Guideline 5.6 Developer Code of Conduct, in plain English
“Please treat everyone with respect”
Guideline 5.6 is about how you behave as a developer: treat customers and Apple with respect, never trick people into purchases or data sharing, keep your identity accurate, don't manipulate reviews or rankings, and keep your app's quality up. Breaking it can end your Apple Developer Program membership, not just get one app rejected. Apple says a terminated account may be restored if you show a plan Apple approves and make the changes.
Checked against Apple’s guidelines on (Apple’s version of ). Apple’s reviewers make the final call.
What Guideline 5.6 means
The opening part covers respect and trust: no harassment, discrimination, intimidation or bullying in reviews, support or messages to Apple, and no apps that prey on users, trick them into unwanted purchases, force them to share data, raise prices in tricky ways or charge for things not delivered.
5.6.1 is about App Store reviews: answer customers respectfully, keep replies to the point without personal information, spam or marketing, and ask for ratings only with Apple's provided API; Apple disallows custom review prompts.
5.6.2 asks that what you tell Apple and customers about yourself, your business and your offerings is accurate, truthful and current. 5.6.3 forbids manipulating charts, search, reviews or referrals. 5.6.4 says that signs of low quality, such as many customer complaints, negative reviews or refund requests, may count when Apple decides whether you follow the code.
Apple's other rules point here too: 1.2 says developers who don't remove abusive user content after notice may be in breach of the code, and 4.1 treats impersonating other apps as a breach.
Why apps are turned down under Guideline 5.6
The app uses a custom review prompt
It asks for ratings with its own pop-up instead of Apple's review API, which 5.6.1 disallows.
The app manipulates or misleads customers
Hidden charges, prices that change without clear notice, purchases that deliver nothing, or pressure to share data.
The developer's information isn't accurate
The name, company or contact details given to Apple or customers are false or out of date.
How to fix it and resubmit
- Replace any custom rating pop-up with Apple's review request API.
- Go through every purchase: make the price and what's delivered clear before payment, and remove anything that pressures or tricks.
- Check your developer name, company details and support contact in App Store Connect are accurate and current.
- Answer customer reviews politely and specifically, without marketing or personal details.
- Reply to App Review explaining the changes and resubmit; if your account was terminated, send Apple a written plan of the improvements you'll make, as Apple's guideline describes.
How Borel helps
Borel keeps its part honest: the review notes it drafts state only what the app's code does, never a feature the code lacks, and the review status you see in Borel is read live from Apple, not guessed. Borel also emails you when Apple approves the version or sends it back.
Your account and your conduct stay yours: Borel publishes from your own Apple Developer Program membership, and it never answers App Review's messages or your customers' reviews for you.
Questions people ask
What is Apple's Developer Code of Conduct?
Guideline 5.6 and its parts: respect for customers and Apple, no manipulation or tricks, accurate developer identity, no manipulation of App Store discovery, and keeping app quality high.
Can my app ask people to rate it?
Yes, with Apple's provided review API, which lets people rate without leaving the app. Apple disallows custom review prompts.
Can Apple close my developer account?
Yes. Apple says it will terminate a Developer Program account for conduct that breaks the code, and that you may provide a written plan of improvements to have it restored if Apple approves and confirms the changes.
Related guidelines
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