App Store Reject

Guideline 2.1

Guideline 2.1 - App Completeness: Crashes on Launch

Medium SeverityMedium FixTypical Fix: 2-8 hours0 Reports
Also known as:App crashes immediately after launchApp becomes unresponsive on startupApp displays blank screen then terminatesFatal error on app initialization

Our Take

Your app crashed on launch during our review. We tested on iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 17.4. The app displays a loading screen briefly then terminates unexpectedly. Apps submitted to the App Store must be complete and fully functional. We do not accept apps that crash or exhibit obvious technical problems.

Resolution Guide

01

Reproduce the crash locally

Test your app on iPhone 15 Pro simulator and physical device with iOS 17.4. Focus on launch sequence and initial loading.

02

Check crash logs and analytics

Review Xcode crash logs, Firebase Crashlytics, or other crash reporting tools for stack traces from the rejection timeframe.

03

Verify device-specific configurations

Ensure your app handles iPhone 15 Pro screen dimensions, memory constraints, and hardware-specific features properly.

04

Test iOS 17.4 compatibility

Check for deprecated APIs, permission changes, or iOS 17.4-specific issues. Update any incompatible code.

05

Validate third-party dependencies

Update all frameworks and SDKs to versions compatible with iOS 17.4. Remove or replace any causing conflicts.

06

Test launch performance

Ensure your app launches within Apple's time limits (typically 20 seconds). Optimize heavy initialization tasks.

07

Submit with detailed testing notes

In App Store Connect review notes, specify which devices and iOS versions you've tested successfully.


Prevention

  • Always test on the latest iOS version and newest iPhone models before submission
  • Implement comprehensive crash reporting in development builds
  • Use TestFlight beta testing to catch device-specific issues early

    • Example Rejection Email

    From:Apple App Review Team
    Subject:Guideline 2.1 - App Completeness: Crashes on Launch
    We discovered one or more bugs in your app. Specifically, the app crashed on launch on iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 17.4. Please review the details, make the appropriate corrections, and resubmit.

    Before & After

    Before — Rejected

    App crashes because Firebase is not initialized before first database call in AppDelegate

    After — Approved

    Move FirebaseApp.configure() to the very first line of application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:)

    What changed: Ensure all SDK initialization happens before any dependent code runs

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