# Guideline 2.1 - App Completeness: Missing Launch Screen

**Guideline:** 2.1 · **Store:** Apple App Store · **Risk:** low · **Difficulty:** easy

Canonical URL: https://appstorereject.com/rejections/apple/2/guideline-21-app-completeness-missing-launch-screen

## Description

Your app has no launch screen configured. Without a launch screen, iOS shows a black screen on startup — Apple will reject the app.

## Resolution steps

1. **Create a LaunchScreen.storyboard** — In Xcode, File → New → File → Launch Screen. Design a simple screen with your app logo or a solid background color. Avoid text that needs localization.

2. **Configure Info.plist** — Ensure `UILaunchStoryboardName` is set to `LaunchScreen` (without the `.storyboard` extension). Alternatively, in Build Settings, set `INFOPLIST_KEY_UILaunchStoryboardName` to `LaunchScreen`.

3. **Or use UILaunchScreen API (iOS 14+)** — Instead of a storyboard, add a `UILaunchScreen` dictionary to Info.plist with `BackgroundColor` and optional `ImageName` keys. This is simpler but less flexible.

4. **Remove any launch image references** — If migrating from an older project, remove `UILaunchImageName` from Info.plist and delete any `LaunchImage` asset sets. Launch images are deprecated.

5. **Test on multiple device sizes** — Verify the launch screen renders correctly on iPhone SE, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad. The storyboard should use Auto Layout constraints, not fixed sizes.

**Prevention:**
- Always include a launch screen in new project templates
- Test the launch screen on the smallest and largest supported devices

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*Machine-readable source: https://api.appstorereject.com/api/rejections/detail?slug=guideline-21-app-completeness-missing-launch-screen*