App Store RejectionGuideline 4.2 — Minimum Functionality

Apple said your app is basically just a website. They're not entirely wrong.

Guideline 4.2 is Apple's way of saying: if all your app does is wrap a URL in a WKWebView or offer a single trivial function, it belongs on the web — not the App Store.

What Apple said

“Your app provides limited functionality and content that is not appropriate for the App Store. Apps should provide a substantial amount of content or functionality that is appropriate for the iOS platform. We found your app to be a simple website or web content delivery mechanism without sufficient app-specific features.”

What this actually means

Apple wants apps to justify their existence on iOS by offering something meaningfully native — not just a mobile browser pointed at your website. This rejection hits single-screen utility apps, web view wrappers, and apps whose entire feature set could be accomplished by bookmarking a URL. You need to demonstrate real native value: notifications, device integrations, offline capability, or a user experience that genuinely benefits from being a native app.

What Apple needs to see

Native UI components and interactions that go beyond simply rendering a website inside a web view
At least one meaningful feature that leverages iOS capabilities — push notifications, camera, HealthKit, Shortcuts, widgets, or offline functionality
A clear user benefit to having a native app rather than using a browser or Safari bookmark
Enough screens and features that the app represents a complete, useful experience rather than a single-function micro-utility

1Identify one or two native iOS features your users would genuinely benefit from — push notifications for updates, a home screen widget, Siri Shortcuts, or offline caching — and implement at least one of them.
2Audit your app for any screens that are purely web views rendering your own website and replace them with native SwiftUI or UIKit screens where the content is static or data-driven.
3Add a settings or profile section with native controls, as this alone demonstrates more app complexity than a bare web view wrapper.
4Write a clear description that leads with your native features so the reviewer understands immediately why this needs to be an app and not a website.
5If your app genuinely does one focused thing, make sure it does it exceptionally well — add edge case handling, customization options, and enough polish that the single function clearly warrants a native app.

While you're at it — Apple also requires these pages for every app.

Fix this rejection, then make sure you're covered on the compliance side too. Apple requires every app to link to a hosted Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Support page, and Data Deletion page. No link means another rejection — just for a different reason.

Support Page

Data Deletion Page

Marketing Page

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Common questions

My app is a simple utility — does it automatically fail 4.2?

Not automatically. A focused, well-executed single-purpose app can pass if it does something genuinely useful that benefits from native implementation. The problem is when the 'utility' is trivially simple or could just be a webpage. Quality and execution matter.

I have a WKWebView in my app but it's not the whole app. Will I get rejected?

Using a web view for specific content — like rendering rich text, a help article, or a terms page — is fine when your app has substantial native functionality around it. The rejection targets apps where the web view IS the app.

Can I appeal a 4.2 rejection?

Yes, and for 4.2 it is sometimes worth it if you believe the reviewer missed native features in your app. Write a clear, specific appeal that lists each native feature by name and tells the reviewer exactly where to find it. Keep it factual and concise.

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