Waiting for Review in App Store Connect: Every Status

Waiting for Review means Apple received your submission, but no reviewer has opened it yet. You don't have anything to do. Just keep your demo account and your server up, and above all, don't remove the version to send it again: the review would start over from scratch.

Here are the other App Store Connect statuses, with what each one asks of you. I checked the labels on October 25, 2026 in App Store Connect, on my own apps. The definitions come from the official status page.

App Store Connect statuses

Each status comes with a colored dot: red, you need to act; yellow, something is in progress, on your side or Apple's; green, the app is ready for distribution.

Status	What it means	Your action
Prepare for Submission	Version being prepared	Fill in the listing
Ready for Review	Everything filled in, nothing sent	Submit
Invalid Binary	Build doesn't meet requirements	Upload another build
Waiting for Review	Received, not opened yet	Wait
In Review	A reviewer is looking at it	Stay reachable
Accepted	Approved, another item was rejected	Fix or remove the other item
Pending Developer Release	Approved, waiting for your go-ahead	Release whenever you want
Ready for Distribution	Approved and distributable	Check your agreements
Rejected	Version rejected	Read the message
Metadata Rejected	Listing rejected, not the build	Fix it, then reply
Developer Rejected	You pulled it from review	Resubmit when you're ready

Right before distribution, you may also see Processing for Distribution: the app is being processed and will be distributable within 24 hours.

Two rarer statuses exist. Pending Apple Release: Apple holds your version until the public release of the OS it targets; check your build's deployment target if that wasn't intended. Waiting for Export Compliance: Apple is reviewing your CCATS file.

The statuses of the build itself, like Missing Compliance or Expired, are a separate list, covered in the guide on the build number and version.

What each status asks of you

Before sending

Prepare for Submission is the starting point of every version. Ready for Review means everything is filled in and you've said you want to submit. Nothing has gone to Apple until you've actually sent the submission. In this state, your images and videos can no longer be edited.

Invalid Binary flags a build that doesn't meet the current requirements. Apple asks you to upload a new one, or to pick one that complies.

During review

Waiting for Review: you can still edit some information, or remove the submission. You can no longer upload or edit screenshots or app previews.

In Review: a member of App Review is testing your app. If any part requires signing in, the App Review page asks for a valid demo account in the App Review Information section. The App Review Guidelines also require your backend services to be live and accessible during review.

After review

Pending Developer Release is the most misleading one: your app is approved, but it's not on sale. You chose manual release, and Apple is waiting for your signal. The button at the top right of the version page (Release This Version in Apple's help) releases it, and it can take up to 24 hours to show up. According to the help page on release options, Apple sends you a reminder email after 30 days in this state.

Ready for Distribution: the app is approved and distributable, as long as your agreements are in effect. The Account Holder accepts the latest ones in the Business section. For a paid app or one with a subscription, that's the Paid Apps Agreement.

Accepted shows up on an approved item when another item in the same submission, a subscription for example, was rejected. The app only goes out once everything is accepted: fix the rejected item or remove it from the submission.

Rejections

Rejected: App Review explains why in the App Review section. The submission moves to Unresolved Issues and, according to the help on these submissions, you can no longer add items to it. The steps to follow are in replying to App Review.

Metadata Rejected: the problem is in your listing, not your code. You read the message, fix the metadata and reply. No new build needed. A 2.3.10 rejection for mentioning Android in the listing is one example.

Developer Rejected: the label sounds scary, but you're the one who pulled the version from review. Nothing was rejected on the merits. Resubmit the same build, or a new one, when you're ready.

In every case, only resubmit after fixing everything: Apple warns that resubmitting with unresolved issues delays the review and leads to the same result.

When Waiting for Review drags on

Apple doesn't set any threshold after which the wait becomes abnormal. Its targets, and what they're worth in practice, are in the guide on App Store review time. If you go past them, the Track a submission's review status page lists three cases that take longer to review:

• Little or no review history, which is the case for a first app.
• Documents to confirm: authorizations, licenses, partnership agreements.
• Complex or new topics: regulated content, new platform capabilities, enabled entitlements.

An investigation into fraud or manipulation, like fake reviews or a feature hidden from the reviewer, can also extend the review.

To track the wait, open History in your app's sidebar: according to the help on status history, every status change is listed there with its date. To get an email on every change, turn on the App Status Reports notification in user management.

Don't remove your version to bump it

This is the most costly reflex. According to Apple's help on removing a submission, a removed version leaves the queue and moves to Developer Rejected. If you resubmit it, the review starts over from the beginning.

Requesting an expedited review

Apple reserves expedited review for real emergencies and gives two examples: fixing a critical bug, and a release tied to an event related to your app.

1. Submit the app first: only a submission that's already been sent can be expedited.
2. When you submit, fill in the Notes field: for a critical bug, explain the bug the version fixes; for an event, give its name, its date and how your app relates to it. Add a demo account if any features require signing in.
3. Send the Request an Expedited App Review form, choosing the app and the platform.

App Review looks at each request and expedites based on availability. A request is never a guarantee.

Contacting Apple

For a submission in progress, the App Review help points to the Reply to App Review button in App Store Connect: a specialist who knows your app replies. This field isn't for requesting an expedited review or filing an appeal, which have their own forms. After App Review replies, you can request a call with an Apple representative in the same window. These calls usually happen within three to five business days.

TestFlight: a build Waiting for Review for external testers

The same status, Waiting for Review, exists in the TestFlight tab, for a different review. The list of build statuses makes the distinction:

• Internal testers: a build with the Ready to Submit status can already be distributed to them, with no beta review.
• External testers: the build goes to TestFlight App Review and moves to Waiting for Review, then In Beta Review. External testing only starts after approval.

The help on external testers says the first build of a version needs a full review, but the following ones don't necessarily. Only one build per version can be in review at a time, and you can submit up to six per 24-hour period. A rejected build moves to Rejected and can no longer be used in TestFlight: you have to upload a new one. The rest is in the guide TestFlight to test your iPhone app.

Shortening the wait before you send

Apple says it on its tracking page: to reduce review time, fill in the App Review Information section and attach all required documents before sending. The Apple Review Kit contains my pre-submission checklist and note templates for the reviewer: demo account, in-app purchase, hidden features.

Getting ready for your first submission? The free diagnostic sends you my Apple anti-rejection checklist and tells you what's left to do. Every step is gathered in publishing an app on the App Store.

Frequently asked questions

What does Waiting for Review mean in App Store Connect?

Apple received your submission, but the review hasn't started. You can still edit some information, but not your screenshots or app previews.

How long does Waiting for Review last?

Apple publishes target times, not a guarantee, and no alert threshold. A first app, with no review history, is one of the cases Apple says takes longer to review.

Should I remove my version if the wait is too long?

No. A removed version moves to Developer Rejected, and the review starts over from the beginning when you resubmit it. For a real emergency, like fixing a critical bug, request an expedited review instead.

What does Pending Developer Release mean in App Store Connect?

Apple approved your version, but you chose to release it yourself. It's not on sale until you release it from its page.

Why is my TestFlight build Waiting for Review?

Its Waiting for Review status means you submitted it for external testers: it's waiting for TestFlight App Review, and external testing starts after approval. Internal testers don't need this review.