Guideline 2.3.8 rejection: Metadata not suitable for all audiences
What it means, why it happens, and how developers get through it.
Subject line you may see: Guideline 2.3.8 - Performance - Accurate Metadata
What Apple's guideline says
Metadata should be appropriate for all audiences, so make sure your app and in-app purchase icons, screenshots, and previews adhere to a 4+ age rating even if your app is rated higher.
From App Review Guidelines, 2.3.8, as revised October 16, 2026.
Common causes
- Violent or graphic images in screenshots or previews, even for an app rated higher than 4+
- An app or in-app purchase icon not suitable for all audiences
- 'For Kids' or 'For Children' in metadata for an app not in the Kids Category
How to fix it
- Replace screenshots, previews, and in-app purchase images so they suit a 4+ rating
- Remove 'For Kids' and 'For Children' unless the app is in the Kids Category
- If the app icon itself must change, ship a new build, since the icon is in the binary
- Reply listing what you replaced
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 2.3.8, we replaced [screenshots / previews / icon] so they are suitable for a 4+ rating, and removed 'For Kids' from [field]. Thank you.
Real cases: others who got 2.3.8
No public cases logged yet.
Questions developers ask about 2.3.8
What does a Guideline 2.3.8 rejection mean?
Your icons, screenshots, or previews are not suitable for a 4+ rating, or your metadata uses 'For Kids' or 'For Children' outside the Kids Category.
Why do apps get rejected under Guideline 2.3.8?
Common causes, based on Apple's guideline text: violent or graphic images in screenshots or previews, even for an app rated higher than 4+; an app or in-app purchase icon not suitable for all audiences; 'For Kids' or 'For Children' in metadata for an app not in the Kids Category.
How do I fix a Guideline 2.3.8 rejection?
1. Replace screenshots, previews, and in-app purchase images so they suit a 4+ rating. 2. Remove 'For Kids' and 'For Children' unless the app is in the Kids Category. 3. If the app icon itself must change, ship a new build, since the icon is in the binary. 4. Reply listing what you replaced.
Do I need a new build for Guideline 2.3.8?
Fix the listing, then reply. Metadata issues can often be fixed on the product page without a new build. Change the fields, then reply listing exactly what changed. This is how the guideline is usually resolved, not a prediction for your app.
How should I reply to App Review about Guideline 2.3.8?
Reply in App Store Connect. Thank the reviewer and name Guideline 2.3.8, 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: 1.3 Kids Category · 2.3 accurate metadata
Source: Apple's App Review Guidelines, section 2.3.8, as revised October 16, 2026. Last checked . Always read the current official text. How we write these guides.