Guideline 5.1.1(i): privacy policy link missing or not opening

Apple's words

What it means

The policy must be linked in both places: in App Store Connect, on the App Privacy page, and inside the app, where people can find it easily.

Functional means it opens for anyone: no login wall, no password prompt, no error page.

The page itself has to be a full policy. Apple wants it to say what you collect and how it is used, that third parties protect the data equally, how long you keep it, and how people can delete it or withdraw consent.

If your app sells a subscription, Apple may flag the same problem under 3.1.2(c). Ours did.

What caused it for us

4 rejections, spread over 2 of our apps, and one app had it three reviews in a row.

The address was filled in everywhere, but the host had protection switched on and answered with an error (401). Our own check passed it, because it only checked that the field wasn't empty.

From about 20 of our own rejections across 8 apps. A guide to what to check first, not a rate for everyone.

What to check first

1. Copy the exact address from the App Privacy page and open it on your phone in a private tab.
2. If it's a preview address or a protected site, Apple sees an error, not your policy.
3. Find the policy inside the app without signing in.
4. Read the policy against Apple's list, including any AI service you send data to.
5. Open your support link the same way.

Kept for the paid guide

These three parts are in the paid guide only:

• The exact App Store Connect clicks. Where the Privacy Policy field is, and when a reply is enough without a new build.
• The prompt to paste into your AI builder. A prompt that has your builder find and test every policy and support link in the build you sent.
• The reply to Apple. A reply that says what changed and where the reviewer can find the policy.