Apple TV App Review: What You Need to Know Before Submitting Your tvOS App

Apple's App Review process for tvOS is the strictest of any major CTV platform. Reviewers test your app on real hardware and reject for issues that Roku and Fire TV would let pass. The good news: once you know the common failure modes, a first-pass approval is very achievable.

The top six tvOS rejection reasons

1. Sign-in friction without value first. App Store guideline 5.1.1 means you cannot force a sign-up before showing any content. Offer at least a browseable catalog without auth.
2. Missing or broken in-app purchases. If you offer subscriptions outside the app, you also need an IAP path inside tvOS - or qualify for the reader-app exception (more below).
3. Crashes on the lowest supported tvOS version. Apple tests on the oldest tvOS your app supports. If it crashes there, you fail even if it works on the latest version.
4. Inadequate metadata. Screenshots that do not represent the app, missing privacy nutrition labels, or a description with marketing-speak instead of feature descriptions.
5. Broken Siri remote interactions. The focus engine must respond predictably to swipes, the menu button must always navigate back, and the Play/Pause button must work during playback.
6. Account deletion not in-app. Since 2022, apps that allow account creation must let users delete their account from inside the app, not just by emailing support.

The 'value before sign-in' rule

This is the single most common cause of first-time tvOS rejections. Even for paid streaming services, you must show meaningful content before requiring an account. Options:

• A free preview row (trailers, first-episodes, or sample clips) accessible without sign-in.
• A clearly labelled 'Browse' mode that shows the catalog with locked playback.
• Trial playback of one full title per session.

In-app purchase, the reader-app exception, and external links

If your service has a website-based sign-up flow only (no in-app subscription), you qualify for the 'reader app' exception under guideline 3.1.3(a). This lets you skip IAP for content unlocking. You still cannot link out to your sign-up page from inside the app unless you also enrol in the External Link Account Entitlement program.

If you do offer IAP, Apple takes 30% (15% under the Small Business Program or for subscriptions after year one). See our dedicated post on the Apple TV 30% fee for the full breakdown.

Privacy nutrition labels and ATT

Apple requires you to declare every type of data your app collects, links to user identity, and uses for tracking. Be thorough - under-declaring is a rejection trigger and over-declaring hurts conversion. If you serve targeted ads, you must implement the App Tracking Transparency prompt before any IDFA access.

Pre-submission checklist

• Run your app on the oldest tvOS you advertise as a minimum.
• Test every Siri remote button on the home screen, detail screen, player, and settings.
• Confirm sign-in is optional or trial content is reachable without auth.
• Confirm account creation flows include a working in-app delete account path.
• Take screenshots at the required sizes (1920x1080 and 3840x2160 for 4K) showing real app content.
• Fill the privacy nutrition label with every SDK's data collection accounted for.

The bottom line

Apple TV App Review is demanding but predictable. Build to the checklist and most apps pass on the first try. OTT Engine's tvOS template ships with all of the above wired in by default, including the reader-app and IAP variants. Book a demo to see it.

Frequently Asked Questions