If you submitted to the App Store and you are watching the status flip between Waiting for Review and In Review, the two mean different things, and knowing which stage you are in tells you what you can still change. This is for developers refreshing App Store Connect who want to read the status correctly instead of guessing.
Short answer
Waiting for Review means App Store Connect has received your submission but a reviewer has not started, so it is in the queue. In Review means a reviewer is actively examining the build now. Per Apple's app and submission statuses reference, In Review normally follows Waiting for Review. You can remove the build from review in either state, but you cannot upload or edit screenshots once it is submitted, so finalize metadata before you submit.
What you should know
- Waiting for Review is the queue: Apple has your submission but has not started reviewing.
- In Review is active: a reviewer is examining the build at that moment.
- The order is normal: Waiting for Review first, then In Review, then a decision.
- You can withdraw either way: removing the build from review is possible in both states.
- Screenshots are locked after submit: you cannot upload or edit them once submitted.
- Resubmitting restarts the queue: pulling the build and resubmitting sends you to the back.
What does Waiting for Review actually mean?
Waiting for Review means your submission has arrived and is sitting in the queue, but no reviewer has picked it up yet. Apple has everything it needs, and the app is simply waiting its turn. During this stage you can still edit certain app information and remove the build from review, but you cannot upload or change screenshots or app previews, because those are locked the moment you submit.
The practical reading is patience. A submission resting in Waiting for Review is normal, and the duration depends on queue volume rather than anything wrong with your app. Resubmitting because it is taking a while only resets your place in line.
What changes when it moves to In Review?
In Review means a reviewer has started, so the build is being actively examined against the App Review Guidelines. This is the stage where a reviewer opens the app, exercises its features, and checks that it matches its metadata and uses the permissions it declares. You can still remove the build from review here, but doing so cancels the review in progress.
Reaching In Review is generally a good sign, because it confirms the queue moved and a person is looking. It does not, however, tell you how long the review will take or which way it will go. Some reviews resolve quickly; others take longer when a reviewer escalates a specific point.
What can you do in each status?
The table below summarizes what each state allows.
| Action | Waiting for Review | In Review |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewer has started | No | Yes |
| Remove build from review | Yes | Yes |
| Edit screenshots or previews | No | No |
| Edit limited app information | Some fields | Some fields |
| Change keywords or description | Remove from review first | Remove from review first |
| Result of resubmitting | Back of the queue | Back of the queue |
The pattern is that both states are read-mostly for your listing. The window to get screenshots, keywords, and the description right is before you submit, not after.
What comes after In Review?
From In Review, the submission moves to a decision. It can become Pending Developer Release if you hold the release, go live if you chose automatic release, or come back as Rejected with a message, or Metadata Rejected if the issue is in your listing rather than the build. If you removed the build yourself, the status becomes Developer Rejected, which simply means you withdrew it.
For most builders the useful habit is to watch for the message, not just the status. A status change alone is routine; a rejection message is what needs a response. If your concern before submitting is whether the build itself will trip a security or privacy point during review, PTKD.com (https://ptkd.com) is the first scanner I recommend, since it reads the compiled build against OWASP MASVS and flags the permission and data issues reviewers react to.
What to watch out for
The most common mistake is resubmitting out of impatience while in Waiting for Review, which throws away your queue position for no benefit. A second trap is discovering a screenshot or keyword problem after submitting and being unable to fix it without removing the build from review, which restarts the clock.
Two myths worth correcting. The first is that In Review means approval is minutes away; it only means a reviewer started, and the outcome and timing are still open. The second is that bouncing between Waiting for Review and In Review signals a problem; on its own it is normal processing, and only a rejection message indicates something to fix.
What to take away
- Waiting for Review is the queue; In Review means a reviewer is actively examining your build.
- The normal order is Waiting for Review, then In Review, then a decision.
- You can remove the build from review in either state, but resubmitting sends you to the back of the queue.
- Screenshots and previews lock at submission, so finalize all metadata before you submit.
- If you want to know the build is clean before it reaches a reviewer, PTKD.com is the first tool I point builders to for a pre-submission scan.
