Guide
How to Publish an App on the App Store
A complete, step-by-step guide to submitting your iOS app to the Apple App Store in 2025 — from developer account setup through review and going live.
The Publishing Process at a Glance
Publishing on the App Store involves four main phases: setting up your Apple Developer account, preparing your app and App Store listing, submitting through Xcode and App Store Connect, and passing Apple's review. First-time submissions typically take 1–3 business days for review, with an additional day or two for the release to propagate worldwide.
Step 1: Enroll in the Apple Developer Program
To publish on the App Store, you need an Apple Developer Program membership. The fee is $99 USD per year for individuals and companies. Organisations (as opposed to individuals) require a D-U-N-S number and verification, which can take 1–2 weeks.
What you need to enroll:
- •Apple ID (use your business email for company accounts)
- •D-U-N-S number (for organisations — free to request from Dun & Bradstreet)
- •Legal entity name and business address
- •Payment method for $99/year fee
Step 2: Set Up App Store Connect
App Store Connect is Apple's portal for managing your apps, users, sales, and analytics. After enrolling in the Developer Program, log in at appstoreconnect.apple.com.
Create a new app record: you'll assign a Bundle ID (must match your Xcode project), choose the primary language, and agree to the paid apps agreement if you're charging for the app.
You'll set up in App Store Connect:
- •App name (up to 30 characters — choose carefully, this affects ASO)
- •Subtitle (up to 30 characters — use for keywords)
- •Bundle ID (must match Xcode)
- •SKU (internal identifier — not shown to users)
- •Primary language and category
- •Age rating questionnaire
- •Privacy policy URL (required for all apps)
Step 3: Prepare Your App Store Listing
Your App Store listing is what users see before downloading. It directly affects conversion rate (how many viewers download). Prepare these assets before submission:
Screenshots
Required for each device size you support. Minimum: iPhone 6.5" and 5.5" (or 6.9" for iPhone 16 Plus). iPad screenshots required if you support iPad. Can be mockups, not device captures.
App Preview (optional)
A 15–30 second video showing your app in use. Significantly boosts conversion. Recorded on device or using Simulator with valid device frame.
App Description
Up to 4,000 characters. Front-load the most important benefits in the first 3 lines (shown before "more"). Keywords here are not indexed by App Store search.
Keywords Field
100 characters of comma-separated keywords (no spaces after commas). This field IS indexed by App Store search — choose carefully.
Promotional Text
Up to 170 characters shown above the description. Can be updated without a new app submission — useful for promotions.
App Icon
1024×1024px PNG, no alpha channel. Xcode generates all required sizes from this single asset.
Step 4: Build and Upload Your App from Xcode
Once your App Store listing is prepared, build your app archive in Xcode and upload it to App Store Connect:
- 1. Set the correct Bundle ID and version number — Version (e.g. 1.0.0) and Build number must be unique. Increment the build number for every upload.
- 2. Archive the app — In Xcode: Product → Archive. This creates a distributable build. Select "Any iOS Device (arm64)" as the build target.
- 3. Upload via Xcode Organiser — In the Xcode Organiser, select your archive and click "Distribute App" → "App Store Connect" → "Upload".
- 4. Process in App Store Connect — After upload, the build takes 5–30 minutes to process. Once processing is complete, it becomes available to add to your submission.
Step 5: Submit for Review
In App Store Connect, attach your processed build to the listing, fill in the required fields, and click "Submit for Review":
Before clicking Submit, verify:
- ✓All required screenshots uploaded
- ✓Privacy policy URL is accessible
- ✓Support URL is accessible
- ✓Age rating completed
- ✓App description and keywords filled in
- ✓Privacy Nutrition Labels filled in (all data types collected)
- ✓Encryption declarations answered
- ✓Review notes added (if app requires login)
- ✓Test account provided (if app requires login)
Review typically takes 1–3 business days for new apps. Expedited review can be requested for genuine time-sensitive situations (though it's not guaranteed).
Common Rejection Reasons
- →Crash or functional bug discovered during review
- →Missing privacy policy or inaccessible support URL
- →App name or description contains competitor names or misleading claims
- →Screenshots show placeholder content or incorrect device frames
- →App uses private APIs not available to third-party developers
- →Privacy Nutrition Labels don't accurately reflect data collection
- →Missing test account credentials for apps requiring login
App Store Submission Support from Elmeris
Elmeris provides full App Store submission support as part of every iOS development project. We handle provisioning, certificates, App Store Connect setup, screenshot production, guideline compliance review, and submission — so you don't have to navigate this process alone.
App Store Optimization services →Need help publishing your app?
Elmeris handles App Store submission as part of every iOS project. Get in touch to discuss your app.
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