Written by the Removal Lab team.
Your update shipped on Tuesday. By Thursday a run of one star reviews had appeared, several with the same wording and a link to a rival app. Can a developer get those taken down? Often, yes. App review removal works when a review breaks Apple’s rules for App Store reviews or the Google Play Comment Posting Policy. You report it through App Store Connect or Play Console. Removal Lab checks the review against those rules for free and replies within one business day. There is no upfront payment on qualifying cases. You pay only if Apple or Google removes it.
This guide to app review removal covers both stores side by side: what each removes, the exact report steps, how replies work and what will stay up.
How app review removal works on each store
Neither store lets a developer delete a review. Apple says it decides whether a review breaks its submission guidelines and should be removed. Google says a specialist looks at each report and removes only reviews that break the Comment Posting Policy. In both cases, app review removal means reporting a rule breach clearly and letting the store decide.
| Apple App Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can review | Only users who downloaded the app through the App Store. Apple confirms the download first. | Users rate once and can update their rating at any time |
| Where you report | Report a Concern in App Store Connect | The flag icon, then Report, in Play Console |
| Is the reviewer told? | No. Apple says the user is not notified of a report. | Google does not say on its report page |
| Published decision time | None | A specialist reviews reports within a few business days |
| Can you report again? | Apple does not say | No. A rejected report cannot be sent again for the same review. |
| Reply to reviews | Yes, one public response per review | Yes. The user gets a push notification and an email. |
| Developer can remove a review | No | No |
Which App Store reviews can be removed
Apple says it does not permit objectionable, offensive, unlawful, deceptive, inaccurate or harmful ratings and reviews. It also bans spam, fraud and compensated or incentivised submissions. Each of those is a possible ground for app review removal on iOS. In App Store Connect, Apple asks you to report reviews with offensive material, spam or other content that breaks its Terms and Conditions rather than replying to them.
Apple takes fraud seriously. It says it removed nearly 152 million fraudulent ratings and reviews in 2023. A cluster of identical reviews arriving in a short window is exactly the kind of pattern worth reporting for app review removal.
Which Google Play reviews can be removed
The Google Play Comment Posting Policy sets out ten categories. Any of them can support app review removal on Android.
| Google Play category | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Spam and fake reviews | Fake or inaccurate reviews, duplicates, several accounts reviewing the same app, reviews meant to mislead or manipulate ratings and posting for someone else |
| Off topic reviews | Solicitations, political or social commentary and anything unrelated to the app or the core experience |
| Advertising | Promotion of any product or service, affiliate or referral promotions, phone numbers, emails and links |
| Conflict of interest | Reviews given for money, products or services, or written by someone who owns or works for the business |
| Copyrighted content | Content that infringes someone else’s rights |
| Personal and confidential information | Sensitive details such as a physical address or driving licence number |
| Illegal content | Content that is illegal or links to illegal content |
| Sexually explicit content | Explicit content or anything sexualising children |
| Hate speech | Promoting violence or hatred against people based on protected characteristics |
| Offensive reviews | Obscene, profane or offensive language and reviews that harass, bully or attack others |
The conflict of interest rule matters most for developers who suspect a competitor. A review from someone who works for a rival app, or one paid for by a rival, is outside the policy. The same goes for a review that pushes another app with a coupon or a link.
How to report a review on the App Store yourself
App review removal on iOS starts in App Store Connect. You need the Account Holder, Admin, App Manager, Customer Support, Developer or Marketing role to view reviews. Then:
- In Apps, select the app.
- In the sidebar, click Ratings and Reviews.
- At the top right, select the platform.
- Find the review and click Report a Concern.
- In the dialog, choose a concern from the menu, write a short description and click Submit.
Apple now also shows review summaries written by large language models on recent versions of iOS. If a summary is wrong, select the iOS platform, click the ellipsis (…) next to the summary under Review Summaries and choose Report a Concern. Users can also tap and hold a summary on the App Store to report it.
How to report a review on Google Play yourself
App review removal on Android starts in Play Console.
- In Play Console, go to Monitor and improve, then Ratings and reviews, then Reviews.
- On the review you want to report, select the flag icon.
- Select Report.
Google says a specialist looks at reports within a few business days. If the review breaks the policy it is removed. If not, the review shows a notice that your request was rejected. You cannot report that same review again. Your developer account also has a daily limit on reports. If you hit it, wait 24 hours.
Because you get one shot per review on Google Play, read the policy first and pick the right category. A rushed report wastes your only chance at app review removal for that review.
Users can report too
On Google Play, anyone can flag a review on the website by clicking More and then Flag inappropriate. Google says it combines automated and human review. If a review someone posted or reported is removed, Google emails them the reason. They can appeal once if they think Google got it wrong.
What evidence helps app review removal
Neither store gives you a box to upload files with a report, so your short description does most of the work of app review removal. Make it count:
- Name the rule. For Google Play, use the policy category name. For Apple, say which part of the content is offensive, spam or fraudulent.
- Point to the pattern. “Seven reviews in two hours with the same sentence” is something a reviewer can check.
- Quote the problem line. A link, a coupon code or a slur should be quoted exactly.
- Show the conflict. If the reviewer name matches a rival developer, say so.
Keep your own records too. Screenshots with dates help if you need to raise the issue again through a developer support channel.
What the stores will not remove
| Review says | Likely outcome | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “Crashes every time I open it” | Stays | A real experience with the app |
| “Too many adverts” | Stays | Opinion about the product |
| “Subscription is a rip off” | Stays | Opinion about value |
| A one star rating with no text | Stays | Nothing to judge against a content rule |
| “Download this other app instead” with a link | Often removed | Advertising and links are not allowed on Google Play |
| Several identical reviews in an hour | Often removed | Fake and duplicate reviews are banned on both stores |
Honest bug reports are not candidates for app review removal. They are feedback. Our page on what we cannot remove explains how we handle those cases.
Replying to reviews on the App Store
When app review removal is not possible, reply. Apple says you can respond to every review of your app, whenever it was written. You need the Account Holder, Admin or Customer Support role. In App Store Connect, open the app, click Ratings and Reviews, pick the platform, find the review and click Reply. Enter your reply and click Submit. To change it later, click Edit Response, then Save or Delete Response.
Apple says responses may take up to 24 hours to appear and show as pending until then. Only one response per review appears. The reviewer is notified and can update their review. Apple asks you to keep replies respectful and free of personal information, marketing language or spam. For download or billing problems, point the user to Apple Support.
Replying to reviews on Google Play
In Play Console, go to Ratings and reviews, then Reviews. Type in the Your reply field under the review or pick a suggested reply. Then select Publish reply. In the Play Console app, tap the review, tap Reply and then Send. You need the Reply to reviews permission. You can edit a reply at any time.
Google’s reply rules are short: answer the comment truthfully, stay respectful, do not solicit or promote anything and keep it free of explicit content and profanity. Google says breaking these rules may lead to suspension of the app or the developer account.
How long app review removal takes
Google says a specialist looks at a report within a few business days. Apple publishes no time for a decision on a concern. Both stores keep the final say on app review removal, so we never promise a date.
Some timing facts help you plan. Google holds back new ratings for about 24 hours before they affect your published rating. The Play rating also leans toward recent ratings. Apple lets you reset your summary rating for a territory when you release a new version. Apple says written reviews stay on the product page after a reset, so a reset is not app review removal. It is a fresh start for the score only.
What developers must never do
Google’s Developer Program Policy bans incentivised ratings, fake ratings from accounts posing as users and encouraging reviews with coupons, codes or links. Apple bans compensated or incentivised reviews and limits the standard rating prompt to three times in 365 days. Apple also says you may use a customer review in marketing only with the reviewer’s permission.
In the United States, the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule has applied since 21 October 2024. It covers buying positive or negative reviews and suppressing reviews through intimidation or groundless legal threats.
What to do if the store says no
When app review removal fails on Google Play, you cannot report the same review twice, so the next step is a calm public reply and a fix in your next release. Apple suggests that after a fix ships you mention it in your release notes and reply to the reviews that raised it. Apple says the reviewer is notified of your reply and has the option to update their review.
If a review spreads false claims beyond the store, see defamation removal. If a rival is behind a wave of reviews, read fake review removal and Amazon review removal for a related marketplace. For search results that repeat old complaints about your app, see Google search result removal and AI reputation management.
How Removal Lab works
- Send the link. WhatsApp, email or the two field form. Two minutes, no long questionnaire.
- Free policy check. A specialist reads it against the platform rules and tells you honestly whether it qualifies.
- We build and file the case. The right policy, the right channel, the evidence attached. We handle the appeal too.
- Pay only when it is gone. No upfront payment on qualifying cases. If the platform says no, you owe nothing.
What we will never do
- Promise a removal. The platform decides, not us.
- Post fake reviews or pay anyone to delete a review.
- Pressure, threaten or try to identify a reviewer.
- Charge an upfront fee on a case that does not qualify.
See how our process works and how pricing works.
Get a free app review check
Send the App Store or Google Play link and the review. A specialist replies within one business day.
Frequently asked questions
Can a developer delete a review on the App Store or Google Play?
No. Both stores keep that decision. Apple uses Report a Concern in App Store Connect and Google uses the flag icon and Report in Play Console.
Does the reviewer know when I report their App Store review?
No. Apple says the user who wrote the review is not notified that you reported a concern.
Can I report a Google Play review twice?
No. Google says that if your report is rejected you cannot report the same review again.
How long does Google Play take to review a report?
Google says a specialist reviews reports within a few business days. Apple does not publish a time.
Does resetting my App Store rating delete reviews?
No. Apple says resetting the summary rating does not reset written reviews, which stay on the product page.
What does app review removal cost with Removal Lab?
The check is free. On qualifying cases there is no upfront payment and you pay only when Apple or Google removes the review.
Sources: Apple: Ratings, reviews and responses, App Store Connect Help: View ratings and reviews, App Store Connect Help: Respond to reviews, App Store Connect Help: Ratings and reviews overview, Apple: About Ratings and Reviews, Play Console Help: Report inappropriate reviews, Play Console Help: View and analyse ratings and reviews, Google Play policy on ratings, reviews and installs, Google Play Comment Posting Policy, Google Play Help: Flag an app or review, Google Play Help: App review processing and FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q and A. Removal Lab does not work for Apple or Google. Every decision is made by the platform.