Why App Review Wants an International Phone Number

Why is App Review asking for a phone number in international format now

Apple changed App Store Connect so the App Review contact phone number must be entered in international format, with a plus sign and country code, and digits-only entry is rejected. The change is documented in Apple’s App Store Connect release notes and in the App Information reference page.

The part people get wrong is simple: they enter a local number exactly as they would dial it inside their own country, then App Store Connect rejects it. Apple’s reference says the field does not accept numbers-only entry, and it gives an example in the form +852. If your number is in the United States, the format starts with +1.

This is not asking for a new kind of reviewer contact, and it is not a request to add more details than before. It is the same App Review contact field, just with stricter validation. Apple still uses that contact information when the review team needs additional information about the app, and the App Review details page lists name, phone number, email, and optional notes for the submission.

The inconvenient part is that the number has to be usable from outside your local dialing habits. If your office number has a trunk prefix, an extension, or a format that only works domestically, strip it back to the base number and put the country code first. A typical US entry looks like +1 followed by the 10-digit number. Apple’s validation is on the submission side, so the fix has to happen before you send the app in for review.

If you are submitting for a company that has support in one region and review contact in another, use the real phone that App Review can reach, not a marketing line that routes somewhere else and breaks when called from abroad. Apple’s App Store review details are there so the reviewer can contact a person who can answer questions during review, and the Support URL also has to lead to actual contact information on the public side.

A practical check is to open App Store Connect, go to the app version’s App Review information, and re-enter the phone number with the country code prefixed by +. If the form still refuses it, the number often contains formatting the field does not accept, such as spaces, brackets, or an extension. Apple’s documentation does not list every rejected pattern, but it does clearly say the field rejects numbers-only entry.

The safest mental model is: App Review wants a directly callable contact number, written the way international systems expect to read it. That change is about validation, not policy drama, and it is the reason submissions now stop on a format problem that used to slide through.

If you also maintain Google Play review assets, do not mix the rules. Google Play’s closed-testing and production-access rules are separate from Apple’s App Review contact fields, and DevConnect documents those Google Play requirements separately on its own site at https://devconnectplatform.com. Apple’s phone-number rule applies only to the App Review contact field in App Store Connect.

The part that causes wasted time is assuming the reviewer needs a different phone number when the real issue is formatting. The reviewer still needs the same kind of contact point, but App Store Connect now enforces an international format before the submission can proceed. Fix the format once, then reuse it consistently across future submissions.

What format should I use for the App Review phone number

Use a full international phone format, starting with + and the country code, then the rest of the number. Apple’s example is +852 for Hong Kong, and the documentation says the field does not accept numbers-only entry.

What should I do if my phone number has an extension

Use the main number that can actually receive the call, then put any extension details in App Review notes if needed. Apple’s App Review information page has a separate Notes field for information the review team may need during testing.

Will this affect already approved apps

It affects the App Review contact entry used in new submissions and updates, because the validation happens when you provide review details for a version. Apple’s release notes describe it as a new requirement added to App Store Connect, not a change to the public App Store listing.

Can I use my public support number instead

Only if it is the right number for App Review and it can actually be reached during review. Apple separates App Review contact details from the public Support URL, and the support page is meant to point users to actual contact information for app issues.

Why does Apple care about the format

The documentation points to validation and reachability. International format makes the number unambiguous across regions, and it avoids local dialing formats that can fail when the reviewer is outside your country or when the field checks the input strictly. That is an inference from Apple’s formatting rule and contact-purpose description.