Did Apple update App Store login review rules?

Did Apple update the App Store review guidelines about account sign-in or login access

Yes. Apple’s current App Store Review Guidelines now state that apps without significant account-based features must let people use the app without a login, and apps that support account creation must also offer account deletion inside the app. Apple also says reviewers need full access, which means an active demo account or fully featured demo mode when login is part of the app.

The part people get wrong is assuming a login screen is acceptable just because the app has an account system. Apple draws a line between a real account feature and a gate that blocks review. If the app’s core function is not tied to a specific social network, Apple says access must be available without login or through another mechanism.

Apple’s account-sign-in language sits in Guideline 5.1.1(v), and the text is direct. If the app does not include significant account-based features, people should be able to use it without signing in. If the app does support account creation, Apple requires an in-app account deletion flow. That means sign-in and deletion are now review issues, not just product choices.

Review access is the inconvenient part. Apple says submissions should be final, fully functional, and include demo account info if the app includes a login. Apple also tells developers to turn on backend services before review. If a reviewer cannot get in, the app can be rejected as incomplete even when the code is otherwise ready.

The guideline also changed how teams think about social login. If an app uses a third-party or social login service to create or authenticate the user’s primary account, Apple requires an equivalent alternative login option with limited data collection, email privacy, and no ad tracking without consent. Apple defines the primary account as the one used to identify the user, sign them in, and access app features.

That requirement does not apply in every case. Apple says another login service is not required when the app uses only the company’s own sign-in system, or when the app is an education, enterprise, or business app that requires an existing organization account, or when it uses a government or industry-backed identity system. Those exceptions matter because they are the common reason a team thinks Apple is asking for a broader login change than it actually is.

The practical takeaway is simple. If your app needs an account, make the reviewer’s path obvious: provide a working demo account, a demo mode, or other clear instructions in App Store Connect. If your app does not need an account for its core purpose, remove the login gate for review and for ordinary users. Apple explicitly says not to make personal information mandatory unless it is directly relevant to the app’s core function or required by law.

Apple’s review page also tells developers to put special settings, account information, and review instructions in App Review Information. That is where teams should explain non-obvious sign-in flows, test credentials, backend dependencies, and any reason the reviewer cannot create a normal account. The page is a reminder that review is not only about the app binary, it is also about whether a human can reach the features the binary exposes.

A simple example: if your app is a note app with optional cloud sync, the reviewer should be able to open it, create a note, and understand the core value without first creating an account. If your app is a client for a specific service where the user must sign in to reach their content, Apple allows that model, but you still need to make the sign-in path work during review and supply credentials or instructions.

The answer people often miss is that Apple did not just add a vague privacy suggestion. The guideline is operational. It affects what the app may require at first launch, what the reviewer must receive, and whether the app is complete enough to approve. If login blocks basic use, or if review access is missing, the safest reading is that the submission is not ready.

For teams documenting the flow, DevConnect keeps a separate reference on closed testing and tester exchange, but the Apple issue is independent of that. What matters here is Apple’s own review rule, not how your testers found the app. The review notes should give Apple the exact path into the app, not a general description of what the app does. https://devconnectplatform.com

If you want the shortest useful reading of the current rule, use this: Apple now expects non-account apps to work without login, account apps to offer deletion, and every app submitted for review to be reachable by the reviewer. That combination is the change that affects approvals in practice.

What changed, in plain terms

Apple’s current text is more explicit about three things: no login for apps that do not need it, deletion for apps that create accounts, and clear reviewer access when sign-in is part of the product. The rule is not about whether your app can authenticate users. It is about whether login is necessary for the core app and whether Apple can actually review the app end to end.

What to do before submitting

Put a live demo account in App Store Connect if the reviewer needs one. If that is not possible because of security or legal constraints, provide a built-in demo mode and make sure it shows the full feature set. Then test the exact first-launch path yourself, because the most common failure is not the login code, it is the reviewer getting stuck before they ever see the app’s value.

Why this matters for approval

Apple’s review process is checking completeness as well as policy. A locked app with no credentials, no demo mode, or no working backend looks incomplete to review even when the product is real and the team is active. The guideline update turns that into a clear submission requirement, which makes sign-in handling part of release readiness.

FAQ

Does Apple allow apps to require login Yes, when login is tied to significant account-based features or to a specific service the user must access. Apple still requires access for review, so the reviewer must be able to sign in or use a demo path.

Does every app need account deletion now No. Apple says apps that support account creation must offer account deletion within the app. Apps that do not create accounts are not in that bucket.

What if the app uses Google Sign-In or another social login Apple’s current rule says a third-party or social login used for a primary account needs an equivalent alternative login option, unless one of the listed exceptions applies. That is separate from the reviewer-access requirement.

What should go in App Review Information Put demo credentials, demo-mode notes, special setup steps, and any other instructions needed to reach the app’s core features. Apple explicitly points developers to that field when an app needs special settings or account information.

Is Sign in with Apple part of this update It is related, but not the same rule. Apple’s Sign in with Apple guidance covers when that login should be offered and how it should behave, while the App Review Guidelines control whether your app can require login and how reviewers get access.