Six review-delay paths
The status in App Store Connect is the starting point. Apple defines Waiting for Review as received but not yet started; In Review means active review is underway. Your submission history then changes how the same amount of waiting should be interpreted.
Waiting time is only one signal
Two apps can wait the same number of days and need different next steps. A first submission has a different history from a routine update. A corrected resubmission has a different evidence trail from an app that has never entered review.
Before escalating, record the exact status, submission timestamp, version and build, prior rejection or resubmission, Apple contact, expedited-request history, and release impact. That record prevents circular follow-ups and unnecessary cancellation.
Choose the timeline that matches your wait
Time-specific guidance should change as the delay matures. Early pages focus on verification; later pages focus on documentation and escalation.
See what your current delay means.
This is educational guidance, not a prediction of Apple’s decision or timing.
Verify the status at the source.
Apple defines Waiting for Review as a submission Apple has received but has not started reviewing. Apple also publishes its expedited-review criteria and official support routes.
Frequently asked questions
Is every long App Store review a stuck review?
No. Complex submissions can take longer, and In Review can remain quiet while Apple is working. A stuck case is better identified by status, history, elapsed time, and lack of actionable communication together.
Should I cancel and resubmit when review is delayed?
Not automatically. Cancelling changes the submission history and can return the app to a queue. Do it only for a concrete submission problem or on reliable case-specific guidance.
Does an official result have to be approval?
No. In Review, approval, rejection, or another official Apple outcome can all represent movement. Apple alone determines the decision.
Related review delay guides
Know the status, but still not moving?
Run the eligibility check for a human assessment of the delay and the steps already taken.
We accelerate the review process—not Apple’s approval decision.