Apple published a revised set of App Review Guidelines on October 16, 2026. There are no new fees, no new SDK requirements, and no deadline attached to this update. But several guideline numbers changed, and if you have an internal submission checklist that references the old numbering, it is now out of date. Here is what actually changed and what to do about it.
What changed
Apple describes the update as revisions to support new features, updated policies, and clarifications. The itemized changes are:
- Before You Submit and After You Submit sections now link to additional documentation.
- Guideline 1.2 was clarified regarding which app content and app types are subject to it, and now states that failing to implement appropriate safeguards — or failing to remediate violations after Apple notifies you — can constitute a Developer Code of Conduct violation.
- Guideline 2.3.14 is new and covers creative assets.
- Guideline 2.5.19 is new and restates the long-standing policy on hidden, dormant, or undocumented features, which was previously covered under Guideline 2.3.1.
- Guideline 3.1.1(a) removed the bullet point on Music Streaming Services Entitlements. That content is now incorporated into the bullet point on StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlements, with a clarification that links may be provided to a permitted destination.
- Section 5 was clarified: apps found to facilitate human trafficking and/or the exploitation of children will be removed from the App Store and blocked from alternative distribution.
Translations of the updated guidelines will appear on the Apple Developer website within one month of the announcement.
Who is affected
- Every developer submitting to App Review. The Before You Submit and After You Submit sections are the first thing App Review points you at, and they now link to more documentation. If you only skim these sections, re-read them.
- Apps with user-generated or third-party content. If your app lets users post, chat, or share anything, Guideline 1.2 applies to you. The clarification makes the enforcement consequence explicit: ignoring Apple’s notice about insufficient safeguards is now framed as a Developer Code of Conduct issue, not just a one-off rejection.
- Apps that market themselves with artwork, icons, screenshots, or previews. Creative assets now have their own guideline number, 2.3.14. Read the new text before your next metadata update.
- Anyone who has ever hidden a feature behind a flag, review-build toggle, or undocumented trigger. The policy has not changed — it has moved. Hidden, dormant, or undocumented features are now cited under 2.5.19 instead of 2.3.1.
- Music streaming apps and any app using external purchase links. The entitlement landscape in 3.1.1(a) was consolidated. If your rejection-email templates or legal notes reference the old Music Streaming Services Entitlements bullet, update them.
- Teams working in regions with alternative distribution. Section 5 now states explicitly that removal for the most serious content violations also blocks the app from alternative distribution, not just the storefront listing.
What you need to do
- Read the updated guidelines on the Apple Developer website, not a summary. The exact wording of 1.2, 2.3.14, and 2.5.19 is what reviewers will cite against you.
- Update your internal submission checklist. Replace any reference to Guideline 2.3.1 regarding hidden features with 2.5.19. Note that 2.3.1 still exists for other purposes, so do not delete the number wholesale — just fix the hidden-features citation.
- Audit your builds for hidden or dormant features. Anything that unlocks behavior only after review — server-side flags, debug menus, special inputs — should be either removed or documented as part of the app’s real functionality.
- Review your creative assets against the new 2.3.14 text before your next submission or metadata update: app icon, screenshots, previews, and any promotional artwork attached to the listing.
- If you operate external purchase links, confirm every link points to a permitted destination under the consolidated 3.1.1(a) rules, and check whether your app still references the retired Music Streaming Services Entitlements language anywhere in App Store Connect metadata or your app review notes.
- If your app has user-generated content, verify your moderation path works end to end: reporting, blocking, filtering, and a human who responds to Apple’s notices. The 1.2 clarification means a slow or missing response after a notice now carries Code of Conduct exposure.
- Follow the new documentation links in the Before You Submit and After You Submit sections and add anything relevant to your release workflow.
- If your team works in other languages, wait for the official translations, which Apple says will be available within one month, rather than relying on community translations of legal policy text.
Key dates
- October 16, 2026 — Updated App Review Guidelines published.
- Within one month of publication — Translations available on the Apple Developer website.
FAQ
Did the hidden-features policy change, or just the number?
The policy is described as long-standing; Apple clarified and renumbered it. Hidden, dormant, or undocumented features were previously handled under Guideline 2.3.1 and are now cited under 2.5.19. Nothing in the announcement suggests the underlying rule got stricter or looser, but the clarified wording is now the operative text, so read 2.5.19 directly.
What does the new Guideline 2.3.14 on creative assets cover?
It is a new guideline under the metadata section covering creative assets — the visual materials that represent your app. The announcement does not summarize the specific requirements, so treat the guidelines document itself as the source of truth and check your icon, screenshots, and previews against it before your next submission.
What happened to the Music Streaming Services Entitlements bullet in 3.1.1(a)?
It was removed as a separate bullet and incorporated into the bullet point covering the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement. Apple also clarified that links may be provided to a permitted destination. If your app uses external purchase links, review the consolidated wording and make sure your destinations are permitted under the current rule rather than the one you implemented against.