Submission Statuses

What each submission status means across Google Play and Apple App Store.

Google Play

Status	What it means
`draft`	Your app or update is still in preparation and not yet sent for review.
`in_review`	Google Play is currently reviewing your submission.
`pending`	The submission is queued or being processed before publication.
`rejected`	Google Play rejected the submission and changes are required.
`ready`	The app is approved and live, or ready for distribution.
`unknown`	We could not determine the latest store status yet.

Status	What it means
`draft`	Your app or update is still being prepared in App Store Connect.
`in_review`	Apple is actively reviewing your submission.
`pending`	The submission is waiting in Apple's processing or release queue.
`rejected`	Apple rejected the submission and updates are needed before resubmission.
`ready`	The app is approved and available, or ready for distribution.
`unknown`	We could not read a clear status from App Store data yet.

Best practices to reduce delays and move submissions through review more predictably.

🕒

Submission timing can vary by region, account trust, and policy-sensitive features.

💬

Fast and precise responses to reviewer notes can materially reduce approval delays.

📈

A clean history of status changes helps teams prioritize fixes and release communication.

✅

Privacy, payments, and account-related changes should be reviewed before you submit.

📝

Reviewer-friendly changelogs reduce back-and-forth and speed up decision making.

🚦

Pair status tracking with gradual rollout to detect issues before broad impact.

Common status and review terms you will encounter in release workflows.

draftin_reviewpendingrejectedreadymetadata rejectionresubmissionreview notesmetadata updatebinary reviewphased releasepolicy violation

Short answers to frequent questions about review states and resubmissions.

How long does in_review usually last?›

It varies widely. Simple updates may clear quickly, while policy-sensitive apps can take longer.

What should I do after a rejection?›

Address each reviewer point directly, include concise notes, and resubmit with clear changelog context.

Can statuses move backward?›

Yes. Additional checks or new policy flags can move submissions back to pending or rejected states.

Should I contact support during pending?›

Only after a reasonable wait window. Premature escalation often does not speed standard queue processing.

Can metadata-only updates still be rejected?›

Yes. Listing text, screenshots, and policy declarations can all trigger review issues.

What helps reduce repeat rejections?›

Maintain a checklist, document previous reviewer feedback, and run policy checks before each release.