Yes, Apple App Review works on holidays; the review team operates seven days a week and continues through most holidays, including US Thanksgiving, though reviews can run a little slower around major ones. The notable exception is the late-December period around Christmas and New Year, when Apple often announces a window of reduced activity, and in some years a brief pause on certain submission actions. So most holidays do not stop review, but the December holidays are the one to plan around. Confirm Apple's announcement for the specific dates each year, and submit with a few days of margin if your launch is tied to a holiday.
Short answer
App Review runs seven days a week, so it works on most holidays, with the late-December period the main exception. Per Apple's App Review page, most submissions are reviewed within 24 hours, and this continues through weekends and holidays, though volume can slow it around major dates. Around Christmas and New Year, Apple typically announces a reduced-activity window, and historically a short pause on some submission actions, so plan for slower or paused review then. US Thanksgiving and other holidays generally do not stop review but can be slower. Check Apple's developer announcements for the exact December dates each year, and submit early if your launch is holiday-linked.
Does App Review work on holidays?
Yes. Apple's App Review operates seven days a week, and it does not shut down for most holidays, so a submission made on a holiday is picked up and reviewed like any other day. The same target of reviewing the majority of submissions within about 24 hours applies across holidays, as an average rather than a guarantee.
That said, major holidays can slow the pace. More submissions in the queue, or fewer reviewers on a given day, can push review toward the longer end, without anything being wrong with your app. So the accurate picture is that review continues through holidays, but you should not count on the fastest possible turnaround right around a big holiday, and you should give yourself margin if the timing matters. A review that usually finishes in a day might take two around a busy holiday, which is inconvenient but not a sign of a problem.
The December holiday window
The late-December period around Christmas and New Year is the one holiday window that behaves differently. In most years, Apple announces a stretch of days around the holidays when App Store Connect activity is reduced, and historically there have been short periods when you cannot perform certain submission actions, effectively a brief pause. Reviews can also be slower during this window even when submissions are accepted.
Because the exact dates and behavior vary from year to year, the reliable approach is to check Apple's developer announcements for the current year rather than assume. If you have a launch planned for late December, treat this window as a real constraint: submit well before it, and if your app is approved, hold it for release rather than depending on a review completing during the window. This is the one time of year where the holiday genuinely affects your timeline, so it deserves its own line in any late-December launch plan.
Thanksgiving and other holidays
US Thanksgiving and other national holidays do not stop App Review, which continues seven days a week, but they can make it a bit slower. Around a major holiday, the queue and staffing can shift, so a review that would normally clear within a day might take a little longer. There is no shutdown for these holidays, so you can submit and expect review to proceed as it would on any other day.
The practical guidance is the same as for weekends: do not treat a holiday as a reason to delay submitting, but also do not depend on the very fastest turnaround right on the holiday. If your launch is tied to a specific holiday date, submit a few days ahead so a normal or slightly slower review still lands in time, rather than cutting it close and hoping. The cost of submitting early is nothing, while the cost of a review landing a day late can be a missed launch window.
Planning launches around holidays
For any holiday-linked launch, margin is the key. Submit several days before the date you need the app live, so that even a slower holiday review clears in time, and avoid relying on same-day review right around a big holiday. This is especially important for the December window, where reduced activity or a pause can add real delay.
Apple's phased release and Pending Developer Release features help here. You can have the app approved in advance and then publish it yourself on the exact date, which decouples your launch from the review timing entirely. Getting the app approved early and holding it for release is the most reliable way to hit a holiday launch, since it removes the risk of a review not completing when you need it.
Weekends too
Weekends work the same way as ordinary days for App Review, since the team operates seven days a week. A submission made on a Saturday or Sunday is reviewed normally, and apps are regularly approved over weekends, so you do not need to wait for Monday to submit. This is worth knowing alongside the holiday behavior, because the two are often asked about together.
The only caution is the same as for holidays: around a major holiday weekend, the pace can be a little slower due to volume. But there is no weekend shutdown, so treat weekends as normal review days, submit when your app is ready, and reserve extra margin only for the late-December window, which is the genuine exception. Many developers deliberately submit on a Friday precisely because a weekend review often lands before Monday.
Holiday review behavior
Seeing the periods together clarifies what to expect. The table below summarizes review behavior across them.
| Period | App Review behavior |
|---|---|
| Regular weekdays | Normal, most within about 24 hours |
| Weekends | Continues seven days a week |
| US Thanksgiving and most holidays | Continues, possibly a little slower |
| Late December, Christmas and New Year | Reduced activity, sometimes a brief pause |
| Major sales or launch periods | Queue can be longer |
Read the table to set expectations. Only the late-December row represents a real change to plan around, while weekends and other holidays continue normally with, at most, a slightly slower pace.
Checklist
A short check keeps a holiday launch on track. The checklist below covers it.
| Check | Action | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Check Apple's dates | Look up the December window for the current year | [ ] |
| Submit with margin | Send it several days ahead of a holiday launch | [ ] |
| Use phased release | Approve early and publish on your chosen date | [ ] |
| Do not expect express | Avoid relying on same-day review near a holiday | [ ] |
| Submit a clean build | Scan and fix issues so review is not a rejection | [ ] |
The two that matter most are submitting with margin and using Pending Developer Release, since together they make your launch independent of holiday review timing. Check Apple's announced December dates, and give yourself room rather than depending on a fast review. That single habit turns holiday timing from a risk into a non-issue for your launch.
What to take away
- Apple App Review works on holidays; it runs seven days a week and continues through most holidays, including US Thanksgiving, though it can be slower.
- The late-December period around Christmas and New Year is the exception, with reduced activity and, in some years, a brief pause on certain submissions.
- Weekends are normal review days, so you do not need to wait for a weekday to submit.
- For a holiday-linked launch, submit several days ahead and use Pending Developer Release to publish on your exact date.
- Review timing is separate from a rejection; scan your build with PTKD.com so a holiday submission does not come back for a preventable issue.
