Guideline 5.2.1 rejection: intellectual property (trademarks and copyrighted material)
What it means, why it happens, and how developers get through it.
Subject line you may see: Guideline 5.2.1 - Legal - Intellectual Property
What Apple's guideline says
Don't use protected third-party material such as trademarks, copyrighted works, or patented ideas in your app without permission, and don't include misleading, false, or copycat representations, names, or metadata in your app bundle or developer name.
From App Review Guidelines, 5.2.1, as revised October 16, 2026.
Common causes
- A brand, team, show, or game name in the app name or metadata
- Characters, logos, images, or music you do not own
- The app submitted by someone other than the rights owner or licensee
How to fix it
- List every third-party name, image, logo, sound, and character in the app and listing
- Remove what you do not have rights to
- If you have permission, attach the license or written authorization in App Review Information
- Submit from the account of the rights owner or licensee when needed
- Reply with what you removed or the proof you attached
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 5.2.1, [we removed (names, images) from the app and metadata / we attached the license from (rights owner) in App Review Information]. Thank you.
Real cases: others who got 5.2.1
No public cases logged yet.
Questions developers ask about 5.2.1
What does a Guideline 5.2.1 rejection mean?
Your app or listing uses someone else's trademark, characters, images, music, or other protected material, and App Review needs proof you have the rights, or you need to remove it.
Why do apps get rejected under Guideline 5.2.1?
Common causes, based on Apple's guideline text: A brand, team, show, or game name in the app name or metadata; characters, logos, images, or music you do not own; the app submitted by someone other than the rights owner or licensee.
How do I fix a Guideline 5.2.1 rejection?
1. List every third-party name, image, logo, sound, and character in the app and listing. 2. Remove what you do not have rights to. 3. If you have permission, attach the license or written authorization in App Review Information. 4. Submit from the account of the rights owner or licensee when needed. 5. Reply with what you removed or the proof you attached.
Do I need a new build for Guideline 5.2.1?
Read carefully, then decide. This one depends on details. Reply asking what exactly was flagged before changing things. This is how the guideline is usually resolved, not a prediction for your app.
How should I reply to App Review about Guideline 5.2.1?
Reply in App Store Connect. Thank the reviewer and name Guideline 5.2.1, 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: 4.1(a) copycats · 2.3.7 names and keywords
Source: Apple's App Review Guidelines, section 5.2.1, as revised October 16, 2026. Last checked . Always read the current official text. How we write these guides.