App Store Reject

Guideline 4.0

Guideline 4.0 - Design: iPad Multitasking or Orientation Issues

Low RiskMedium DifficultyTypical Fix: 4-8 hours0 Reports
Also known as:App is locked to portrait orientation on iPad with no compelling reasonApp crashes or shows a blank screen when entering Split ViewApp layout breaks at 1/3 or 2/3 Split View widthsUIRequiresFullScreen is set to YES, disabling all multitaskingApp does not include a LaunchScreen.storyboard, causing letterboxing on iPad

Our Take

Apple rejected your app because it does not properly support iPad multitasking modes (Split View, Slide Over) or restricts orientation without justification. Starting with iPadOS, Apple expects all iPad apps to support multitasking and all four orientations unless there is a compelling reason not to (such as a camera-based AR app). Common issues include locking to portrait only, crashing when entering Split View, or layouts breaking at narrow widths.

Resolution Guide

01

**Remove UIRequiresFullScreen** — In your Info.plist, delete the `UIRequiresFullScreen` key or set it to `NO`. This key disables all multitasking features and is the most common cause of this rejection.


02

**Support all four orientations on iPad** — In your Xcode target settings under General → Deployment Info → iPad, check all four orientation boxes: Portrait, Upside Down, Landscape Left, Landscape Right. Or in Info.plist:

```xml

<key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations~ipad</key>

<array>

<string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>

<string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown</string>

<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>

<string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>

</array>

```

03

**Add a LaunchScreen.storyboard** — Without a launch storyboard, iPad runs your app in iPhone compatibility mode (letterboxed). Ensure your target has a LaunchScreen.storyboard set in General → App Icons and Launch Images.


04

**Use adaptive layouts** — Ensure your UI works at all width size classes. In SwiftUI, use `@Environment(\.horizontalSizeClass)` to adapt. Test at these Split View widths:

  • 1/3 width (~320pt) — compact width

    • - 1/2 width (~507pt) — varies by iPad model

    - 2/3 width (~694pt) — regular width

    05

    **Handle size class transitions** — Your app must respond gracefully when the user resizes the Split View divider. Layouts should animate smoothly, not jump or break.


    06

    **Test on multiple iPad models** — iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro 12.9" all have different point dimensions. Test multitasking on at least two.


    07

    **Use NavigationSplitView for master-detail** — This automatically collapses to a single column in compact widths and expands to sidebar + detail in regular widths.


    Example Rejection Email

    From:Apple App Review Team
    Subject:Guideline 4.0 - Design: iPad Multitasking or Orientation
    Your app did not run as expected when reviewed on iPad running iPadOS 17.4. Specifically, your app appears to require full screen and does not support Split View or Slide Over multitasking. Additionally, your app is locked to portrait orientation on iPad and does not rotate to landscape. Unless your app has a specific need for a fixed orientation, all iPad apps should support multitasking and all orientations. Next Steps: Please update your app to support iPad multitasking and all orientations.

    Consider Appealing

    Only appeal if your app has a legitimate reason to require full screen — such as an AR camera app, a drawing app that uses the full canvas, or a game with landscape-only gameplay. In your appeal, explain the specific user experience reason. For most apps, fix the issues rather than appealing.

    Generate Appeal

    Before & After

    Before — Rejected

    <!-- Info.plist: multitasking disabled, portrait only -->

    <key>UIRequiresFullScreen</key>

    <true/>

    <key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations~ipad</key>

    <array>

    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>

    </array>

    After — Approved

    <!-- Info.plist: multitasking enabled, all orientations -->

    <!-- UIRequiresFullScreen key removed entirely -->

    <key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations~ipad</key>

    <array>

    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait</string>

    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown</string>

    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>

    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight</string>

    </array>

    What changed: Remove UIRequiresFullScreen entirely (or set to NO) and enable all four orientations for iPad. This is the minimum required to support Split View and Slide Over multitasking.

    Before — Rejected

    // Fixed-width layout that breaks in Split View

    ScrollView {

    VStack(spacing: 16) {

    ForEach(items) { item in

    ItemCard(item: item)

    .frame(width: 768) // breaks at 1/3 split

    }

    }

    }

    After — Approved

    // Adaptive layout that works at any Split View width

    ScrollView {

    LazyVGrid(

    columns: [GridItem(.adaptive(minimum: 280, maximum: 400))],

    spacing: 16

    ) {

    ForEach(items) { item in

    ItemCard(item: item)

    }

    }

    .padding()

    }

    What changed: Use LazyVGrid with adaptive columns instead of fixed widths. The grid automatically adjusts the number of columns based on available width, working correctly at all Split View sizes.

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