How to reply to App Store reviews: Apple's rules
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Apple lets you post a public response to any customer review in App Store Connect. These are the rules, taken from Apple's own documentation, plus a reply structure that works.
Where to reply and who can
- Reply under the review in App Store Connect (Ratings and Reviews for the app). The roles that can respond are Account Holder, Admin and Customer Support (App Store Connect Help: Respond to reviews).
- Each review can have one response. You can edit it; edited responses are marked as edited, and only the latest version is shown (App Store Connect Help: Respond to reviews, Apple: Ratings, reviews, and responses).
- A response can take up to 24 hours to appear and shows as pending until then (App Store Connect Help: Respond to reviews).
- Responses appear on devices running iOS 10.3 or later. Written reviews exist for iOS, macOS and visionOS apps; tvOS is not included (App Store Connect Help: Ratings and reviews overview).
What happens after you reply
- The reviewer is notified and can update their review (Apple).
- If a reviewer edits a review you responded to, you get an email alert. Several quick edits trigger one notification, and your response stays visible after the review changes (App Store Connect Help: Ratings and reviews overview).
What Apple allows
- Guideline 5.6.1: treat customers with respect when responding, and don't include personal information, spam or marketing (App Store Review Guidelines (5.6.1, 5.6.3, 5.6.4)).
- Apple asks for concise, personalised responses (Apple).
- If a reviewer reports a downloading or billing problem, point them to Apple Support (Apple).
Which reviews to answer first
Apple suggests prioritising the lowest-rated reviews and those that mention technical issues. You can respond to a review no matter how old it is. When you fix a reported problem, mention the fix in your release notes and reply to the reviews that reported it (Apple).
A four-line structure
This is Revunda's suggestion, not an Apple rule:
- Thank them and name the exact problem they described.
- Say what changed or what is happening, with a version number if there is one.
- Give one next step on one channel (update to x.y, or write to your support address).
- Sign with a name or "the team".
Example: "Thanks, Sam. Sync stopped after 4.2 for some accounts with two devices. 4.2.1 fixes it and is rolling out now. If it still fails after updating, write to support@yourapp.com and we'll look at your account. – Mia, Yourapp"
Replying at scale
The App Store Connect API can list reviews and create, update or delete responses. See App Store Connect API: customer reviews.
Sources
- Apple Developer: Ratings, reviews, and responses
- App Store Connect Help: Respond to reviews
- App Store Connect Help: Ratings and reviews overview
- App Store Review Guidelines (5.6.1, 5.6.3, 5.6.4)
Related guides
- How to respond to 1-star reviews after a bad app update
- App review response templates for bugs, pricing, login and crashes
- App Store Connect API: read and respond to customer reviews
- All app developer guides
Questions
Can developers reply to App Store reviews?
Yes. In App Store Connect, the Account Holder, Admin and Customer Support roles can post one public response per review and edit it later.
How long does an App Store review response take to appear?
Apple says a response can take up to 24 hours to appear; until then it is shown as pending.
Is there a character limit for App Store review responses?
Apple's ratings and reviews pages do not publish a character limit. Apple asks developers to keep responses concise.
Is the reviewer notified when I reply?
Yes. Apple notifies the reviewer, who can then update their review.