Watch your status
App Store Connect moves your app through Waiting for Review, In Review and Ready for Sale, you will be emailed at each stage.
Improve approval odds
Most rejections come from broken links, missing info or guideline issues, double-check yours before submitting. See our complete app creation and publishing guide.
Optimise your listing
Strong screenshots, keywords and a clear description drive installs after approval, this is App Store Optimization (ASO). Before you fill the fields, choose app store keywords with the six-step workflow so the name, subtitle and keyword field carry the phrases people type.
Why Apps Get Rejected, According to Apple
These are not guesses or a survey of forum posts. Apple publishes its own list of the issues that most often hold up a review, and the list below follows it. Read it before you submit rather than after you are rejected.
Crashes and bugs
Apple tests on devices running the latest software. Submit only when the build is complete and every known bug is fixed; incomplete bundles and binaries that crash are rejected outright.
Broken links
Every link in the app must work, and both a user-support link with current contact details and a privacy policy link are required.
Placeholder content
Lorem ipsum, grey boxes and “coming soon” screens cannot be approved. Finalise all images and text first.
Incomplete review information
Fill in the App Review Information section. If any feature needs a sign-in, supply a valid demo account or a full demo mode.
Privacy policy issues
The policy must meet guideline 5.1, and the URL must resolve on review day.
Unclear data access requests
When you ask for data, say clearly what you do with it. A concrete example in the permission prompt helps.
Inaccurate screenshots
Your UI and product images must match what the app actually does. Overlays are fine; inventing screens is not.
Substandard interface
Apple weights design heavily. Follow the Human Interface Guidelines rather than porting a web layout unchanged.
A website in a wrapper
Web content that is not formatted for iOS, content aggregators and collections of links do not qualify as apps. This is the one that catches website-to-app conversions done carelessly.
Repeated or copycat submissions
Several near-identical apps, or an app that copies an existing one, will not pass.
Misleading users
The app must perform as advertised. If the listing promises a feature, the app has to have it.
Not enough lasting value
Very thin functionality, or an app that serves an extremely small niche, may not be approved.
Submitted by the wrong entity
Some categories — anything handling sensitive services — must be submitted by the legal entity providing the service, not an individual developer.
If your submission does not pass, App Store Connect tells you which guideline was cited and you can fix and resubmit the same way. You can also appeal if you believe the app was misunderstood, and request an expedited review in genuinely urgent cases such as a critical bug fix. Full detail is on Apple’s App Review page.
Build Your iPhone App, Then Submit It with Confidence
Create a native iOS app with no code, get your build files ready for upload, and follow this guide to publish it to the App Store.
Build an iPhone App Read: Create a Free Apple Developer AccountFrequently Asked Questions
How do I submit an iPhone app to the App Store?
Create an Apple Developer account and enrol in the Apple Developer Program, then create a distribution certificate, a bundle ID and a provisioning profile, build your listing in App Store Connect, upload your build with Apple’s Transporter app, and submit for review. Apple’s review is usually one to two days.
Do I need an Apple Developer account to publish an app?
Yes. You must enrol in the Apple Developer Program to submit an app to the App Store. It is a paid annual membership; the current fee is shown on Apple’s checkout screen ($99/year for most accounts).
How much does it cost to publish an app on the App Store?
The main cost is the Apple Developer Program membership, an annual fee (currently $99/year for individuals and organizations). There is no separate per-app submission fee; you can publish multiple apps under one membership.
What is a distribution certificate and a provisioning profile?
A distribution certificate proves your identity so Apple trusts your build, and a provisioning profile ties your certificate, your app’s bundle ID and the App Store distribution method together. You create both in Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles on the Apple Developer site before uploading.
How do I upload my app build to App Store Connect?
Use Apple’s free Transporter app on a Mac (it replaced Application Loader). Add your build, let Transporter validate and upload it, and wait for the delivered confirmation. You can also upload directly from Xcode’s Organizer window.
How long does App Store review take?
Once your status shows Waiting for Review, Apple’s review is usually quick, often within a day or two, though it can be faster or slower during busy periods. Submit a few days before any planned launch date to be safe.
Can I submit an app to the App Store without coding?
Yes. With a no-code builder like Appy Pie AI iPhone app builder you build the app visually and it generates your iOS build files. You still need an Apple Developer account and follow the same certificate, listing and submission steps in this guide.
Why was my app rejected from the App Store?
Common reasons include broken links, missing demo/login details, incomplete metadata, crashes, or guideline violations. Apple sends the specific reason in Resolution Center, fix it and resubmit. Our complete app creation and publishing guide covers how to avoid them.
How long does Apple take to review an app?
Apple publishes the figure: on average, 90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours. You are emailed at each status change and can track progress in the Apps section of App Store Connect. An incomplete submission is the main thing that delays it.
What is a privacy manifest and do I need one?
It is a PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy property list file describing the data your app collects and the required-reason APIs it uses. You need one, and Apple rejects submissions that contain an invalid manifest. If the invalid file comes from a third-party SDK, ask that SDK’s developer for an updated version.
What screenshot sizes does the App Store need?
One set at 1290 × 2796 for the 6.9″ display covers you. Apple scales smaller display sizes from your larger screenshots when you do not supply them. You can upload 1 to 10 images in .jpeg, .jpg or .png, and they must not contain an alpha channel or transparency.
Can I change my Bundle ID or app name after submitting?
The app name is editable until you submit for review. The Bundle ID cannot change once you upload a build, the SKU cannot change once you add the app, and a Made for Kids selection is permanent after approval. Everything else on the listing can be edited in a later version.
What is the most common reason apps get rejected?
Incompleteness, not policy. Apple reports that over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness — crashes, placeholder content and missing review information. Testing on a real device and supplying a working demo account removes most of that risk before you submit.
From Build to Live on the App Store
Submitting an app feels daunting the first time, but it is just a fixed checklist: account, certificates, profile, listing, upload, submit. Work through it in order and your app reaches Waiting for Review cleanly. Still building? Appy Pie AI no-code iPhone app builder gets you a submission-ready iOS build without writing code.
Start Building Free →Build an iPhone App and Publish It to the App Store
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