How long does App Store review take right now?
Typical wait is about 1 day, based on 3 reviews from indie iOS and Mac developers.
I don’t have enough reviews from the last couple of weeks to say if things are speeding up or slowing down. For context, updates typically take about 1 day (based on 3 reviews).
The last few weeks
- Week of Oct 12, 2026About 1 daybased on 2 reviews
- Week of Sep 21, 2026About 3 hoursbased on 1 review
Questions people actually ask
Why is App Store review slow?
Apple doesn’t publish a live queue, so nobody outside Cupertino really knows. From what people send in here, new apps wait longer than updates, and some weeks are just slower for no obvious reason. US holidays and the week around WWDC are the usual suspects. If yours is sitting on Waiting for Review, you’re probably not the only one.
Does expedited review help?
Sometimes. You ask for it in App Store Connect when something is actually on fire, like a crash that’s already live or a legal deadline. It isn’t a skip-the-line button for “I want this out on Friday.” If Apple says yes, the wait can drop to a few hours. If they say no, you’re in the same queue as everyone else.
What about weekends and holidays?
Reviews still happen on weekends, just quieter. US holidays and late December are slower. If you submit Friday night, don’t be shocked if nothing moves until Monday. I wouldn’t plan a launch around the week of Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Want yours in the mix?
The numbers on this page only exist because people connected their apps. If you’re shipping this week, that’s the most useful thing you can do.
Takes about 2 minutes. Then every review gets logged with Apple’s own timestamps, and you help the next person who googles this.
Not affiliated with Apple. This is whatever indie devs chose to share, not an official wait time.