The release habits that keep App Store rejections rare

In regulated products a failed review is more than an annoyance: it can slip a launch the client has already announced. Nearly every rejection I have seen was avoidable, and the fixes are process, not heroics.

Before you build

• Re-read the current review guidelines whenever you touch permissions, payments, or sign-in.
• Make sure every permission string explains the real reason in plain language.
• If the app requires an account, give reviewers a working demo login that does not hit production data.

Before you submit

• Run the release build on a real device, not only the simulator or a debug build.
• Check the privacy details in the store console against what the SDKs in the app actually collect.
• Confirm any account deletion path is reachable from inside the app.
• Walk through the flow on the oldest OS version you still support.

When it still gets rejected

Read the rejection literally and reply with specifics: where the feature is, how to reach it, and the credentials used. A calm, precise answer in the resolution centre resolves most cases within a day. Arguing about the guideline rarely does.

A boring checklist beats a clever workaround every single time.

Automate what you can

Version bumps, build numbers, signing, and upload belong in CI. Humans should spend their attention on the review notes and the smoke test, which are the parts a script cannot judge.