Apple Updates App Review Guidelines, Will Remove Unupdated or Low-Quality Apps and Restrict Variants in Established Categories

Apple said it may begin removing apps from the App Store if they are not updated, improved, or attracting customers. The refreshed App Review Guidelines were released this week alongside the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference. The new text warns developers against opportunistically creating variants of existing app categories or popular apps.

The updated guidelines list wallpaper apps, simple timers, and sound effects in addition to dating apps, flashlight, and fortune-telling apps. Submissions will no longer be accepted for well-established categories unless the apps offer a meaningfully different or improved experience, Apple stated.

Apple called out drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart, and burp apps as low-quality, mediocre, and low-effort.

Developers who repeatedly submit such apps may lose access to the Apple Developer Program entirely, the guidelines warn. The previous version of the guidelines contained the text: “The App Store has enough fart, burp, flashlight, fortune telling, dating, drinking games, and Kama Sutra apps, etc. already.

At WWDC, Apple introduced personalized app recommendations and merchandising tools. The company said the changes aim to improve app discovery and help developers grow their businesses and re-engage users. TechCrunch reported the guidelines update in an article dated with reference to WWDC 2026.

The article lists the topics app store, Apple, Apps, developers, and WWDC 2026. It also promotes an event titled June 18 Los Angeles.