Apple · Apple App Store Review Guidelines

Subscription and Auto-Renewal Requirements

Medium severity
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What it is

Apps with auto-renewing subscriptions must clearly tell you what you're getting, what it costs, how long it lasts, and how to cancel before you sign up.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

This provision requires apps to disclose subscription pricing, duration, and cancellation terms before you subscribe, giving you the information needed to avoid unwanted charges.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Cancel Subscription
    Go to Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions on your iPhone/iPad to view and cancel all App Store subscriptions. You can also visit apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Subscription and Auto-Renewal Requirements and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Subscription dark patterns — where cancellation is hidden or pricing is obscured — are a major source of consumer financial harm; these rules are meant to prevent that.

View original clause language
If you offer an auto-renewing subscription, you must provide ongoing value to the customer, and we may reject or remove your app if subscribers are not getting ongoing value. Before asking a customer to subscribe, you must clearly describe what the user will get, the price, the duration of the subscription, and what happens if they want to cancel.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implements FTC's Negative Option Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 425, updated 2023) requiring clear and conspicuous disclosure of subscription terms before enrollment, and the FTC's 'Click-to-Cancel' rule requirements. It also engages California's Automatic Renewal Law (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §17600 et seq.), requiring affirmative consent for auto-renewals and a simple cancellation mechanism. EU Directive 2011/83/EU (Consumer Rights Directive) Art. 22 and Directive 2019/2161 (Omnibus Directive) impose similar pre-contractual information requirements. Enforcement: FTC, California AG, EU national consumer protection authorities. (2)

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces the Negative Option Rule and Click-to-Cancel requirements applicable to auto-renewing subscription apps distributed through the App Store.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    California AG enforces the Automatic Renewal Law (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §17600) against subscription apps that fail to clearly disclose terms or provide simple cancellation.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple App Store Review Guidelines
Entity
Apple
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
April 28, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-003885
Document ID
CA-D-00025
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
307db15d06f03003277f88a1476a1308e92cc7cba75906b4fac341d1054f5040
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Apple | Document: Apple App Store Review Guidelines | Record: CA-P-003885
Captured: 2026-04-28 08:36:55 UTC | SHA-256: 307db15d06f03003…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple/apple-app-store-review-guidelines/subscription-and-auto-renewal-requirements/
Accessed: April 29, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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