What App Store review details are required for contact and demo accounts?

What App Store review details are required for contact and demo accounts

Apple requires the App Review section in App Store Connect to include a real contact person and, when the app needs sign-in, a working demo account. The contact details are there so the review team can reach someone fast. The demo account is there so the reviewer can actually get into the app and test the full experience. Apple also expects notes whenever extra steps, special access, or uncommon setup are needed.

For the contact person, Apple asks for a first and last name, an email address, and a phone number. Apple’s App Store Connect help says the phone number should be in international format, with a plus sign and country code. The point is not formality, it is reachability. If review needs clarification and the number is missing or unusable, the review team loses time and the submission can stall.

For the demo account, Apple requires sign-in information whenever the app cannot be reviewed without logging in. The review details should include a username and password for a demo account. Apple also says that if your app uses a single sign-on service, such as Facebook or Twitter, you should include the demo login information for that service. The demo account must not expire during review.

The part people get wrong is assuming one login line is enough for every app. Apple says additional account details belong in the Notes field when the app has more than one account type, such as admin and standard user. If the reviewer needs a second role to see key features, that role has to be documented. If an authentication code is also required, Apple says to provide it in advance in Notes so the reviewer does not have to request a call just to finish setup.

Notes are not optional filler. Apple uses them for the instructions a reviewer needs to test the app correctly, including app-specific settings, test registration steps, sample URLs, and any resources that are hard to infer from the UI. Apple also says to include special configuration details there if the app needs them. If you have streaming content, external hardware, or an unusual backend setup, Notes is where the reviewer should learn how to reach it.

A useful way to think about it is this: contact fields let Apple reach you, demo credentials let Apple enter the app, and Notes explain the path through the tricky parts. That structure matters because App Review is not trying to guess your setup. It is trying to reproduce the user journey with the least back-and-forth possible. Apple’s own guidance says to provide up-to-date login credentials and complete review information before submission.

If your app has account-based features but can also show something useful before login, Apple still wants the account information if the reviewer needs it to test the full app. Apple’s review guidance says to include an active demo account or a fully featured demo mode, plus any hardware or resources needed to review the app. In practice, that means the review notes should cover both the basic entry path and the deeper parts of the product.

If your app uses multiple account roles, the safest setup is to list each role separately in Notes, with the exact username, password, and any role-specific steps. A reviewer who lands in the wrong role may not see core features, and that often looks like a broken build even when the app is fine. Apple’s guidance specifically calls out extra credentials for additional account types, which is the detail teams most often miss.

If your app uses a demo account for TestFlight review, Apple says the same basic idea applies: include contact information, demo credentials, and any notes specific to review. The wording differs between App Store and TestFlight documentation, but the requirement does not change in practice. Apple still needs a way to contact you and a way to get into the app.

A concrete example helps. If your app is a membership product with admin and member views, the App Review section should name a contact person, give a reachable phone number and email, provide a working member demo login, and add an admin login in Notes with a short path to the admin screens. If there is a two-factor code, a test token, or a special onboarding step, that also belongs in Notes.

What happens when this goes wrong is usually simple and annoying. The reviewer cannot see the account-gated features, cannot reach the right person, or cannot complete setup. Then the submission sits while you provide missing details or resubmit with corrected information. Apple’s review guidance is explicit that incomplete information is a review problem, not a minor metadata issue. The fastest fix is to make the first submission complete.

For teams building through DevConnect, the same discipline helps before submission. Keep a current contact, one working review account for each relevant role, and clear notes that explain anything unusual. If you want the review checklist you can compare against your own flow, use the App Review section in App Store Connect and keep your internal handoff notes aligned with it. https://devconnectplatform.com

FAQ

Do I need a demo account if the app has no login? No. Apple asks for demo credentials when sign-in is required to review the app. If the app can be fully reviewed without login, the contact details and notes may be enough.

Can I reuse the same account for every review? You can use the same account if it still works, does not expire, and gives the reviewer access to the right features. If the app has multiple roles, use Notes to provide the extra logins the reviewer needs.

Where do I put special setup instructions, codes, or hardware notes? Put them in the Notes field for App Review. Apple uses Notes for app-specific settings, test registration details, sample URLs, and anything else the reviewer needs to reproduce the experience.

What if the reviewer cannot finish setup with the info I gave? Apple may need more information, a call, or a corrected resubmission. The usual cause is missing credentials, missing role details, or instructions that are too vague to follow.

Does the contact phone number need a special format? Yes. Apple’s App Store Connect help says to enter it in international format with a plus sign and country code.