What is Beta App Review?

Apple’s help pages call it TestFlight App Review; the App Store Connect API calls the request a beta app review submission. It applies to external groups only: internal testers never wait for it.

Apple reviews the build and the metadata that comes with it: the test information (beta app description and feedback email), the contact details and sign-in account its reviewers use, and the What to Test notes. Apple says the first build you submit needs a full review and later builds of the same version might not. You can have one build of each version in review at a time, and up to six builds submitted for review within 24 hours.

In App Store Connect the build shows Waiting for Review, then In Beta Review. Once Apple approves, external testing can begin. A rejected build shows Rejected and can’t be used in TestFlight again; the details are under App Review in the sidebar, and testing starts again with a new build.

Beta App Review is not App Review: a build approved for TestFlight still goes through App Review when you submit it for the App Store.

In VibeView. Choosing an external group sends the build to Beta App Review, and the build shows In Beta App Review until Apple decides. With no verdict after 7 days it shows Waiting on Apple and VibeView keeps checking every 6 hours. Set the reviewers’ contact and sign-in account in TestFlight details or with vibeview testflight set-review-contact. VibeView never removes another build from review, and after a rejection you fix the issue and send a new build with a higher build number. See What each state means.