Introduction
Anyone who’s been in the iOS ecosystem for a while has probably heard of the expedited review process. Originally, Apple provided this special channel to help developers quickly resolve critical bugs — especially when issues arise around major holidays or cause app crashes such as:
- New user registration failure
- App crash on search
- App crash on launch
Recently, a follower of mine ran into an issue where using the expedited review triggered a “Pending Termination” account notice. Here’s what happened:
Can You Use Expedited Review?
As mentioned earlier, the expedited review was introduced by Apple for emergencies. As the saying goes: “If it exists, it must make sense.”
If your app has a critical bug that truly affects user experience, there’s no problem requesting an expedited review.
But here’s the key advice:
👉 New accounts and new apps should avoid using expedited review.
Why?
Imagine a noob in a beginner’s village suddenly telling the PNC, “Give me the ultimate guide to beat the game.”
Apple’s review team will probably react with confusion:
“Who gave you the guts? Was it Liang Jingru, the Queen of Courage?”
For mature products undergoing normal iteration, expedited reviews can start in as fast as 30–50 minutes (from “Waiting for Review” to “In Review”).
So yes, veteran accounts can use it — but don’t overdo it!
What does “don’t overdo it” mean?
Don’t request expedited review for every tiny bug fix just to get quick results.
There’s no official limit on how many times you can request it, but remember: Expedited review is Apple’s green channel, not a way to test Apple’s patience.
Why Does Expedited Review Sometimes Trigger Account Termination?
Let’s be clear:
Accounts don’t get terminated because of expedited review — they get terminated because of underlying issues.
Expedited review is just the last straw.
Put simply, Apple had probably already flagged the account, but was letting it slide. Everything was in a delicate balance… until you drew attention to yourself and broke it.
Think of it like chasing a girl. You’re in a flirtatious, ambiguous stage — and suddenly, you go full force.
Now she sees your desperate side, and boom — it’s over. Back to square one.
So When Should You Avoid Expedited Review?
Here are some situations where requesting an expedited review could backfire:
- Template-based or cloned apps, reusing the same codebase.
- New apps using previously banned brand names as the app name.
- Purchased accounts with suspicious identity information.
- Linked test devices or payment accounts, indicating possible policy evasion.
- Keyword stuffing in app metadata.
In conclusion, expedited review can be a life-saver — but only if you’re using it responsibly.
Used wrongly, it may just be the trigger Apple was waiting for.
So before you request that green pass, ask yourself:
Are you fixing a real fire — or just lighting one?