Overview

My team is distributing a cross-platform app outside the Mac App Store via ZIP file. The app works perfectly on Windows, but on macOS, while the ZIP downloads and extracts without issue, the app refuses to open. Users see either the app appear in the dock then immediately disappear or a Gatekeeper prompt saying the developer cannot be verified. We suspect the root cause is related to code signing and/or notarization, but we're not entirely sure where the breakdown is occurring. We have a few questions as we work through this. For ZIP-based distribution outside the Mac App Store, is both a Developer ID certificate and Apple notarization required on current macOS versions? We've also seen references to using ditto instead of Finder's built-in Compress option when packaging the ZIP. Is that necessary to properly preserve the app bundle structure and extended attributes? Any guidance on where this process might be going wrong would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!

I accidentally mis-copy-pasted when creating a new app identifier, and I can't create the correct one. I missed the leading "c" and I created An App ID with om.automaticduck.MyApp I deleted it, but now I can't create the correct one. The error says An attribute in the provided entity has invalid value An App ID with Identifier 'com.automaticduck.MyApp' is not available. Please enter a different string. Thank you for helping with what I need to do.

Hi, I'm a new Developer ID account holder submitting my first app for notarization. All submissions have been stuck "In Progress" for 72+ hours. Apple System Status has shown all services operational throughout. Team ID: 4L9YA7S99L $ xcrun notarytool history --keychain-profile "blackbox" Successfully received submission history. history -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-09T11:19:41.697Z id: 2c0cdf3d-a3ac-4d86-8eb0-2f601b2d09c5 name: Blackbox-0.2.0.dmg status: In Progress -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-07T18:11:37.660Z id: 5ab09d84-b2e2-4738-9b63-100a7dd46882 name: Blackbox-0.1.0.dmg status: In Progress -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-06T22:47:21.410Z id: 1c90fa3e-c52a-4468-8056-06ff5d7d3752 name: Blackbox-0.1.0.dmg status: In Progress -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-06T22:34:55.803Z id: 4bbd6f77-7ff6-445f-817c-21f9909dfe7a name: Blackbox-0.1.0.dmg status: In Progress -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-06T21:28:26.904Z id: 3c63ed16-be5d-4900-b82d-5df9557a47b4 name: Blackbox-0.1.0.dmg status: In Progress -------------------------------------------------- createdDate: 2026-03-06T21:24:14.558Z id: 76df3f18-57a1-49b7-87e2-3f2bf0e4e6d5 name: Blackbox-0.1.0.dmg status: Invalid The Invalid submission (76df3f18) was error 4000 due to unsigned binaries in a bundled framework. That's been fixed in all subsequent submissions. The app is a small macOS menu bar utility (~2 MB DMG), signed with Developer ID Application certificate, hardened runtime enabled, no restricted entitlements. codesign --verify --deep --strict and spctl --assess --type execute both pass locally. Is there a known processing delay for first-time Developer ID accounts, or could something be stuck on the backend? Thanks for any guidance.

Hi, I'm trying to notarize a macOS app using xcrun notarytool, but the submission has been stuck in "In Progress" for over 24 hours. Submission ID: a3e0914a-c45f-4614-bd7c-cbae4c7b0b55 Created: 2026-03-08T01:55:29.272Z Team ID: 69YV6P6AKZ It looks like the signature is valid and the only missing step is notarization. I tried submitting twice, but the second submission is also stuck in In Progress. Is this likely a backlog in the notarization service, or is there something that could cause submissions to stay "in progress" for so long? Thanks!

DeviceActivityReportExtension sandbox blocks all output channels — how to export resolved Application.bundleIdentifier? Application.bundleIdentifier only resolves to a non-nil value inside a DeviceActivityReportExtension (ExtensionKit/XPC). The main app and DeviceActivityMonitor extension always return nil. However, the Report Extension's sandbox silently blocks every output channel I've tested: UserDefaults (App Group): Reads succeed, writes silently dropped File writes (App Group container): Fail silently or throw HTTP requests: Network blocked entirely Local Notifications: "Couldn't communicate with a helper application" UIPasteboard: Writes silently fail iCloud KVS: synchronize() returns false Both targets share the same com.apple.security.application-groups entitlement and group identifier. The main app reads and writes to the shared container normally — only the extension's writes fail. This means resolved bundle identifiers can only be rendered in the extension's own SwiftUI view and cannot be communicated anywhere else. My question: Is this sandbox restriction intentional? If so, what is the recommended mechanism for the host app (or a backend) to obtain the resolved bundle identifiers that only the Report Extension can access? Environment: Xcode 16.3, iOS 18.3, physical device. Sample project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DPyN2BCUt5p-RKEPA0zsDFFEvgZVHlS_/view?usp=sharing — a minimal two-target project that demonstrates every failing channel. Run on a physical device, grant Screen Time access, select apps, and observe that bundle ID resolution shows PASS but all write channels show FAIL.

My app has been stuck in the "In Review" state for over 20 days now (submitted in mid-February). It is now March, and I have had zero movement. What I’ve checked: Resolution Center: Empty. No pending questions or requests. Account Status: Active and in good standing. This delay is severely impacting our launch timeline. Is anyone else experiencing a similar "Black Hole" right now, or is it just me? If you managed to get yours unstuck, what did you do? Any advice from Apple staff or fellow devs would be greatly appreciated.

Hello, I’m experiencing a very unusual issue with App Store Connect and I’m wondering if anyone else has encountered something similar. For more than a month now, none of my app submissions are progressing past “Waiting for Review.” Normally my apps enter the “In Review” stage within a few days, but since early February this simply doesn’t happen. As a result: • I cannot release bug fixes • I cannot ship updates • I cannot publish new apps I have already tried: • withdrawing and resubmitting the app • submitting multiple updates • requesting an expedite review However, every submission just stays in Waiting for Review indefinitely. This seems to affect all apps in my developer account, not just a specific app. Has anyone experienced something like this recently? Could this be related to an account-level issue or something on Apple’s side? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am working on an e-commerce app (retail/marketplace) that allows users to place orders for both free and paid products. After receiving a DeclaredAgeRange API response — retrieved via the Family Controls / Screen Time framework — indicating that a user is a minor, I want to understand the recommended approach for handling payment flows. Specifically, is it necessary to block payments for users identified as minors via DeclaredAgeRange, even though our app uses server-side encrypted card processing rather than Apple In-App Purchases (StoreKit)? Any guidance on best practices or App Store policy requirements for this scenario would be greatly appreciated.

For me it looks like Xcode 26 has problems reading SPM packages from a locally hosted BitBucket git solution. While Xcode 16 work perfectly fine, Xcode 26 fails to load and gives "Server SSH Fingerprint Failed to Verify" as error description. Cleaning build data and DerivedData sometimes makes loading work. Any change in Package dependencies will break it again. Anyone having same problems? How do you handle it?

Is it somehow possible to get the transport layer (UDP and TCP) payload amounts for TLS or QUIC connections established via the Network framework? (From within the app itself that establishes the connections.) I am currently using the ntstat.h kernel socket calls, but I hope there is a simpler solution. With ntstat, I have not yet been able to observe a specific connection. I have to search for the connection I am looking in all (userspace) connections.

I want to track down which part of an app contacts a given domain listed in its App Privacy Report. Following the instructions given here I am able to capture a packet trace, but traffic to the domain in question is encrypted using QUIC. Is there a way to insert e.g. mitmproxy into the capture process in order to get hold of the SSLKEYLOGFILE so that I can decrypt the traffic?

Hello team, I am trying to find out a way to block urls in the chrome browser if it is found in local blocked list cache. I found URL Filter Network very much suitable for my requirement. But I see at multiple places that this solution is only for Enterprise level or MDM or supervised device. So can I run this for normal user ? as my targeting audience would be bank users. One more thing how can I test this in development environment if we need supervised devices and do we need special entitlement ? When trying to run sample project in the simulator then getting below error

I am in a process to change ASSN-V2 url, However i am still receiving Subscription notifications on old URL. Changed to new URL from Appstore connect --> --> App Information. Old URL is pointing to aws lambda. New URL is pointing to a third party provider (confirmed not received notification.) Any pointers ?

I tried to build my project with -fsanitize=fuzzer. This failed to link with libclang_rt.fuzzer_osx.a not found when attempting to link the code. I mean really!! Why on earth would you exclude this from the version of clang that ships with XCode!

In Xcode 26.3 and 26.4, when I use Xcode's built-in git functionality to do a "pull" or "fetch", Xcode presents a dialog saying it's performing the operation, but it never completes. The dialog remains on screen with a spinner. My remote repos are stored on a Mac mini on my local network and I access them via SSH. The git command line works fine, as does the tool Git Tower. I've filed this as FB22091014. Has anyone else seen this, and if so, found a solution?

Apple’s review process this time has been incredibly frustrating. My app waited almost a month before it was finally reviewed, and then it was rejected under: Guideline 2.3.1(a) - Hidden Features Apple claimed that the app contains hidden features. Guideline 4.2 - Minimum Functionality Apple claimed that the app provides limited functionality and feels too similar to a web browsing experience. But that does not match my app at all. It is a native social alarm clock app with features including: Alarm scheduling with AlarmKit Real-time voice rooms Live Activities Widgets Siri Shortcuts / App Intents QR code invitation scanning Apple Music custom ringtones Push notifications This is clearly not just a wrapped website. The only WebView usage is for standard settings pages such as Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and FAQ. What makes it even more frustrating is that now, whether I wait for Apple’s reply or resubmit the app, I have no idea how long it will take. In the past, Apple Developer Support at least offered phone support for real-time help. Recently, I’ve only been seeing email as the contact option, and after waiting a long time, the reply often feels like a generic AI-written template that does not actually help. It really makes Apple feel increasingly dismissive of developers. Even an app with in-app purchases, which also makes money for Apple, can get stuck in review for this long. Meanwhile, my coworker submitted an app without in-app purchases later than I did, and it was approved within a week. It is hard not to feel frustrated by how inconsistent and opaque the review process has become.

Hello Apple Developer Support, My app has been stuck in “Waiting for Review” since February 22, and I have submitted multiple inquiries without receiving any response. This delay has now become extremely concerning. Missing a planned launch due to an indefinite review timeline is very difficult for independent developers. If there is an issue with the submission, I would appreciate clear communication. If there are review delays, transparency would help us plan accordingly. I respect the review process, but the lack of updates after this amount of time is frustrating. I would sincerely appreciate clarification on the status. I just want to present my application to everyone more quickly. Apple ID: 6759447148 Thank you.

Hello, I’m planning to use MapKit JS for a production web/mobile application and I’m trying to better understand the quota limits and pricing model. From the documentation, I understand that MapKit JS provides a free daily limit of: 250,000 map views 25,000 service calls per Apple Developer Program membership. However, I’m not clear about what exactly happens if these limits are exceeded. My questions: If my application exceeds 250,000 map views or 25,000 service calls in a day, what happens? Will the API simply start returning errors (for example HTTP 429), or will Apple automatically charge for additional usage? Is there an official pricing model for usage above the free quota, or do we need to contact Apple to request higher limits? Are these limits strict daily hard limits that should never be exceeded in production? I’m trying to design the architecture of my application and would like to understand whether we must strictly stay below these limits or whether scaling beyond them is possible. Thank you.

Our game application is developed based on StoreKit 1, and an exception occurs on iOS 26.4: after players complete a payment, the finishTransaction method fails to properly remove the transaction from the SKPaymentQueue; as a result, when players restart the app, the system still triggers the retry process for this transaction (reconciliation of unpaid orders). Has anyone encountered this issue? If there is a solution, we would appreciate it if you could share it with us.

Hello everyone, I’m an iOS developer working on a real-time communication app that supports VoIP calls using CallKit. The app has been in production for more than 5 years. Over the years, some users have occasionally reported that they do not receive incoming call pushes. We have tried multiple optimizations on both the client and server side, but the improvement has been limited. From Apple documentation and discussions online, I understand that iOS may restrict VoIP pushes if the system detects violations of VoIP push usage rules (for example, not presenting a CallKit call after receiving a VoIP push). However, the exact rules and thresholds for these violations are not clearly documented, so I’d like to ask a few questions to better understand the expected behavior. Below is a simplified description of our current call flow. Call Flow Caller When the user initiates a call: We do not use CallKit The call is handled entirely using a custom in-app call UI Callee When the user receives a call: Device locked or app in background A VoIP push wakes the app The app presents the CallKit incoming call UI App in foreground The server still sends a VoIP push The app first reports the call to CallKit After a very short delay, the app programmatically ends the CallKit call Then a custom in-app call UI is presented via the app's long connection The reason we always send a VoIP push (even when the app is in the foreground) is that we want to maximize call delivery reliability.