First Scan Tutorial: How to Use AppPreflight
Publish Date: 2026-03-28
Last Updated: 2026-03-28
Author: AppPreflight Team
Overview
This tutorial will guide you step-by-step on how to use AppPreflight for your first pre-review scan. AppPreflight is an AI-powered app review pre-check tool that analyzes your app screenshots and metadata to identify potential App Store review issues in just 30-60 seconds, helping developers significantly improve their app's first-time approval rate.
Prerequisites
Before you start using AppPreflight, make sure you have:
- Registered and logged into your AppPreflight account
- Available pre-review credits in your account (new users get 3 free credits)
- Prepared screenshots of your app (up to 10 screenshots)
- Basic information about your app ready (name, core feature description, etc.)
Step One: Access the New Review Page
- Log in to your AppPreflight account
- Click the "New Review" button in your dashboard or in the navigation bar
- You will see a form with two main sections:
- Section 1: Screenshot Upload
- Section 2: App Metadata
Step Two: Upload App Screenshots
Preparing Your Screenshots
Before uploading, prepare key screenshots of your app, including:
- Main Feature Screen: Showcase your app's core functionality
- User Center/Account Screen (if applicable): Pay special attention to whether there's an account deletion feature
- In-App Purchase Screen (if you have IAP): Show pricing, subscription cycles, and other details
- Privacy or Permission Request Screen (if applicable): Show how your app handles user data
- Other Critical Screens: Any screens that might involve compliance issues
Screenshot Recommendations:
- Resolution: High-resolution PNG or JPG format
- Quantity: Minimum 1, Maximum 10 screenshots
- Content: Real app UI screenshots (not design mockups or model images)
Uploading Screenshots
Method 1: Drag and Drop
- In the "Drag and Drop Screenshots" area, directly drag screenshot files to the upload box
- Release the mouse to complete the upload
- The system will automatically process the files and display previews
Method 2: Click to Browse
- Click the "click to browse" link in the upload area
- Select one or multiple screenshots in the file dialog
- Click "Open" to complete the upload
View Uploaded Screenshots
- After uploading, you'll see thumbnails of all screenshots below
- Each screenshot has an "×" button next to it to remove unwanted screenshots
- You can continue adding more screenshots until you reach the 10-screenshot limit
Step Three: Fill in App Metadata
In the "Complete App Metadata" section, fill in the following information:
Required Fields
App Name
- Enter your app's official name as it appears on the App Store
- Example: Contract Assistant
- This name helps AI understand your app
Core Feature Description
- Summarize your app's main functionality in one sentence
- Example: Uses AI to analyze document risks
- This description helps AI understand your app's functional boundaries and identify compliance issues more accurately
Optional Checkboxes
Includes In-App Purchase (IAP)
-
Check this box if your app includes any of the following:
- Subscriptions (e.g., monthly or annual paid plans)
- Virtual currency or credit purchases
- Paid feature unlocks
- Paid ad-free version
-
When checked, AI will focus on checking:
- Whether IAP prices and subscription cycles are clearly displayed
- Whether there's a restore purchase function
- Whether refund policies are clearly stated
Includes User Account System
-
Check this box if your app includes any of the following:
- User registration/login flow
- User profile or account settings
- User data storage or sync
-
When checked, AI will focus on checking:
- Whether the app provides an account deletion/closure feature (Apple's 2024 requirement)
- Whether the privacy policy clearly states data collection and usage
- Whether the app complies with GDPR, CCPA, and other data protection regulations
Step Four: Launch AI Pre-Review
- Confirm you've uploaded at least one screenshot
- Fill in the app name (required)
- Look at the "Submit AI Pre-Review" button at the bottom of the page
- Confirm your account has available pre-review credits
- Click "Start AI Pre-Review (1 Credit)" button
Important Notes:
- Each pre-review consumes 1 pre-review credit
- New users have 3 free credits
- After clicking submit, the pre-review will start in the background
Step Five: Wait for AI Analysis
After submission, you'll see a loading screen showing:
- Real-time progress bar
- Current analysis stage description
- Estimated time remaining (usually 30-60 seconds)
During analysis, AI checks:
- App Functionality Compliance: Are features complete and descriptions accurate?
- Privacy and Data Protection: Is there a privacy policy? Are permissions used appropriately?
- In-App Purchase Compliance: If applicable, checking price display, subscription cycle explanation, etc.
- User Account Features: If applicable, checking whether account deletion feature exists
- Content Compliance: Does the app contain inappropriate content, advertising, or copyright issues?
- Design and UI: Does it have Android-specific features, competitor logos, or other inappropriate UI?
Do not close the page or refresh your browser while analysis is running.
Step Six: View Pre-Review Report
After analysis completes, you'll automatically see the detailed pre-review report.
Key Sections of the Report
Overall Risk Score
The top of the report displays a color-coded risk level:
- 🟢 Green (Low Risk): Your app is likely to pass App Store review
- 🟡 Yellow (Medium Risk): Your app has some issues that need improvement
- 🔴 Red (High Risk): Your app has significant issues. We strongly recommend making changes before submission
Issue List
Each discovered issue includes:
- Issue Title: A concise description of the problem
- Severity Level: Critical/High/Medium/Low
- Location: Which screenshot or feature the issue was found in
- Detailed Analysis: Why this is a problem, with reference to Apple's official guidelines
- Improvement Suggestion: Specific steps to fix the issue
- Related Guideline: The specific clause from Apple's Review Guidelines
Issues Grouped by Category
- Privacy Policy Issues
- In-App Purchase Issues
- Account System Issues
- Functionality Compliance Issues
- Content Compliance Issues
- Design and UI Issues
Understanding Confidence Scores
Each issue has a Confidence Score (0-100%) next to it, which indicates:
- 95-100%: Almost certainly will cause rejection, must fix
- 80-94%: Very likely to cause rejection, strongly recommend fixing
- 60-79%: Might cause rejection, recommend fixing
- Below 60%: May have risk, recommend checking official guidelines
Step Seven: Improve Your App Based on Suggestions
Prioritize Issues
We recommend addressing issues in this priority order:
-
Must Fix (First Priority)
- All issues with confidence >90%
- All issues marked as "Critical"
- Any issues about account deletion feature or privacy policy
-
Strongly Recommend Fixing (Second Priority)
- Issues with confidence 60-90%
- Issues marked as "High" risk
-
Suggest Improvements (Third Priority)
- Issues with confidence <60%
- Issues marked as "Medium" or "Low" risk
- Best practice suggestions
Common Fix Examples
Privacy Policy Issues
- Missing or incomplete privacy policy → Add a complete privacy policy explaining what data is collected, how it's used, and user rights
- Data retention period not specified → Clearly state data retention periods in the privacy policy
- No data deletion method provided → Provide account deletion functionality and process
In-App Purchase Issues
- IAP prices not clearly displayed → Clearly show price, currency, and subscription cycle on the purchase page
- Missing subscription cycle explanation → Add clear labels like "$9.99/month" or "$99.99/year"
- No restore purchase function → Add a "Restore Purchases" button in the app settings
Account System Issues
- Missing account deletion feature → Add "Delete Account" or "Close Account" option in user center
- User data not completely removed after deletion → Ensure all user data is deleted from servers after deletion request
Functionality Issues
- App crashes or lags → Fix bugs and thoroughly test on real devices
- Features are incomplete → Ensure all features mentioned in the app description are actually implemented
- Test mode or debug menu exposed → Remove all test features, debug menus, and developer options
Verify Your Fixes
After making fixes, you have two options:
Option 1: Re-upload Screenshots for a New Pre-Review
- Update your app version number
- Recompile and take new screenshots
- Go back to AppPreflight and click "New Review"
- Upload the new screenshots
- Click "Start AI Pre-Review" for a new scan
Option 2: Read Official Guidelines for Verification
- Visit App Store Review Guidelines
- Read the relevant sections to understand official requirements
- Compare the pre-review suggestions and make improvements
- Re-scan after modifications
Step Eight: Official Submission to App Store
Once all major issues are resolved, you can officially submit to the App Store:
Final Verification Checklist
Before submission, make sure:
- All critical and high-risk issues have been fixed
- App thoroughly tested on real iOS devices, no crashes
- All screenshots are current and show the latest app interface
- Privacy policy, terms of service, and support page links are correct
- App name, description, and keywords are correctly filled
- App rating and category are correctly set
- If you have IAP, all products are configured in App Store Connect
Submission Steps
- Log in to App Store Connect
- Select your app
- Click "Prepare for Submission"
- Upload the new compiled app version
- Fill in all required information (screenshots, preview video, description, etc.)
- Select "Submit for Review"
- Wait for Apple's review decision (usually 24-48 hours)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which screenshots should I upload?
A: Upload the pages you think are most likely to violate App Store guidelines. Usually includes:
- Main feature screens
- User account center (if applicable)
- In-app purchase screens (if applicable)
- Any pages containing payments, ads, or sensitive content
Q: Can I use the pre-review multiple times?
A: Yes. We recommend uploading new screenshots after fixing issues and running the pre-review again to confirm all issues are resolved.
Q: What's the accuracy rate of the pre-review?
A: AppPreflight can identify over 90% of common rejection reasons, but cannot guarantee 100% approval. Apple's review standards continue to evolve, so we recommend combining the pre-review with official guidelines for final verification.
Q: How much does a pre-review cost?
A: Each pre-review costs 1 credit. New users get 3 free credits. After that, you can buy as needed, with prices ranging from $0.39 to $0.49 per credit.
Q: Are my screenshots and data safe?
A: Yes. AppPreflight follows a "Read and Destroy" privacy promise: all uploaded screenshots are only used for this analysis and immediately deleted from our servers after analysis completes. They're never used for model training or any other purpose.
Q: What if the pre-review result differs from Apple's final decision?
A: This can happen. AppPreflight is an AI prediction based on official guidelines and real rejection cases, but the final decision is Apple's. If rejected, check Apple's specific feedback, then refer to our App Store Review Guidelines for improvements.
Next Steps
- Review Complete App Store Review Guidelines for detailed official requirements
- Check In-App Purchase Compliance Best Practices to ensure IAP is correctly implemented
- Review Privacy Compliance Guide to ensure your privacy policy and data handling are fully compliant
- Check App Metadata Optimization Guide to improve your app's visibility and download rate
Have questions or need help? Visit our FAQ or Contact us