January 7, 2025
11 Common Google Play Store Rejections And How to Avoid Them
Have you put in so much effort but your app is still rejected by Google Play Store? You’re not alone. As revealed by Google in its 2018 Google Play Store yearly review, the company has rejected 55% more Android applications than it did in 2017 and also increased the app suspension rate by approximately 66% year-over-year.
Google Play usually rejects apps because they violate publishing guidelines or perform poorly. With 11 Common Google Play Store Rejections compiled by OneMobile’s experts, you’ll understand why and learn how to overcome them.
Violence of Google Play Store guidelines
Similar to the App Store, Google Play Store also has strict guidelines for apps to follow to get the app listed on the platform. These rules include:
- Restricted content
- Copyright issues
- Security and privacy
- Suspicious products
1. Restricted content
Your app will be rejected if it contains some of the following content:
- Content that is dangerous to children
- Real money gambling, games, and contests
- Inappropriate content
- AI-generated content
Any mature content in the description should be identified at the time of rating. Trying to hide that fact or considering it less important will eventually result in your app being rejected by Google.
✨Solutions:
- Always review Google Play’s content policies
- Use AI-driven tools like Google’s Perspective API to detect inappropriate content.
- For the app that has been previously rejected, publish it with a new account and be careful about spamming this time. Ensure the address on this account differs from the one on the previous account, and don’t link them together in any way.
2. Copyright issues
Copyright infringement can take various forms, such as:
- Copying or replicating more popular apps
- Illegally using copyrighted content
- Incorporating copyrighted code or software
In summary, Google places significant emphasis on closely monitoring copyright infringement issues. Failing to address intellectual property violations could lead to Google Play Compliance Issues and rejection. Your app should not be a copy of any existing product; originality must be the guiding principle during product development.
✨Solutions:
- Study your competitors’ apps thoroughly to steer clear of any similarities that may be present between the apps.
- Go through your app and review your app’s icons, descriptions, titles, or in-app elements to ensure it doesn’t conflict with any other app as a final assurance.
3. Security and privacy
The privacy and security of an application are the most important aspects that are checked by Google Play before publishing. The reason is very hard to find whenever an app gets rejected. The main object of the Google Play Store is to provide a safe and secure environment for users who download and install apps on their devices.
Therefore, the Google Play Store rejects any applications containing malicious type of content and misuses the private data of individuals. Your application might be rejected from the Google Play Store due to the following reasons regarding privacy and data security:
- Your app is responsible for collecting unnecessary user information.
- You fail to mention in your privacy policy the types of data you are collecting.
- The privacy policy is not easily accessible within the app.
- Your app does not take appropriate actions to obtain user consent, demonstrating that they agree to allow the app to use their personal information.
- The app uses various features on the user’s device without informing them.
- You do not implement any secure encryption methods in your app.
- You have not submitted an appropriate privacy policy on your Google Console account.
✨Solutions:
If your app is rejected because of copyright/trademark issues, simply review the title, description, and images of your app and remove any names that are protected by copyright. However, if you have received permission from the owner, Google will approve the listing with proper proof.
4. Suspicious Products
The Play Store will reject your mobile app outright if it poses any threat to the user’s data security or privacy. Google will detect and reject your app if it contains malware, a Trojan horse, or any other flaw or virus that is mentioned in the description or within the app.
✨Solutions:
- Utilize all URLs and ad networks in your app responsibly, ensuring they are safe and free of viruses. It is against Google’s standards if these advertisements or links lead to questionable or harmful content.
- If your app has previously been rejected, attempt to remove any viruses and provide a privacy policy if you are requesting personal information from users. Afterward, create a new account and publish the app.
Incomplete information
As we know, incomplete information is also one of the Google Play rejection causes. Ensure that the content in the description of your mobile app is complete, clear, and does not violate the points mentioned by OneMobile below:
- Improper description format
- Improper formatting in the description
- Repetitive formatting in the description
5. Improper description format
The description section is one of the most critical parts of your app listing. However, disjointed or unclear descriptions can make it difficult for users to understand your app’s purpose and features.
✨ Solutions:
- Clearly outline your app’s offerings and emphasize its unique features. Show how your app can enhance users’ lives.
- Understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and language to craft compelling and relatable messages.
- Use specific examples and persuasive language to motivate users to download your app.
For more detailed guidance, check out our comprehensive article on how to prepare iOS/Android app listings.
6. Incomplete sentences in the description
Many descriptions overly rely on short, incomplete sentences lacking a subject and predicate. Consequently, this can make it difficult for readers to understand the purpose or main features of the app.
✨ Solutions:
- Use complete, clear, and easy-to-understand sentences to effectively convey the app’s purpose and key features.
- Break content into short paragraphs or use bullet points to highlight each feature.
- Focus on describing features and benefits without repeatedly mentioning the app’s name.
7. Repetitive words in the description
One of the most frustrating things for anyone evaluating your app—whether it’s Apple’s review team or end-users—is encountering placeholder content in the app or its listing.
This issue not only indicates that your app that your app is incomplete and not ready for submission. It also gives reviewers more reasons to scrutinize and identify additional errors in your app.
✨ Solutions:
- Ensure your app binary or metadata does not include placeholder text like “lorem ipsum.”
- Avoid placeholder screenshots such as “screenshot coming soon” in your app metadata.
Technical information
Besides incomplete information, you also have trouble when submitting an app to the App Store because it’s technically complicated. These mistakes can delay or hinder the approval process.
For instance, issues can range from improper functionality, broken links, and inadequate metadata to non-compliance with Apple’s technical standards. Therefore, understanding and addressing these mistakes before submission can help ensure a smoother review process and increase the chances of app approval.
Those rules include:
- Performance issues
- Unfinished versions and bugs
8. Performance issues
Performance-related Google Play submission errors are among the top reasons for app rejections. If your app is malfunctioning, not working normally, or performing poorly for the end user, it will be unrated and considered not ready for a public user base. Poor performance can include problems like broken links or non-active buttons to issues with your User Interface (UI) not being “app-like” enough in appearance and function.
✨ Solutions:
- Thoroughly test your app before submitting it to the Google Play Store.
- Testing to catch up on potential performance issues, detect and correct fixes
- Include beta testing with a limited audience as part of your development process before you send your app for review.
9. Unfinished versions and bugs
If there are any errors or issues during the app review process, the reviewer will immediately reject your app. This is a valid reason for Google to decline the app, as they aim to maintain high-quality products for customers to access.
When customers download an app after spending hours searching on Google Play, they expect it to function smoothly. So, users may feel frustrated if the app occasionally crashes. As a result, Google does not accept such apps in its store.
✨ Solutions:
- Test your app till you’re completely happy with its capabilities.
- Ascertain that the app has been thoroughly tested in accordance with the Play Store’s criteria.
- Make sure your app fully working before publishing to the public. If your app has already been rejected, fix any technical issues and resubmit it.
Other mistakes
Last but not least, there are additional issues that, while less common, can still lead to app rejection. These errors often stem from overlooked details or technical oversights but can significantly impact your app’s approval chances.
10. Compatibility issues
If your app is incompatible with certain devices or operating system versions, it risks rejection during the Google Play review process. Google aims to ensure that apps provide a seamless user experience across all supported devices and platforms.
Apps that fail to adapt to different screen sizes, resolutions, or hardware configurations can frustrate users, leading to a negative experience. This is why compatibility is a crucial factor for approval on Google Play.
✨ Solutions:
- Test the app on multiple devices, operating system versions, and screen resolutions to ensure stable functionality.
- Use flexible layouts and compatible UI components.
- Leverage recommended APIs and frameworks from Apple and Google to ensure the app performs optimally on the latest platforms.
11. Same as a copycat
Google Play is unlikely to welcome your app if it merely replicates existing ones. Lack of uniqueness not only diminishes its appeal but may also lead to rejection for violating guidelines on originality and user value.
✨ Solutions:
- Refine every aspect of your app, from screenshots and UI to its functionality, ensuring it stands out.
- Research your target keywords on the App Store, review top results, and identify ways to differentiate.
- Avoid designs, features, or workflows that closely resemble those of other apps.
💡 Suggested reading:
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Conclusion
Avoiding common app store rejection mistakes is key to launching a successful mobile application. By addressing issues like missing Terms and Conditions, team name mismatches, and poor in-app purchase experiences, you can ensure your app is ready to meet the high standards of the Google Play Store. At OneMobile, we’ve compiled these solutions in 11 Common App Store Rejections to help you create polished, approval-ready apps.
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