# "Minimum functionality" rejection: what Apple is really telling you

Canonical page: https://acceptmy.app/guides/app-store-rejected-minimum-functionality

There's no checklist that guarantees you clear Guideline 4.2 — it's a judgment call about whether your app offers real utility beyond what a web page or a single feature could do. Here's how reviewers actually make that call, and what tips it in your favor.

## What actually triggers this rejection

Single-purpose calculator, converter, or generator apps that produce one output and stop there.

An unmodified website wrapped in a WebView with no native functionality added.

Apps that duplicate something iOS already does natively — a flashlight, a basic timer, a note field — without adding real value.

Content that reads as mostly marketing material for a business, rather than a usable product in its own right.

## "How much functionality is enough?" — there's no fixed number

Apple isn't counting features; it's looking for genuine utility that justifies the app existing outside a browser tab.

Signals that help: state that persists between sessions, native platform integration (notifications, widgets, on-device processing), and content or output that's personalized rather than identical for every user.

An app can be small and still pass — a focused, well-built single-purpose tool is different from a thin wrapper with no depth.

## Is this worth appealing?

Appeal through the App Review Board only makes sense if you believe the reviewer misunderstood the app — tested an outdated build, missed a feature, or hit a bug that made a real feature look broken.

If the app genuinely is thin today, appeals rarely overturn a correct 4.2 call. Adding real functionality and resubmitting is almost always faster than arguing the point.

## What to add before resubmitting

Offline support so the app is useful without a live connection.

A home screen widget or notifications tied to a real, recurring trigger — not just marketing pushes.

Saved history, favorites, or account-based personalization instead of a stateless single action.

At least one feature that isn't trivially reproducible with a single web search or a generic template.

## Replying or resubmitting

If you're resubmitting with real changes, describe specifically what was added and where to find it — don't just say 'we improved the app.'

Never resubmit an unchanged build hoping a different reviewer sees it differently; the review system tracks this and it doesn't help.

## Apple guideline references

Guideline 4.2


## Related pages
- [Minimum functionality rejection: prove the app has enough value](https://acceptmy.app/rejections/guideline-4-2-minimum-functionality.md)
- [Minimum Functionality: show native value clearly](https://acceptmy.app/guidelines/4-2-minimum-functionality.md)
- [Related page](https://acceptmy.app/free-tools/ios-app-idea-validator.md)

Last updated: 2026-09-09