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App Store age rating rejection: how to fix it

Apple can reject an app when the age rating you picked in App Store Connect doesn't match what the app actually shows. The fix is usually in the questionnaire.

Why it happens

Your rating comes from the age rating questions you answer in App Store Connect.

Features that often push the rating up or trigger a mismatch:

  • User-generated content or chat between users
  • Unrestricted web access (an in-app browser or webview that can open any site)
  • AI-generated text or images that users can prompt freely
  • Ads that may show content above your chosen rating
  • Medical, gambling, mature or suggestive themes, even if mild

How to fix it

  1. Open the rejection message and note exactly which content the reviewer pointed to.
  2. Redo the age rating questions in App Store Connect against what a user can actually reach in the app, including content from AI, ads and webviews.
  3. Either raise the rating or remove or restrict the content. For example, add filtering or reporting for user content, or limit what a webview can open.
  4. If you have user-generated content, check you also meet guideline 1.2: a way to report content, block users and filter objectionable material.
  5. Reply to App Review in App Store Connect saying what you changed. Be specific.

If it's been weeks

If you've fixed it and replied but nothing has moved, open a case through App Store Connect's Contact Us page with your app ID and the date of your last reply.

FAQ

Will a higher age rating hurt downloads? It can limit who can install the app on devices with restrictions on. That's a trade-off against removing the feature.

Is Google Play's rating the same? No. Google Play uses the IARC questionnaire in Play Console, so an app can be live on Play and still blocked on iOS.