Passing App Review and releasing

Every release — first submission and every update after it — is reviewed by a human against the App Store Review Guidelines. Most first-time rejections are avoidable mechanical problems, not judgement calls.

Submitting for review

In your app's version page, attach the build, confirm the listing, and complete the export compliance question (standard HTTPS usually qualifies for the exemption).
Fill in App Review Information: contact details and — critically — a demo account if any part of the app sits behind a login.
Choose release timing: manual, automatic on approval, or scheduled.
Submit. Most reviews complete within 24–48 hours.

The rejections that catch first-timers

Crashes or obvious bugs during review — the number-one reason.
Placeholder content: lorem ipsum, dead links, empty screens.
Missing or non-working demo account for gated features.
Privacy label that doesn't match what the app actually does.
Payments done wrong: digital goods must use in-app purchase; physical goods must not.
"Minimum functionality" — apps that are just a website wrapper.

Rejection isn't a mark against you. Fix the issue, reply in App Review → Resolution Center, resubmit. Reviews of resubmissions are usually faster.

Releasing and after

On approval the app goes live per your release choice — instantly, on your schedule, or as a phased release that rolls out to a growing percentage of users over seven days and can be halted if something's wrong.

Updates repeat the whole cycle, so keep the habit: TestFlight round first, review checklist second, submit third.