Introduction
App Review allows you to request approval for individual permissions and features. Permissions that have been approved through App Review can be requested from any app user, but unapproved permissions can only be requested from app users who have a role on the requesting app. Similarly, approved features are active for all app users, but unapproved features are only active for users with a role on the app.
As part of the review process we will test your app to verify that it actually uses the permissions and features you are requesting. If we are unable to access your app to test it, your entire submission will be rejected. If we are able to test your app but cannot test functionality that requires a specific permission or feature that you are requesting, you will not be approved for that permission or feature.
If your app will only be used by app users who have a role on the app itself, App Review is not required.
Important Things to Know
- We will test your app so be sure that we can access it.
- Make sure your app is in Development mode or is a Business app type.
- We will follow your screen recordings when testing your app, so make sure they demonstrate actions that require the permissions and features you are requesting. Any requested permission or feature missing a screen recording will not be approved.
App Review Panel
The App Review process starts in the App Dashboard's App Review panel.
After you have completed all app development, read our Before You Submit document and then follow our Submitting For Review guide to request approval for the permissions and features your app needs. When you submit, you must describe how each permission and feature is used by your app. You will also have to upload screen recordings showing our reviewers how to test your app so we can verify that it's in compliance with our usage policies.
Screen Recordings
As part of the submission process you will be required to upload screen recordings that demonstrate how to use your app to test each permission and feature in your submission. We will attempt to test your app by reproducing the steps you performed in your screen recordings. If we are unable to use your app to test a permission or feature that you are requesting, you will not be approved for that permission or feature.
Developer Notifications
Once you have submitted an App Review request, you will receive periodic developer notifications informing you of your submission status. These alerts will appear in the Alert > Inbox panel. You can also check your submission status using the App Review > Requests panel.
It typically takes us less than one week to process your submission, and often takes only 2–3 days, but may take longer during peak periods.
App Review for Live Apps
If your app is already in Live mode and you want to release new functionality that requires App Review, or change how your app uses Facebook data, create a test app from your live app and use it for new development. Test apps are child apps that are always in Development mode and inherit all of the settings of their parents.
- Perform all new development and testing using the test app and an app user who has a role on the test or parent app, or business that has claimed either of them.
- Capture screen recordings that demonstrate how your test app uses the new permissions and features.
- Switch back to your parent live app in the App Dashboard and start a new App Review submission using your newly captured screencasts.
- In the submission verification details section, include the name and ID of your test app and clearly describe how we can test it. If your test app is on a private network or you want us to test with a specific test user, include any credentials we may need in order to test it properly.
- Submit your submission.
Note that apps that have been typed as Business apps do not have app modes and instead rely on access levels. To release new reviewable functionality for a Business app, test the new permissions and features that you need with any user who has a role on the app itself or claimant business and then request Advanced Access for those permissions and features in an App Review submission.