# Guideline 5.1.1(v) - Privacy: No Account Deletion Option

**Guideline:** 5.1.1 · **Store:** Apple App Store · **Risk:** medium · **Difficulty:** medium · **Typical turnaround:** 2-8 hours

Canonical URL: https://appstorereject.com/rejections/apple/5/guideline-511v-privacy-no-account-deletion-option

## Description

Apple is rejecting your app because it supports account creation but does not offer a way for users to delete their account from within the app. Since June 2022, any app that allows users to create an account must also let them initiate account deletion directly in the app — not just through a website, email, or support ticket. The deletion process must be easy to find and not buried behind excessive steps. Apple accepts deletion flows that include a brief confirmation dialog or a short waiting period (for security reasons), but the initiation must happen in-app. If full instant deletion is not possible due to regulatory requirements (e.g., financial record-keeping), you can offer a temporary deactivation followed by full deletion within a reasonable period, but you must clearly communicate this timeline. This rejection is increasingly common because many apps added account creation without adding a corresponding deletion path. Apple enforces this strictly — even if your backend supports deletion via API, if there's no user-facing button or menu item in the app, you'll be rejected.

## Common variations

- App supports account creation but does not include account deletion
- Unable to find account deletion option in your app
- Account deletion option is not easy to find
- App does not give users control of their data through account deletion
- Account deletion is only available through website or email, not in-app

## Example rejection email

```
Guideline 5.1.1 - Legal - Privacy - Data Collection and Storage

Your app supports account creation but does not include an option for users to initiate account deletion within the app.

Specifically, we were unable to find an option to delete a user account in your app. Apps that support account creation must also offer account deletion to give users more control of the data they've shared.

Next Steps:
Please update your app to include an option for users to delete their account. The account deletion option should be easy to find in your app. If account deletion will take additional time to process, please communicate the timeline to the user.

Resources:
- Offering account deletion in your app: https://developer.apple.com/support/offering-account-deletion-in-your-app/
```

## Resolution steps

## Quick Assessment
- **Risk level:** Medium
- **Resolution path:** Fix & Resubmit
- **Typical turnaround:** 2-8 hours

## The Fix

01. **Add 'Delete Account' in settings** — Place a clearly labeled 'Delete Account' or 'Delete My Account' button in your app's Settings or Account/Profile screen. Do not bury it — Apple reviewers must find it easily.

02. **Implement the deletion flow** — The button should trigger a confirmation dialog explaining what will happen (data deleted, subscriptions note, etc.), then call your backend deletion API.

03. **Handle active subscriptions** — Inform users that deleting their account does not cancel active App Store subscriptions. Link to Apple's subscription management page.

04. **Communicate timelines** — If deletion is not instant (e.g., 30-day grace period for regulatory reasons), clearly state the timeline in the confirmation dialog.

05. **Actually delete the data** — The deletion must be real — remove personal data from your servers. If certain data must be retained for legal reasons, explain what is retained, why, and for how long.

06. **Use Sign in with Apple REST API** — If you support Sign in with Apple, call the revoke tokens endpoint when the user deletes their account.

## Prevention
- Always pair account creation with account deletion in your feature planning
- Follow Apple's 'Offering account deletion in your app' guide
- Test that the deletion button is easy to find from the app's main navigation

## Before / after examples

**Before:** App allows Sign Up and Login but the only way to delete an account is by emailing support@example.com
**After:** Settings > Account > Delete Account button with confirmation dialog: 'This will permanently delete your account and all associated data. Active subscriptions will not be affected — manage them in Settings > Subscriptions. This action cannot be undone.' followed by backend data deletion
**Why it works:** Account deletion must be initiate-able within the app, not through external channels.

## Common questions

**How long does this typically take to fix?**

Typical turnaround is 2-8 hours (difficulty: medium). After resubmission, most re-reviews complete within 24-48 hours.

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*Machine-readable source: https://api.appstorereject.com/api/rejections/detail?slug=guideline-511v-privacy-no-account-deletion-option*