Guideline 5.1.1(v) account deletion: what Apple wants

Apple Guideline 5.1.1(v) sits under Privacy → Data Collection and Storage. The short version: if your app supports account creation, people must be able to initiate deletion of their account inside the app.

Apple's own App Review Help page for this rule says deleting an account removes the account from the developer's records, along with associated personal data the developer is not legally required to keep. Temporarily deactivating or disabling an account is not enough. Offering only an email, chat, or phone support path is not enough either, unless you are in a highly regulated industry covered by Guideline 5.1.1(ix).

This one hits a lot of first submits on AI-built apps. Agents wire up email or Google login quickly. Account deletion is easy to leave for "later."

What the official text requires

From the App Store Review Guidelines and Apple's Offering account deletion in your app page:

In-app initiation. People start deletion from inside the app. Settings / account screen is the usual place.
Full account deletion, not just logout. Offer to delete the entire account record and associated personal data. You can also offer temporary deactivation, but deletion has to be available.
Website finish is OK if linked. If they must finish on the web, put a direct link (or on tvOS a static URL or QR) to the exact deletion page.
Keep people informed. If deletion takes time, say so. If you keep some data for legal reasons, say what stays. If the app has in-app purchases or auto-renewable subscriptions, explain billing and cancellation.
Everyone, every region. CCPA/GDPR-only deletion flows are not enough. Everyone who can create an account should be able to delete one.
Auto-created / guest accounts count. If the app creates an account for the user automatically, they still need a way to delete it and the data tied to it.

Apple also notes you may reauthenticate or confirm (email/SMS code, password) so deletion is not accidental. Making the path unnecessarily hard will fail review.

Practical steps before you resubmit

Read the rejection letter. Confirm it cites 5.1.1(v) or account deletion. Save the full text.
Find account creation. Any path that creates a primary account (email, social login, auto guest) triggers the rule.
Add a clear Delete account control under Settings or Account. Use plain language. Do not bury it behind three "Are you sure?" walls plus a support ticket.
Wire the backend. Soft-delete flags that leave the account "disabled" without a real delete path are not enough. Delete or schedule deletion of personal data you are not legally required to keep.
If you use Sign in with Apple, follow Apple's guidance to revoke tokens with the Sign in with Apple REST API and handle server-to-server notifications where required.
Subscriptions. If they have an auto-renewable subscription, tell them billing continues through Apple until they cancel, and point them at subscription management (for example https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions or showManageSubscriptions on supported OS versions). You can offer to schedule deletion at period end, but also offer immediate deletion.
User-generated content. When the account goes, associated UGC people expect to go with it should be deleted too, unless local law says otherwise. Say what you keep.
Reply in Resolution Center. Describe where the control lives, what gets deleted, how long it takes, and how subscriptions are handled. Attach a short screen recording if helpful.

Common mistakes

"Email support@… to delete" for a normal consumer app
Only "Deactivate account"
Delete button that only logs the user out
Web deletion page with no in-app link
Deletion available in one country only

FAQ

Does a support email count? Usually no. Apple's FAQ says apps not in highly regulated industries should not require phone, email, chat, or other support flows to delete.

Does Sign in with Apple change anything? You still need in-app deletion, and you should revoke Sign in with Apple tokens when the account is deleted.

Will ShipCheck catch this? ShipCheck looks at project files for signs of login without an in-app delete path. It cannot see App Store Connect answers or prove your backend actually deletes data. Use it as a pre-submit check, then verify the live flow yourself.

Free scan

Before you resubmit, run a free ShipCheck on a public GitHub link or a zip. It flags common issues it can see in code, including missing account deletion signals, privacy manifest gaps, In-App Purchase vs Stripe patterns, and Sign in with Apple gaps. No account needed. A fix is $9, or 3 for $19, paid first. Built by Justin Yamini.

Official sources: Guideline 5.1.1, Offering account deletion