# Remove an app store review: Apple and Google Play

Remove an app store review the way each store allows: report it in App Store Connect or Play Console, or reply so the reviewer can update it.

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You cannot delete a review of your app on the Apple App Store or Google Play yourself. You can report a review to the store, and the store removes it only if it breaks the store's written rules. For every other review, the working tool is a public reply: on both stores the reviewer is notified of your reply and can change their review afterward.

That makes the job two decisions, not one. First, does this review break a rule, and can you show it? If so, report it once, with the right reason. If not, write a reply that fixes the problem in public and gives the reviewer a reason to revise. The reply is also read by every future visitor to your listing, who is the audience that matters for downloads.

This guide covers both stores side by side: which reviews qualify, how to report, how to reply, what each store forbids, and how to move a rating without gaming it. Store help pages change, so everything below describes the pages read for this guide and says where a page was silent. This is information, not legal advice.

<div class="box"><b>The short version</b>
<ul><li>Neither store lets a developer delete a review. Apple offers Report a Concern in App Store Connect; Google offers a report flag in Play Console. Both remove only content that breaks their rules.</li><li>Google says a rejected report cannot be resubmitted for the same review, so match the review to a named rule before you press the button. Apple's pages do not describe an outcome or a timeline.</li><li>A reply is the realistic tool for most reviews. The reviewer is notified and can update the review, and your reply stays public either way.</li><li>Never reward, pressure or script reviews. Both stores prohibit manipulating ratings, and Apple states that repeated manipulative or misleading behavior or other fraudulent conduct will lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program.</li></ul></div>

<figure class="keyfacts">
<div class="keyfacts-grid">
<div><b>Up to 24 hours</b><span>how long an App Store response can show as pending before it appears</span></div>
<div><b>A few business days</b><span>how long Google says a specialist takes to review a reported review</span></div>
<div><b>One report</b><span>per review on Google Play: a rejected report cannot be resubmitted</span></div>
</div>
<p class="fig-src">Sources: Apple's App Store Connect Help page on responding to reviews; Google's Play Console Help page on reporting inappropriate reviews.</p>
</figure>

## Neither store deletes a review on request: what you can do instead

A developer has three levers on a review: report it, reply to it, or fix the app and ask the store's own prompt to collect fresh ratings. None of them deletes anything on demand.

Apple's App Store Connect Help lets you report a concern about a customer review or a reviews summary. The pages read for this guide do not describe what Apple does next, how long it takes, or what the menu of concern types contains beyond the fact that you pick one and add a description. The reviewer is not notified that you reported a concern.

Google's Play Console Help is more specific. Reports go through the flag icon on the Reviews page, and the page says only reviews that violate the Google Play Comment Posting Policy are removed. A specialist reviews the report, and the page says that is done within a few business days. If the specialist finds no violation, the review shows a notice that the removal request was rejected, and you cannot resubmit it.

Two other facts shape the strategy. On Apple, if a customer edits a rating or review, the most recent change displays, and a new submission replaces the previous one. On Google, the help page says users can update their rating or review at any time. A review is therefore not frozen: it can improve after you act, which is why a reply is worth more than it first appears.

## Which reviews qualify: match the review to a store rule

Start from the review, not from the button. Read it, then find the rule it breaks in the store's own words. If you cannot name the rule, you do not have a report, you have a reply to write.

Google's report page sends you to its Comment Posting Policy, and the policy text itself could not be read for this guide, so read it before you file. Google's ratings and reviews policy does name some practices in reviews, such as affiliate links, coupons, email addresses and links to other sites or apps. Apple's developer page on ratings and reviews says that for offensive material, spam or content that violates Apple's Terms and Conditions, you should use Report a Concern under the review instead of replying.

The table below sorts the review types developers meet most often. It is our own sorting, not a list either store publishes, and the store decides each report.

<div class="tablewrap"><table><thead><tr><th>Review type</th><th>Likely fit</th><th>Best move</th><th>Risk</th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td><strong>Honest one star about a crash or bug</strong></td><td>No rule broken</td><td>Fix, then reply</td><td>Reporting it wastes your one Google report</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Rant with slurs, threats or harassment</strong></td><td>Offensive content, which Apple names as reportable</td><td>Report, do not reply</td><td>Low, if the wording is plainly abusive</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Review that publishes a phone number, address or other personal detail</strong></td><td>Likely a policy breach, which the store decides</td><td>Report with the detail identified</td><td>Do not repeat the detail in a reply</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Review that advertises another app or a link</strong></td><td>Spam or promotional links</td><td>Report</td><td>Low</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Review about the wrong app</strong></td><td>Unclear on both stores</td><td>Reply with a pointer, report only if clearly unrelated</td><td>Moderate: it may be read as a genuine complaint</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Review from a competitor, an employee or an owner</strong></td><td>Possible fake or manipulated review, if you can prove it</td><td>Report only with real evidence</td><td>High: suspicion alone is not proof</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Billing or download problem</strong></td><td>Not a rule break</td><td>Reply and direct to the store's support</td><td>Apple says to send these reviewers to Apple Support</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>

Most damaging reviews are genuine experiences written in an angry tone, and the stores do not remove tone.

## How to report a review on the App Store

Reporting happens in App Store Connect, under the app's Ratings and Reviews section. Apple's viewing page lists the required role as Account Holder, Admin, App Manager, Customer Support, Developer or Marketing, and does not list separate roles for reporting.

<figure class="fig">
<figcaption><b>Report a concern about an App Store review</b></figcaption>
<ol class="fig-steps">
<li><b>Open the app</b>In App Store Connect, go to Apps and select the app the review is on.</li>
<li><b>Open Ratings and Reviews</b>Click Ratings and Reviews in the sidebar, then choose the platform at the top right.</li>
<li><b>Find the review</b>Use the filters for version, rating or edited and responded reviews to locate it. The country or region menu at the top left changes which storefront you see.</li>
<li><b>Click Report a Concern</b>Find the review and click Report a Concern. In the dialog, choose a concern from the pop-up menu and enter a description.</li>
<li><b>Submit and note the date</b>Write down what you reported and why. Apple's page does not say how long a decision takes or how you are told the result, so check the review yourself later.</li>
</ol>
</figure>

The same page covers the reviews summary. For iOS, you can click the ellipsis next to the summary under Review Summaries and choose Report a Concern. Apple's overview page says the summary shown on devices with iOS 18.4 or later is generated using large language models, so a summary that misdescribes your app is a separate report from any single review.

The description box is your only argument. Say which part of the review is the problem and why, in two or three plain sentences, and quote the offending words if it is abuse. Arguing that a review is unfair is a reply, not a report.

## How to report a review in Play Console

Google's flow is shorter and gives you less room. It runs through the Reviews page under Monitor and improve, then Ratings and reviews.

<figure class="fig">
<figcaption><b>Report an inappropriate review in Play Console</b></figcaption>
<ol class="fig-steps">
<li><b>Read the policy first</b>Google tells developers to read the Google Play Comment Posting Policy before reporting. Check the review against its categories.</li>
<li><b>Open the Reviews page</b>In Play Console, go to Monitor and improve, then Ratings and reviews, then Reviews.</li>
<li><b>Select the flag icon</b>Choose the flag on the review, then select Report.</li>
<li><b>Wait for the specialist</b>Google says a specialist reviews the report within a few business days. If a violation is found, the review is removed.</li>
<li><b>Read the outcome</b>If not, the review shows a notification that the removal request was rejected. The page states a rejected report cannot be resubmitted for the same review.</li>
</ol>
</figure>

The page also notes a daily submission limit on a developer account. If you see an error saying you cannot submit more reports, it says to wait 24 hours and try again, and it does not give the number. Do not report borderline reviews in bulk.

The same page says nothing about an appeal for a rejected report. Its only stated recourse is that you can post to the Help community or contact support. Treat the first decision as final and plan a reply.

## Replying is the realistic tool: how replies work on each store

A reply does something a report cannot. It tells the reviewer you saw the problem, and on both stores it triggers a notification that invites them to revisit their review. The mechanics differ, and the differences affect how you work.

<div class="tablewrap"><table><thead><tr><th>Detail</th><th>Apple App Store</th><th>Google Play</th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td><strong>Who can reply</strong></td><td>Account Holder, Admin or Customer Support</td><td>A user with the Reply to reviews permission</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Replies per review</strong></td><td>One response shown on the product page</td><td>One public reply per review</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Editing</strong></td><td>Edit or delete at any time; any eligible user can edit, not only the author</td><td>Change a reply at any time</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>When it appears</strong></td><td>Up to 24 hours, shown as pending meanwhile</td><td>Public; new reviews are held back about 24 hours but can be answered in that time</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Reviewer notified</strong></td><td>Yes, and can update the review; several quick edits send one notification</td><td>Push notification and an email with your reply and a contact link</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>

On Apple, your response remains visible even if the customer edits the review, so a reply written for the first version of a review can end up sitting under a rewritten one. Revisit replies after a reviewer updates. Apple's page says users with Admin or Customer Support roles can be notified when a customer updates a review, provided they have access and the relevant notifications on.

On Google, the email to the reviewer includes the app name, review date, their rating and review, your reply, and a way to contact you at the email on your store listing. Make sure that address is monitored.

## What a good reply says, and what both stores forbid in it

A good reply is short and aimed at the next reader. It thanks the reviewer in a few words, names the specific problem in your own words, states one fact if a fact helps, and gives a route to continue privately. Apple's guidance asks for responses that are concise, respectful and personalized rather than generic. It suggests prioritizing the lowest star ratings and reviews that mention technical problems with the current version.

The prohibited content is just as clear in the primary sources. Apple's Guideline 5.6.1 says to keep responses targeted to the user's comments and to not include personal information, spam or marketing. Apple's Guideline 5.6 also asks you to treat everyone with respect in your responses and warns against harassment, intimidation and bullying. Google's policy page on ratings and reviews says replies should focus on the user's issues, may point to support resources, and must not ask for higher ratings.

<aside class="callout">
<span class="callout-label">Rule</span>
<h4>Never trade a reply for a better rating</h4>
<p>Do not write "please update your review to five stars" or offer anything in return for a change. Google's policy says not to ask users for a higher rating in a reply, and Apple's Guideline 5.6.3 does not permit manipulating reviews. Ask for a fix confirmation, not a score.</p>
</aside>

When a review reports a download error or a billing problem, Apple's developer page says to direct the user to Apple Support, and that Apple will contact you if it finds the issue is not related to the App Store or the user's account. Do not try to solve a purchase dispute in a public reply.

One more rule, in practical terms: never put the reviewer's details, order information or account facts in a public reply. Both stores show your reply to everyone, and Apple's overview page says plainly to make sure responses are appropriate for a public audience.

## Fix the rating without gaming it

Many developers ask about removal because the real problem is the star average. Each store treats the average differently, and each has legitimate levers.

On Apple, you can reset the summary rating when you release a new version. Apple says a message appears on the product page indicating that the rating was recently reset, and it recommends using the feature sparingly because having few ratings may discourage downloads. A reset does not reset written reviews, and past reviews continue to display. On Google, the help page says ratings do not start over when you publish a new version, and that the rating shown to users is calculated from recent ratings, weighted toward the most recent.

For collecting new ratings, Apple's Guideline 5.6.1 says to use the provided API to prompt for reviews and that custom review prompts are disallowed. Apple's ratings page states the prompt can appear up to three times in a 365-day period. Guideline 3.2.2 adds that apps must not force users to rate or review in order to use features. Google's policy forbids deceptive pop-ups and forcing users to rate, and also forbids offering rewards, such as a discount, in exchange for ratings.

The honest sequence is: fix the issue, mention it in your release notes (Apple recommends this for issues raised in older reviews), reply to the affected reviews, and let the in-app prompt reach satisfied users. It is slower than a purge, and it does not put the developer account at risk.

<aside class="callout">
<span class="callout-label">Warning</span>
<h4>Manipulation can cost the whole account</h4>
<p>Apple's Guideline 5.6.3 does not permit manipulating reviews, and Guideline 5.6 says repeated manipulative or misleading behavior or other fraudulent conduct will lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program. Google's policy lists fraudulent or incentivized reviews and automated services among violations. No rating is worth the listing.</p>
</aside>

## A worked scenario: a bad release, five reviews and a decision for each

This scenario is invented, with generic parties and made-up numbers, to show the order of operations. Assume a small team ships an update on a Monday, and a sync bug loses some users' data. By Wednesday the listing on each store has five new one-star reviews. Four describe the bug honestly. One on each store contains a phone number and abuse aimed at a named support employee.

The team sorts them. The eight honest reviews get replies after the fix ships. The two abusive ones are reported, with the offending words quoted and the phone number identified. The phone number is not repeated anywhere. The team does not reply to the abusive reviews, because Apple's page says to report offensive content instead of replying.

<figure class="fig">
<figcaption><b>Timeline for the invented scenario</b></figcaption>
<ol class="fig-steps">
<li><b>Monday: release</b>The update ships. Support watches new reviews. On Google, new reviews may be held back about 24 hours, so replies to them can start before they appear publicly.</li>
<li><b>Tuesday and Wednesday: sort</b>Each review is classed as report, reply or leave. Abusive reviews are reported with quoted evidence. No one replies in public until the facts are known.</li>
<li><b>Thursday: hotfix</b>The fix ships. Release notes say what was fixed.</li>
<li><b>Thursday and Friday: reply</b>Replies go to the honest reviews. On Apple, allow for up to 24 hours before a reply appears.</li>
<li><b>Following week: check</b>Reviews are re-read, since reviewers may have updated them. Replies are edited if a review changed. Reports are checked for outcome.</li>
<li><b>Later: prompt</b>The in-app rating prompt stays within the platform API, at a natural high point.</li>
</ol>
</figure>

In our experience, the replies and the fix matter far more to the listing than the two removals. What the team cannot control is whether any reviewer revises a rating, and a reply never guarantees it.

## What to do next: a one-page routine for your listing

This week, list every one and two star review from the last 90 days and sort each into report, reply or leave. Report only those where you can name the rule and quote the proof. Reply to the rest in your own words, with no personal details and no request for a score. Then give one person ownership of new reviews, with a response time you can keep.

<div class="box hot"><b>If this is happening to you now</b>
<p>If a wave of reviews looks coordinated, or a review exposes private information about you, collect dates, wording and screenshots before you report anything. A private audit maps what shows up around your product and your name before you decide what to report or answer: <a href="/audit">request the audit</a>.</p></div>

If reviews are one part of a wider problem with how your product or company appears in search engines and AI assistants, Reputation Partners can look at the whole picture. Ratings on a store listing are only one place a customer forms a view.

## Questions people ask

### Can I delete a bad review on the App Store or Google Play myself?

No. Apple's pages let you reply to, edit and delete your own responses, and report a concern about a review. Google's let you reply and report. In both cases the store decides whether a review is removed, and only when it breaks the store's rules. A review you simply disagree with stays.

### Can a reviewer remove or change their own review after I reply?

Yes. Apple says the customer is notified of your response and can update their review, and a new submission replaces the earlier one. Google says users can update a rating or review at any time. Neither store promises a change, so write the reply for the next reader as well.

### What happens if Google rejects my report?

Google's Play Console Help says the review then shows a notification that the removal request was rejected, and that a rejected report cannot be resubmitted for the same review. The page describes no appeal. Move to a public reply and, if the app problem is real, fix it and say so in the reply.

### Can I offer a discount or reward for changing a review?

No. Google's policy lists rewarding users, such as with a discount, for a rating or review as prohibited, and tells developers not to ask for a higher rating in replies. Apple's Guideline 5.6.3 does not permit manipulating reviews, and repeated manipulative or fraudulent conduct leads to removal from the Apple Developer Program. Ask for a fix confirmation and let the reviewer decide.

### Where do I check the current rules before I report?

Read the store's own pages on the day you act, because policies change, and Google's Comment Posting Policy itself should be read before you report. Apple publishes <a href="https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/monitor-ratings-and-reviews/view-ratings-and-reviews/">viewing and reporting</a> and <a href="https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/monitor-ratings-and-reviews/respond-to-reviews">responding</a> help pages, plus the <a href="https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/">App Review Guidelines</a>. Google publishes <a href="https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/7318385?hl=en">reporting</a> and <a href="https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/138230?hl=en">ratings and reviews</a> pages.