Guideline 1.3 rejection: Kids Category
What it means, why it happens, and how developers get through it.
Subject line you may see: Guideline 1.3 - Safety - Kids Category
What Apple's guideline says
These apps must not include links out of the app, purchasing opportunities, or other distractions to kids unless reserved for a designated area behind a parental gate.
From App Review Guidelines, 1.3, as revised October 16, 2026.
Common causes
- A link to a website, social profile, or the App Store that a child can reach without a parental gate
- A purchase or subscription screen a child can reach without a parental gate
- Third-party advertising or third-party analytics in a Kids Category app
- Personally identifiable information or device information sent to a third party
- An update that dropped the Kids Category but still serves the audience that expects those rules
How to fix it
- List every link, purchase, ad, and analytics call a child could reach
- Put links out and purchases behind a parental gate in a designated area
- Remove third-party advertising and analytics, or confirm they meet Apple's limited exceptions (no IDFA, no identifiable information about children, and for ads, contextual ads with human-reviewed creative)
- Stop sending personal or device information to third parties
- Reply with where the parental gate is and which SDKs you removed
What to put in your reply
A sample reply note. Replace the brackets with your facts and remove anything that does not apply.
Hello, Thank you for the review. Regarding Guideline 1.3, in build [number] we: 1. Moved the [website link / purchase screen] behind a parental gate in [screen]. 2. Removed [SDK name], which sent analytics to a third party. To verify: open [screen], tap [button], and the parental gate appears before any link or purchase. Thank you.
Real cases: others who got 1.3
No public cases logged yet.
Questions developers ask about 1.3
What does a Guideline 1.3 rejection mean?
Your app is in the Kids Category but has links out, purchases, ads, or analytics that the Kids Category rules do not allow, or they are not behind a parental gate.
Why do apps get rejected under Guideline 1.3?
Common causes, based on Apple's guideline text: A link to a website, social profile, or the App Store that a child can reach without a parental gate; A purchase or subscription screen a child can reach without a parental gate; third-party advertising or third-party analytics in a Kids Category app; personally identifiable information or device information sent to a third party; an update that dropped the Kids Category but still serves the audience that expects those rules.
How do I fix a Guideline 1.3 rejection?
1. List every link, purchase, ad, and analytics call a child could reach. 2. Put links out and purchases behind a parental gate in a designated area. 3. Remove third-party advertising and analytics, or confirm they meet Apple's limited exceptions (no IDFA, no identifiable information about children, and for ads, contextual ads with human-reviewed creative). 4. Stop sending personal or device information to third parties. 5. Reply with where the parental gate is and which SDKs you removed.
Do I need a new build for Guideline 1.3?
Fix, new build, then reply. Something in the binary has to change. Fix it, bump the build, resubmit, and reply with what changed and how to verify. This is how the guideline is usually resolved, not a prediction for your app.
How should I reply to App Review about Guideline 1.3?
Reply in App Store Connect. Thank the reviewer and name Guideline 1.3, say exactly what changed and in which version and build, give a numbered path the reviewer can follow, and attach proof such as screenshots or a screen recording.
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See also: 5.1.2 data use and sharing
Source: Apple's App Review Guidelines, section 1.3, as revised October 16, 2026. Last checked . Always read the current official text. How we write these guides.