Guideline 2.1 Information Needed: the demo account rejection fix

What App Store Guideline 2.1 says

Apple's Guideline 2.1 (App Completeness) says submissions should be final versions with all necessary metadata and fully functional URLs, with placeholder and temporary content removed. The line that drives the demo account rejection is Apple's instruction to test the app on device and to include demo account info, and to turn on your backend service, if your app includes a login.

When a reviewer hits a sign-in screen and has no way to get past it, they cannot evaluate the app. Apple returns a 2.1 rejection labeled "Information Needed" and asks for a way to verify all features and functionality.

The official text lives on the App Store Review Guidelines page.

Why apps get rejected under 2.1

Common triggers for the Information Needed and demo account version:

• The app has a login but no demo credentials were entered in App Store Connect.
• Credentials were entered but the account does not work, is expired, is rate limited, or does not reach the paid or gated features.
• The backend was off, in maintenance, or pointed at a staging environment during review, so the account could not sign in.
• A one-time passcode or phone or email verification step blocks the reviewer, who cannot receive your code.
• Some features sit behind a region, a role, or an in-app purchase the demo account does not have.

The common thread is access. If the reviewer cannot see a feature, Apple treats the app as incomplete for review purposes.

How to fix it

1. Add demo credentials. In App Store Connect, open the app, select the version, scroll to App Review Information, check Sign-in required, and enter a working username and password.
2. Make the account reach everything. The demo account should unlock every screen, including paid tiers, admin or role-gated views, and any feature that normally requires real data.
3. Turn the backend on and keep it on. Confirm production is live for the full review window, not staging, and that the account is not throttled or auto-expired.
4. Remove or pre-pass verification walls. If you require a one-time code, provide a test account that bypasses it or document exactly how the reviewer can complete it, since they cannot receive your SMS or email.
5. Use the notes field and demo mode if needed. Add step-by-step notes, sample data, or a sample code in App Review Information. If you cannot share a real account, build a demo mode that shows full functionality, with Apple's prior approval.
6. Test the credentials yourself on a clean device before resubmitting.

Remember that submitted is not approved. Providing access lets the reviewer evaluate the app, but they still review every feature on resubmission.

How AppFlight helps

AppFlight handles the full submission flow, so the App Review Information step, including the demo account and sign-in fields, is part of the path it walks rather than a console screen you have to remember. When AppFlight wires in authentication through a Supabase backend, the credentials and backend it submits are real, which is the part of a 2.1 demo account rejection that usually goes wrong. When Apple returns a 2.1 Information Needed rejection, AppFlight reads the rejection reason, works on the issue, and resubmits the build. AppFlight does not guarantee approval. Apple reviews every app and every resubmission, and the demo account has to genuinely reach your features.