Hello developers, i have a project for SSC that includes metal shader code. The project runs fine when I build and run it in Xcode, but it does not run in the Swift Playground app. The reason is that Swift Playgrounds doesn’t compile/build source files with the .metal extension the same way Xcode does (so the shader never gets built/loaded in Playgrounds). The requirements say: “Your app playground must be built with and run on Swift Playgrounds 4.6 or Xcode 26, or later.” Since it says “or” (not “and”), does that mean it’s acceptable if the project only builds/runs in Xcode?

Hello Everyone, I reviewed many previous year's submissions posted on swift's student's challenge distinguished winners section and noticed that most of them or all of them were designed and implemented for iOS devices only so is it a valid option to design our playground apps solely to run and function on macOS only?

I have filed 27 bug reports against macOS using Feedback Assistant and none have had any sort of follow-up. I'm wondering if anyone at Apple looks at these reports? A few of these involve accessibility features that are not working (for example: speak announcements doesn't work -- and yes, my feedback is much more detailed than "doesn't work"). I would have thought issues with accessibility would be a high priority for Apple to fix quickly. Another report is that Grapher uses black text on dark gray making it very difficult to see the formula you enter. This should be a one-line code fix. These two, and 25 other bug reports have seemingly been ignored. Several of these reports indicate more than 10 similar reports, yet go unfixed. Leading me back to my opening question -- does anyone at Apple read these reports? I'd like to think I'm helping Apple to deliver a more perfect product but I feel like I'm wasting my time writing detailed bug reports. Is there another way to bring these to Apple's attention?

I am writing to report an issue encountered while testing the iOS 26 beta. It appears that adding VPN configurations is currently not possible in this version. Specifically, attempts to add a new VPN configuration through the Settings app or via programmatic configuration profiles are unresponsive. As VPN functionality is essential for a number of development and enterprise use cases, I would appreciate it if your team could confirm whether this is a known issue, or provide guidance on any changes to VPN configuration handling in iOS 26. Please let me know if additional diagnostic information or logs would be helpful. Thank you for your support and for providing access to the iOS 26 beta. Best regards, Majid

My account has been active and in good standing for the past 2 years, and during this time I have never received any warnings or issues. Recently, after Apple reviewed my account, I received a notification about possible termination. After carefully reviewing the situation myself, I realized what may have caused this: I originally registered my Apple Developer account as an Individual Developer Account, However, the bank account used for App Store payments belongs to my registered company, At the time, I was not aware that the legal entity of the bank account must match the Apple Developer account registration. This was not done with any intention to misrepresent or misuse the platform. It was simply a misunderstanding of the account requirements. We have never deceived our users or the Apple Review Team in any way. For us as developers, providing an excellent user experience has always been our top priority, and we have always aimed to follow Apple’s review and compliance standards closely. We sincerely hope that, given our situation, the Apple Review Team could grant us an opportunity to correct these issues.

I’m looking for iOS and Apple Watch users to help beta test ChoreFit, a fitness app that transforms everyday chores into measurable workouts using NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) science. What it does: • Tracks chores like vacuuming, mopping, and laundry as real workouts • Syncs with Apple Health for steps, heart rate, and calories • Lets you start or pause chores right from your Apple Watch • Adjusts effort based on body weight and optional weighted vests What I need from testers: • Install via TestFlight (link provided once approved) • Use the app during normal household tasks • Share feedback on usability, Apple Watch sync, and calorie accuracy If you’re interested in movement tracking, fitness analytics, or wearable integration, I’d love your help validating and refining this app before public release.

.fullScreenCover(isPresented: $isShow) { Button(action : { isPresented.toggle() }){ Text("Choose") } .familyActivityPicker( isPresented: $isPresented, selection: $selection) .onChange(of: selection){ value in } } In the official version of iOS 18, when I click the Done button of familyActivityPicker, the fullScreenCover pop-up box will disappear.

Guideline 2.3.1 - Performance The app contains hidden features. Specifically, we still noticed that your app includes code which causes it to behave differently during the review process regarding web game presentation and payment. It would be appropriate to ensure that all features and functions in the app are visible and fully accessible during review. Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase The app allows users to purchase digital content natively or via a web view in the app using payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. Apps cannot include in-app payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. Apps on the United States storefront may also include buttons, external links, or other calls to action to direct users to payment mechanisms other than in-app purchase. We have been rejected three times due to hidden functions and issues with web payment and web games. However, in the last package we submitted for review, it was confirmed that the code related to web games was removed, and the code related to web interaction JS bridging payment calls was also removed Dear experts, we sincerely invite you to offer your valuable suggestions. If you have any experience of meeting us, please share with us. We would be extremely grateful

Hello! i developed an app for the Swift Student Challenge and submitted it, can I publish it to the app store before it is judged.

Recently, applications for the Swift Student Challenge opened up. I noticed, that when selected "where to run your app" (mine was developed in Xcode 26), and you select Xcode26, there is a note underneath it that basically says all Xcode projects will be run on the simulator. What if my project is dependent on AR? How would I let the judges test my submission?

Hello, is it allowed to use Foundation Model in the app? Will it work when launched on the jury's device, or will it not work because the jury will not enable Apple Intelligence?

I've paid - and have the confirmation of subscription email. But when I try to enroll both on my iphone and macbook air - I get errors. on the iphone said could not complete enrollment. on the macbook it said "not available in your area" I am in australia and it should work. Does anyone know how to fix the enrollment bugs?

Hello, I want to use the Speech framework in my app. However, I found that if I want it to work offline, it must be downloaded separately on the device. Do I understand correctly that it is not allowed to use it in a Swift Student Challenge submission if English (as the speech language) must be downloaded by the tester on their device using the internet beforehand?

When I try to create a post in Apple Support Community, it forces me to create a new account (for some supersmart reason because my apple account is apparently not enough). In this process, I am required to pick a new username and choose my communications preferences. The next screen? 403 Forbidden Error page.

Dear Apple Developer team, dear Apple Developer community, I’m posting this publicly because I honestly don’t know how else to get a response. Timeline: December 3rd: I applied for the Apple Developer Program and received the confirmation email: “Your program enrollment has been received.” After that: complete silence for weeks – no status updates, no emails, nothing. End of December: Only after I opened a support ticket myself did I receive a response asking me to upload additional documents. January 12th: I uploaded all requested documents in full. Since then: silence again. Last Monday, I sent a follow-up email → no reply. Today (January 26th), I opened a new ticket, referencing the existing case number. Honestly, I have to ask: Where is the professionalism in this process? For comparison: The Google Play Developer account verification (including identity and company checks) took around 24 hours. Apple is one of the most valuable technology companies in the world. Why does a basic developer enrollment take over two months, without transparent communication or even a simple status update? At this point, I would really appreciate: a clear status update, or at least a realistic timeline for when this process will be completed Right now, this experience feels neither professional nor developer-friendly. Thank you for reading, and I sincerely hope for a timely response.

After the last OS26 developer beta update the watch series 6 battery drains fast, in less than two hours life. I visited Apple Store , they said the battery was dead so I had to buy new watch series 10 The same issue happened in the new watch, the battery meter shows 50% after 1 hour Right now I’ve downgraded my update version to beta 11 until I can find a solution

I’m experiencing an issue on macOS Tahoe (Developer Beta, July 2025) related to the new “Allow in Menu Bar” section in System Settings. After uninstalling the application Backdrop (developer: Cindori), the entry com.cindori.Backdrop.Wallpaper still appears in the list of apps allowed to show in the menu bar, even though: — The app and all its associated files have been fully deleted. — The LaunchAgents files in ~/Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchAgents have been removed. — Preferences have been deleted via defaults delete com.cindori.Backdrop and defaults delete com.cindori.Backdrop.Wallpaper. — The system has been restarted. It seems the “Allow in Menu Bar” section keeps phantom references to apps or agents even after complete cleanup. Could you please confirm if this is expected behavior (perhaps for future reactivation) or a bug? Is there any official method or recommended command to permanently remove such residual entries from this list? Thank you very much for your help and clarifications.

I'm trying to understand how UIDevice.current.identifierForVendor behaves when an iOS app is restored via iCloud onto a different physical device. Context I'm building an app that needs to detect whether it’s running on a newly restored device (for example, after the user transfers their iPhone via iCloud setup). To do this, I save the value of UIDevice.current.identifierForVendor?.uuidString in persistent storage (e.g., UserDefaults). The question If I install my app on Device A, store the identifierForVendor value, back up the device to iCloud, and then restore that backup onto Device B, will the restored app see the same identifierForVendor value, or a new one? More specifically: Does iCloud backup/restore preserve the underlying “vendor” ID across devices? Is the identifierForVendor tied only to the bundle identifier and vendor prefix, or also to the physical device hardware? If the user deletes all apps from the same vendor, then restores them from iCloud, is the ID reset? What I’ve found so far Apple’s docs say: “The value of this property is the same for apps that come from the same vendor running on the same device. If the user deletes all of that vendor’s apps from the device and then reinstalls one or more of them, the value may change.” However, it doesn’t explicitly mention what happens after iCloud restore onto a new device. Goal I want to know if it’s safe to use identifierForVendor to detect a new device context (e.g., trigger a refresh of a Firebase token when the user’s device changes). Environment iOS 17+ (latest) Swift / Capacitor app bridge Testing between iPhone 14 Pro → iPhone 15 Pro (iCloud restore)

Hello all! My name is Luke, and I'm a 14 year old with a idea for SSC. This is my first SSC submission ever. I would like some feedback concerning a question. My app is an AI powered academic planner that helps you and your life. I won't give too much away, but I believe it's a really helpful concept. It uses a mini on-device LLM (built with simple if this word typed then do this logic) to help organize assignments. This is a real business I am building, and I put inside of my app simulated features such as the app saying "scanning your Google Classroom..", would this go against any terms and make the app less likely to win? I also have my app fully polished, and feels like an actual app and finished product, with demo assignments pre-loaded, and most stuff is placeholders. Should the app be more like a guided simulator? Such as "click here to see how this will be simulated in a final release" or again should it be polished? I just want some feedback, since I only have 3 minutes, and the app needs to be offline, I just want to improvise. Hopefully I can get some feedback from the community, and/or ex-winners! Thanks all! And good luck! :) - Luke

With ios 26 the chapter images are not updating anymore. At first I thought this is carlay related but it also occures when the phone is connected only through USB or bluetooth to play a podcast. I tried Apple podcasts and other apps like Pocketcast or audible. Same problem. The phone shows the correct chapter image while my car shows the inital image all the time. Even tried a different car :-) I checked focus and settings but found nothing related. With ios18 everything works fine. Any ideas?