Rejection decoder › Guideline 2.1

Guideline 2.1 rejection: App Completeness and Information Needed

Guideline 2.1 is the widest category in App Review. It covers crashes, dead buttons, placeholder content, missing demo accounts and purchases the reviewer could not reach. The number tells you almost nothing; the sentence under it tells you what to fix.

What Apple's message says

Apple's message under 2.1 usually falls into one of three shapes. In our own words:

• Something did not work. The reviewer saw a crash, an endless spinner, a blank screen, or a button that did nothing. The message often names the device, for example an iPad model and OS version.
• Information Needed. The reviewer could not get far enough to judge the app, usually because it needs a login and no working demo account was provided. This is a question more than a verdict.
• 2.1(b): purchases not reachable. The in-app purchases could not be found or did not load, so the paywall showed an error or nothing.

Read the full message in App Store Connect: open the app, open the rejected submission under App Review, and expand the messages and any screenshots. The email and the version page often show only the number.

Why AI-built apps hit it

Apps made with Lovable, Bolt, v0 or Replit are usually tested by one person, on one phone, while already signed in. The reviewer is a stranger with a new account, often on an iPad. That gap produces most 2.1 findings:

• The wrapped build points at a development backend, or an environment key was left out of the release build.
• Sign-up works for you but not for a brand-new account (email verification, a missing profile row, a role that sees less).
• The layout breaks on iPad, so a button is off-screen or hidden behind another element.
• "Coming soon" buttons, "beta" labels, sample data or "your logo here" placeholders are still reachable.
• The "Sign-in required" box in App Review Information is off, or the notes describe a demo account that no longer exists.

In one case we worked on, the reviewer reported "Sign in with Apple is not responsive". Sign-in had actually succeeded; the screen was never told to move on, so the app sat on the login page until it was relaunched. That was a 2.1 finding caused by a timing bug that only showed up for new accounts.

How to fix it, step by step

What to reply in the Resolution Center

Fill in the brackets and delete anything you did not do. Answer each citation separately and claim only what you changed and tested. "We fixed the issues" tends to come back as the same rejection.

Hello,

Thank you for the details. Regarding Guideline 2.1: [one or two sentences on what was actually wrong, e.g. "after signing in, the app did not move to the next screen until it was relaunched"]. We fixed this in build [version (build)] by [the concrete change]. We tested it on [device + OS] with a new account.

[If you could not reproduce it: "We were not able to reproduce this on (devices tested). Could you share the steps and the screen where it happened? We want to fix the real cause rather than guess."]

Best regards,
[Your name]

Related guidelines

• Guideline 4.8: Login services / Sign in with Apple if the broken flow was a social sign-in button.
• Guideline 3.1.1: In-app purchase if the reviewer could not reach or complete a purchase.
• Guideline 5.1.1(v): Account deletion if a feature exists but a demo role cannot see it.
• Guideline 2.3: Accurate metadata if the listing describes features the build does not have.

Questions

Does a Guideline 2.1 rejection always need a new build?

No. Information Needed findings, such as a missing demo account or a question about how a feature works, can often be answered in the Resolution Center after you update App Review Information. Crashes and broken flows need a new build with a higher build number.

Why did Apple reject for 2.1 when the app works on my phone?

The reviewer usually tests with a brand-new account, often on an iPad, without your saved session or data. Test on the device named in the message with a fresh account before changing anything.

What should I do if I cannot reproduce the 2.1 problem?

Say so in your reply and ask the reviewer for the exact steps and screen. Guessing and resubmitting can cost a full review cycle; a short answer from Apple often points directly to the cause.