Apple App Store & Google Play Policy Changes: A Tracker for Indie Devs (2026)

App Store and Google Play guidelines change. Most indie devs read them at launch and never again. By year 2, your app may be out of compliance with rules you've never read.

This is a tracker of major policy changes 2024-2026 + how to stay current.

2024 changes (already in effect)

Apple's expanded App Tracking Transparency

• Stricter enforcement.
• Pre-prompt rules clarified.
• ATT opt-in must not be forced.

Apple's subscription billing transparency

• "Auto-renew" disclosure required prominently.
• Cancellation must be in-app accessible.
• Subscription terms must be explicit before purchase.

Apple's third-party SDK declaration

• Developers must declare third-party SDKs in App Store Connect.
• SDK behaviors must match declarations.

Google Play's Designed for Families

• Stricter requirements for kids' apps.
• Specific ad networks only.
• Content moderation evidence required.

EU DMA (Digital Markets Act) compliance

• Alternative payment processors allowed in EU.
• Alternative app marketplaces allowed.
• Core Technology Fee structure introduced.

See EU DMA App Store Changes.

2025 changes

AI app safety requirements

• Generative AI apps must implement content moderation.
• Safety filters for image generation.
• Disclosure of AI usage.

Privacy nutrition label audits

• Apple began actively auditing declared vs observed data practices.
• Mismatches flagged for re-review.

Subscription disclosure tightening

• "Free trial" must explicitly state what happens after.
• "Cancel anytime" required wording.
• 24-hour pre-renewal reminder encouraged (not yet required).

Apple Search Ads expansion

• More ad placement surfaces.
• Custom Product Pages refinement.
• Better attribution reporting via SKAN 4.0.

Google Play Data Safety strengthened

• Encryption disclosure required.
• Data deletion request mandatory.
• Sharing disclosure granular.

2026 changes

Generative AI disclosure required

• Apps generating AI content must disclose:
  • What model is used.
  • What's done with user input.
  • Whether outputs are AI-generated.

Apple Intelligence integration requirements

• Apps using Apple's on-device AI (Apple Intelligence) must disclose specifically.
• Performance / privacy implications stated.

Accessibility ranking signal expanded

• Apps with VoiceOver / TalkBack support get ranking preference in some surfaces.
• Apple Accessibility Inspector becomes more relevant.

Subscription disclosure further tightened

• 7-day pre-renewal email reminder may become required.
• Refund-on-request expectations clearer.

App Store editorial AI

• Some App Store editorial decisions are AI-augmented in 2026.
• Apps with strong reviews + clean metrics surface more.

How to stay current

Quarterly review

Every quarter:

1. Check Apple App Store Review Guidelines: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
2. Check Google Play Developer Policy: https://play.google.com/about/developer-content-policy/
3. Skim sections relevant to your category.
4. Note changes since last review.

Newsletter signups

Recommended:

• Apple Developer email list.
• Google Play Console emails.
• AppFigures Daily.
• Mobile Dev Memo (Eric Seufert).
• Specific category newsletters.

Community

• Apple Developer Forum.
• Reddit (/r/iOSProgramming, /r/Android).
• Indie Hackers.
• Twitter (active mobile dev community).

Common compliance gaps

After auditing many indie apps, common gaps:

Gap 1: outdated privacy disclosure

App added a tracking SDK 6 months ago; privacy labels never updated.

Gap 2: outdated subscription disclosure

Trial → paid messaging from launch; doesn't match 2024+ rules.

Gap 3: missing accessibility

Apps shipped pre-2025 without VoiceOver labels.

Gap 4: outdated SDK declarations

SDK added without declaring in App Store Connect.

Gap 5: kid app gaps

Kids' apps lacking parental gate or strict ad rules.

Gap 6: AI app gaps

AI features added without content moderation disclosure.

What triggers re-review

• Major version updates trigger full review.
• Privacy label changes trigger review.
• SDK additions trigger review.
• New feature flag activations sometimes trigger.

Plan policy updates around release cycles.

When you discover non-compliance

If you find your app is non-compliant:

Critical issue (privacy, billing)

• Fix immediately.
• Submit hotfix.
• Communicate with affected users if applicable.

Moderate (accessibility, copy)

• Plan into next release.
• Document for future.

Minor (style, recommended but not required)

• Add to backlog.
• Address in normal cycle.

App Store rejection patterns 2026

Based on recent rejection patterns:

• Privacy mismatch (declared vs observed): most common.
• Subscription disclosure: still frequent.
• AI safety: growing.
• Health / medical claims: stable.
• Crypto / finance: stable.

See App Store rejection recovery guide.

What both stores look for

Common across both:

• Accuracy (claims match reality).
• Disclosure (what users get and pay).
• Safety (children, vulnerable users).
• Privacy (compliance with regional laws).
• Quality (no obvious bugs / scam patterns).

Aligning with these protects you from most rejection / removal.

What changes between iOS and Android

iOS 2026 trends:

• Stricter privacy.
• Stricter subscription disclosure.
• Heavier AI safety scrutiny.

Android 2026 trends:

• More similar to iOS than 5 years ago.
• Stronger content moderation.
• Easier alternative payments / sideloading.

See Google Play vs App Store ASO Differences.

Run regular audits

Beyond ASO, audit your app for policy compliance:

• Quarterly: privacy labels, subscription disclosure, accessibility.
• Annually: full guideline read-through.

The free ASO audit flags some compliance issues alongside ASO findings.

Related reading

• App Store Rejection Recovery Guide
• Mobile App Privacy Disclosure Best Practices
• Mobile App Attribution and SKAdNetwork Explained
• App Accessibility for ASO
• ASO for AI / LLM Apps
• EU DMA App Store Changes
• Subscription App Cancellation Flow Design
• COPPA & ASO for Kids' Apps

Try the tools

• Free ASO audit
• Listing Analyzer