January 7, 2025

11 Common Google Play Store Rejections And How to Avoid Them

Duyen Huynh

Have you poured countless hours into developing your app, only to have it rejected by the Google Play Store? You’re not alone. Google’s review process has become increasingly strict in recent years. In fact, Google revealed that in 2023 it prevented 2.28 million policy-violating apps from being published. They also banned hundreds of thousands of developer accounts for repeated severe policy violations. Google Play typically rejects apps that violate publishing guidelines or perform poorly. In this post, we’ve compiled 11 common Google Play Store rejection reasons (based on OneMobile’s experts and official guidelines) and, more importantly, how to avoid each one.

Violation aspects	Top reasons for rejections
Violation of Google Play Store policy	1. Your app includes restricted content (violence, explicit, gambling, deepfakes). 2. Your app infringes IP by cloning or using protected assets. 3. Your app mishandles user data (no policy, excessive permissions, no consent). 4. Your app behaves suspiciously with malware, deception, or unsafe links.
Incomplete information	5. Your description is unclear, unstructured, or spammy. 6. Your description uses fragments that fail to explain features. 7. Your listing includes repetitive or placeholder text.
Technical information	8. Your app crashes, freezes, or performs poorly. 9. Your build is unfinished, buggy, or missing core features.
Other mistakes	10. Your app is incompatible on devices, hurting the in-app experience. 11. Your app copies others and offers no unique value.

Violation of Google Play Store policy

Similar to the App Store, the Google Play Store also has strict guidelines for apps to follow to get the app listed on the platform. These rules include:

Restricted content: Apps containing prohibited material (detailed below).
Copyright issues: Intellectual property misuse or plagiarism.
Security and privacy: User data misuse or unsafe content.
Suspicious products: Anything that threatens users’ security.

If your app falls into any of these categories, Google will likely reject it during review. Let’s look at each in detail:

1. Restricted content

Google will reject your app if it contains content that violates its restricted content policies. This includes a wide range of off-limits material, such as:

Content that is dangerous to children
Promotion of violence or terrorism
Real money gambling, games, and contests
Explicit or inappropriate content
AI-generated or deepfake content

Any mature or sensitive content must be declared and appropriately rated. Attempting to hide or downplay mature themes will almost certainly result in rejection.

✨ Solutions:

Review Google’s content policies regularly. Make sure your app fully complies with Google Play’s content policies before submission. Google updates its policies periodically, so stay up-to-date.
Use content filters or moderation tools. You can use AI-driven tools like Google’s Perspective API to detect inappropriate content.
When in doubt, err on the side of caution. If a piece of content might be borderline, either remove it or ensure it’s appropriately labeled. It’s easier to launch a compliant app and update later than to fight a rejection.
Avoid spamming. For the app that was previously rejected, publish it with a new account and be cautious 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

Another common reason for Google Play rejection is copyright and trademark infringement. This can take several forms, including:

Cloning popular apps or games
Using copyrighted content without permission
Copying code or functionality

Google places heavy emphasis on protecting intellectual property. Apps that infringe on patents, trademarks, or copyrights could lead to Google Play Compliance Issues and rejection.

✨ Solutions:

Ensure your app idea and assets are original and unique. Study your competitors’ apps thoroughly to steer clear of any similarities in name or appearance that may be present between the apps.
Conduct an IP sweep of your app listing. Go through your app’s title, description, screenshots, and even in-app content. Remove or replace anything that might conflict with another brand or IP.
Get permission if necessary. If your app legitimately uses someone else’s content, be prepared to provide documentation to Google.

3. Security and privacy

User privacy and data security are top priorities for Google Play, enabling a safe and secure environment for users who download and install apps on their devices. Therefore, your application might be rejected from the Google Play Store due to the following reasons regarding privacy and data security:

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.
Your app collects user information that you don’t actually need.
You do not implement any secure encryption methods in your app.
You have not submitted an appropriate privacy policy on your Google Console account.

Sometimes the reason can be hard to diagnose, but it’s usually one of the above issues.

✨ Solutions:

Include a clear Privacy Policy and honor it. Explicitly states what data your app collects, how you use it, who you share it with, and how users can contact you about their data.
Ask for permissions wisely and transparently. Only request the permissions essential for your app’s functionality.
Secure user data. Follow security best practices: use HTTPS for network calls, encrypt sensitive information, and don’t store personal data on the device unless necessary.
Test for vulnerabilities or unwanted behaviors. Make sure your app doesn’t trigger Play Protect warnings. Remove any debug code, third-party libraries, or behaviors that could be seen as malicious.

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

Aside from outright policy violations, a widespread reason for Google Play rejections is the presence of incomplete or insufficient information in your app’s listing. Below are some specific mistakes to avoid:

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 the purpose and features of your app, and Google might also view it as low-quality or non-compliant.

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 app’s purpose or main features.

✨ Solutions:

Use complete, transparent, and easy-to-understand sentences to convey the app’s purpose and key features effectively.
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. Similarly, repetitive or irrelevant words can be an issue. This issue not only indicates that your app is incomplete and not ready for submission but also that it may not be fully functional. 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 using placeholder screenshots, such as “screenshot coming soon,” in your app metadata.

Technical information

Even if your app idea is great and your listing is perfect, Google can still reject the app if it doesn’t meet certain quality and technical standards. The review process will test your app to ensure it performs well and is fully functional. Below are two big technical reasons for rejection:

Performance issues
Unfinished versions and bugs

8. Performance issues

If your app is malfunctioning or performing poorly, it’s likely to be rejected. Google Play’s pre-launch tests will run your app on various virtual devices to check for crashes and ANRs (Application Not Responding errors). Additionally, if the app reviewer finds that certain features don’t work as advertised, that’s a problem. Performance issues can include:

App crashes or freezes during use.
Broken links or buttons in the app.
Slow, unresponsive UI
Compatibility problems that affect performance
Excessive battery or memory usage

✨ 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

This reason is closely tied to performance, but it’s more about the overall completeness of your app. If your app feels like a half-baked beta version, Google can reject it on that basis. Signs of an “unfinished” app include:

Frequent crashes and obvious bugs
Placeholder content inside the app
“Beta” labeling or version numbers
Critical features not implemented
Bugs that significantly impair use

✨ Solutions:

Test your app until you’re delighted with its capabilities and ensure it’s fully functional before publishing it to the public.
Ascertain that the app has been thoroughly tested in accordance with the Play Store’s criteria.
If your app gets rejected for technical reasons, address all the feedback before resubmitting. Google’s rejection message might be a bit vague, but dig into your app and improve anything that could fall under that umbrella.

Other common reasons that can lead to your Android app rejection

Finally, there are a few miscellaneous mistakes that don’t fit neatly in the above categories but can still lead to a Google Play Store rejection. These often involve overlooked details or misunderstandings of the guidelines. We’ll highlight two here:

Compatibility issues: Problems with how the app performs on various devices or Android versions, resulting in a poor in-app experience for some users.
Copycat or duplicate apps: Submitting an app that is essentially the same as an existing app.

10. Compatibility issues

Suppose your app is incompatible with specific devices or operating system versions, like failing to adapt to different screen sizes, resolutions, or hardware configurations. In that case, it can frustrate users, leading to a negative experience.

✨ Solutions:

Test the app on multiple devices, operating system versions, and screen resolutions to ensure stable functionality across all platforms.
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. This typically refers to apps that don’t offer unique content or functionality compared to others on the market, or that appear to have been submitted multiple times by the same developer with minor changes. 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 the top results, and identify ways to differentiate your app.
Avoid designs, features, or workflows that closely resemble those of other apps.

Conclusion

Avoiding these common Google Play Store rejection mistakes is key to launching a successful app. By ensuring your app adheres to content policies, includes all necessary disclosures (such as a privacy policy, permissions usage, etc.), and is thoroughly polished in terms of functionality and information, you significantly increase your chances of approval. In this guide, we cover 11 frequent rejection reasons, ranging from policy violations, such as inappropriate content or missing privacy measures, to technical issues, including crashes and poor in-app experiences. Good luck with your next submission!

Frequently asked questions

How soon can you apply again to Google after being rejected once?

There’s no formal wait period. You can resubmit your app as soon as you have fixed the issues that caused the rejection. However, keep in mind that multiple rejections in a row can lead to harsher actions, so only reapply when you’re confident the app now complies with all policies and quality guidelines.

How to resubmit an app after rejection in Google Play?

Follow these quick steps:

Read the rejection reason: Open Play Console → Policy status (and check the email) to see exactly what failed.
Fix what’s cited: Update your app code (remove violations, fix crashes/ANRs) and/or your store listing (privacy policy URL, Data safety, permissions declaration, content rating, description).
Bump the version: Increase versionCode (and versionName) so Play accepts the new build.
Build and sign: Create a new AAB/APK with the fixes.
Upload a new release: In the same track (Internal/Closed/Open/Production), create a release and upload the new build.
Complete listing updates: Resolve any console warnings in Store listing and App content (Privacy, Data safety, Content rating, screenshots).
(Optional) Add brief release notes, e.g., “Fixed startup crash and updated privacy policy.”
Submit for review: Click Resubmit/Send for review. If the button doesn’t appear, make a minor valid edit (e.g., description tweak), save, then submit.
Monitor status & reports: Review the pre-launch report and Policy status, addressing any new findings.

Note: Do not resubmit unchanged or create a new listing for the same app.

Will Google Play suspend my app after multiple rejections?

Not automatically. Google doesn’t suspend apps just for being rejected several times. However, repeated violations or unchanged resubmissions can lead to removal or even account penalties. To stay safe, always fix the exact problems listed in the rejection notice before resubmitting.

Duyen Huynh Lead Writer

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