App Store review / Guidelines / 2.5.1
App Review Guideline · first-hand cases · checked Oct 24, 2026
Guideline 2.5.1: Public APIs, used for their intended purpose (HealthKit)
Short answerGuideline 2.5.1 requires public APIs only, and that frameworks like HealthKit are used for their purpose and visible to the user. Our Chain 1.4 update read and wrote Apple Health data in the background but never showed where, so it was rejected 28 hours after submission. The fix: an Apple Health tile in Settings and an "Amount and Apple Health" label in the editor, then a binary-only resubmit.
“HealthKit should be used for health and fitness purposes and integrate with the Health app.” Guideline 2.5.1
What it means
If your app links HealthKit, HomeKit or similar, the reviewer looks for where the integration appears in the UI and in the description. A silent integration reads as data collection without a reason, even when it is helpful.
What happened to us
Chain 1.4 logged amounts (water, steps) to Apple Health. Rejected October 23. We added a visible Apple Health section in Settings and labelled the editor field, built 1.4 (6), and uploaded only the binary with a new fastlane lane (the normal release lane would have overwritten store text we had set through the API). Resubmitted at 3:26 AM ET the same day.
Every case on our account (1)
| App | Type | Submitted | Decided | Wait | Outcome | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain | Update | Oct 21, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | 28.4 h | Not approved | Version 1.4 used HealthKit, but the app did not show where |
Wait = from the "Submitted" time in the Apple email to the decision email. Source: our App Review decision emails.
What worked
- Name the framework in the UI where it is used, and in the description.
- Upload only the binary for a code-only fix so you do not roll back metadata.
If you got Guideline 2.5.1: do this
- Show a clear "Apple Health" (or HomeKit, etc.) control where the data is used.
- Mention the integration in the description.
- Request the permission only when the feature is used, with a specific purpose string.
Related
- Guideline 5.1.1: Data Collection and Storage (privacy policy)
- Guideline 1.4.1: Medical and health accuracy claims
- Guideline 2.3.6: Age rating answers
- App Store review times, monthly report
- Every guideline and message we hit
Sources
- Apple App Review Guidelines, 2.5.1: developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#2.5.1 (read Oct 24, 2026)
- Apple: HealthKit: developer.apple.com/documentation/healthkit
- Our decision data (every App Review email, CSV): tensorust.com/reports/app-store-review-times/2026-10/decisions.csv (through Oct 23, 2026)
Need the whole pipeline (signing, screenshots, review notes, fastlane submission from Windows)? Fixed-price iPhone app builds.
Up next
Often comes with this oneGuideline 5.1.1: Data Collection and Storage (privacy policy)The next rule our apps ran into, with the cases and the fix.Read it next →Did this answer your question?