How to Publish an App on Apple's App Store in China

Apple operates an App Store storefront for mainland China. That makes iOS distribution more centralised than Android distribution, but it does not make a global release automatically compliant in China. This guide is for foreign developers deciding whether to include China mainland in App Store Connect.

What you need to know

A foreign individual or legal entity can join the Apple Developer Program where enrollment is supported; a mainland company is not a universal Apple-account requirement.
Mainland availability is a territory choice in App Store Connect, subject to China-specific compliance status.
Apps providing internet information services in China must address MIIT mobile-app filing; Apple displays missing or invalid ICP filing status for mainland availability.
Games and regulated content categories can require approval or licences beyond ordinary App Review.
Apple review, app filing, privacy compliance and sector regulation are separate gates.

Accounts and prerequisites

Individuals enroll under their legal name, which appears as seller. Organisations need legal-entity status, a D-U-N-S number, authority to bind the entity, a work email and a public organisation website. Apple may request additional verified documents. Contractors should work inside the client's team; the client should own the account and submit its app.

Prepare the bundle ID, signing, privacy policy, support URL, reviewer credentials, Chinese metadata, filing data and any sector licences before selecting mainland China.

Choose mainland availability deliberately

In App Store Connect, open Pricing and Availability and choose all regions or specific regions. Selecting “all” includes mainland China unless a compliance status prevents sale. You can exclude mainland China while releasing elsewhere, or remove it later; prior users may retain update or purchase-history rights under Apple's rules.

Apple's current status reference includes “ICP Filing Number Missing” and “ICP Filing Number Invalid.” It also identifies a missing game registration number when National Press and Publication Administration evidence has not been supplied. Therefore “Ready for Distribution” globally does not guarantee availability in the mainland storefront.

Mobile-app filing, ICP and hosting

MIIT's APP备案 applies to operators providing internet information services in China. Filing information covers the operator and relevant network resources. Apple provides mainland compliance fields in App Store Connect, but Apple entering or displaying the number does not obtain the filing for you.

Website ICP filing is related but distinct. A marketing site or web view hosted on mainland infrastructure can need website filing. A qualifying commercial service may need an ICP licence. Read ICP Filing for Foreign Developers and How to Host an App or Website Inside China before selecting endpoints.

Regulated categories

Map what the app actually does, including server-controlled features. Games face a separate Chinese approval process; Apple asks for an approval number and supporting documentation for mainland availability. News, publishing, books, audiovisual services, finance, healthcare, maps, VPN services and generative AI can involve specialist authorities, licences, security assessments or provider qualifications. Requirements vary by service and can change.

The selected category needs to reflect the app's real functionality. For regulated features, obtain a written category assessment from qualified China counsel and confirm the current App Store Connect document fields.

Localisation and product-page work

Simplified Chinese is not always a formal condition for every app, but it is normally necessary for a credible consumer launch and effective review. Localise the app name, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots, support flow, permission prompts, deletion flow and reviewer instructions. Screenshots must reflect the submitted build and must not advertise features unavailable in China.

The privacy-policy URL must be stable and accessible without login. App Privacy answers must cover first-party and third-party SDK collection. Reconcile those answers with runtime behaviour and the Chinese privacy notice.

Privacy, data and cross-border design

China's Personal Information Protection Law, Cybersecurity Law and Data Security Law can affect notice, consent, sensitive information, children's data, security, localisation and cross-border transfers. There is no single rule that all app data must always remain in China. The correct result depends on the operator, information, volume, purpose and sector.

Inventory every transfer: analytics, crash reports, support tickets, authentication, payment, advertising and cloud logs. Apply purpose limitation, minimum necessary collection and retention controls. Obtain separate or explicit consent where required, provide user-rights and deletion channels, and assess the applicable cross-border mechanism. Platform approval is not a legal conclusion.

Payments and digital goods

Apple's In-App Purchase rules apply to digital content and functionality. Physical goods and real-world services follow different rules. Mainland customers can use payment methods Apple makes available for their accounts; the developer receives proceeds under its Apple agreements rather than directly integrating those consumer methods for an IAP transaction.

As of March 15, 2026, Apple announced China-mainland storefront commission changes: 25% for standard paid-app and IAP transactions and 12% for qualifying Small Business Program, Mini Apps Partner Program and certain subscription transactions. Verify current terms before modelling revenue. For physical goods, web checkout and Mini Programs, see Chinese Payment Providers Explained.

Submission workflow

Enroll the correct individual or organisation and finish agreements, tax and banking setup.
Create the app record and reserve the bundle ID.
Decide explicitly whether mainland China is in scope instead of relying on the default “all regions” selection.
Map filing, game approval and sector qualifications.
Localise the build and product page in Simplified Chinese.
Complete App Privacy, age rating, export-compliance and content-rights answers.
Enter valid mainland filing and licence information where App Store Connect requests it.
Upload the signed build, run TestFlight/device tests and test against mainland networks.
Give App Review a working account, instructions, hardware dependencies and regulatory context.
Submit, respond with evidence, then inspect the per-region availability status after approval.

China-specific failure modes

Common problems include missing or mismatched filing data, unapproved games, expired sector documentation, inaccessible support/privacy URLs, metadata that describes unavailable functions, login failure from China, reliance on blocked services, SDK collection not reflected in App Privacy, no account deletion, and attempts to use external purchase paths for digital goods contrary to current rules.

An app can also be removed after approval when regulation, licence status or platform policy changes. Keep regulatory and store monitoring in the release process.

Updating after publication

Preserve the bundle ID and signing team. Re-test China-specific authentication, maps, payments, push, media and content moderation on every release. Update filing when registered information changes; update privacy notices and App Privacy answers before new SDK collection begins. Review territory status even when a build passed globally.

Frequently asked questions

Can a US or European company publish on China's App Store?

Apple does not impose a universal mainland-incorporation requirement for Developer Program membership. The app may still need a China-capable filing operator or sector qualification.

Is an ICP number automatically issued by Apple?

No. The operator completes the relevant filing process. Apple validates and displays compliance information for storefront availability.

Can I publish worldwide but exclude China?

Yes. Choose specific countries or regions in App Store Connect and omit China mainland.

Does ordinary App Review approve a game for China?

No. The mainland game-approval evidence is a separate requirement.

Conclusion

Treat mainland China as an explicit release target with its own compliance and infrastructure workstream. First decide whether your operator and category can satisfy filing and licensing; only then localise, submit and enable the storefront.

This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal, tax, accounting, or regulatory advice.