Your next step 1 / 3

What are you working on?

Two quick choices. No technical brief needed.

The first conversation is free. No commitment to a paid service.

Apollo Tech Studio
Talk about your app

Guide · iOSUpdated October 9, 2026

Xcode 26 and the App Store: the SDK requirement and what else changed

Since April 28, 2026, Apple requires apps uploaded to App Store Connect to be built with Xcode 26 or later using an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 or watchOS 26. Since September 9, 2026, iOS and iPadOS apps must also target iOS 13 or later. This guide lists those dates from Apple and a build checklist.

Explore at your own pace

Open the section you need. The detail and sources are there when you want them.

01

The requirements

From Apple Developer, “Upcoming Requirements”, fetched October 9, 2026.

SDK minimum
Since April 28, 2026: apps uploaded to App Store Connect must be built with Xcode 26 or later using an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, or watchOS 26. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements
Minimum system target
Since September 9, 2026: iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded to App Store Connect must target iOS 13 or later. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements
Age ratings
Since January 31, 2026: ratings were updated to Apple’s new age rating system. Apple asked developers to answer the updated age rating questions for each app by January 31, 2026 to avoid an interruption when submitting updates. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements
Previous SDK rule
Since April 29, 2024: apps uploaded to App Store Connect had to be built with Xcode 15 for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17 or watchOS 10. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements
Anything newer
No entry on the page is dated after September 9, 2026 as of October 9, 2026. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements
02

Apple requirement history

  1. 2024-04-29

    Xcode 15 required

    iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10 SDKs.

  2. 2026-01-31

    Age rating answers due

    Updated age rating questions for each app.

  3. 2026-04-28

    Xcode 26 required

    Built with an SDK for iOS 26 / iPadOS 26 and the other 26 platforms.

  4. 2026-09-09

    iOS 13 minimum

    iOS and iPadOS apps must target iOS 13 or later.

03

What to check in your build

  • Open the project in Xcode 26 or later and archive with the iOS 26 SDK. An archive from an older Xcode is rejected at upload.
  • For cross-platform apps, confirm the CI image uses Xcode 26, not only the developer laptops.
  • Check the deployment target: it must be iOS 13 or later, so older settings (iOS 12 and below) need raising.
  • Update third-party SDKs and pods that fail to build on the new SDK.
  • Answer the updated age rating questions in App Store Connect if you have not.
04

Questions about the Xcode 26 requirement

Which Xcode version does the App Store require?

Xcode 26 or later, with an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 or watchOS 26, since April 28, 2026.

What is the minimum iOS version an app can target?

iOS 13. Apple’s page says iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded since September 9, 2026 must target iOS 13 or later.

Does my Flutter or React Native app need Xcode 26?

The upload is checked by how the iOS binary was built. If your app ships to the App Store, the iOS build must use Xcode 26 or later, whichever framework produced it.

05

More deadlines

Next step

30 minutes with an engineer. Discuss your product, then get a free initial audit and a clear next step.

Show us what's stuck[email protected]

Sources

  1. Apple Developer: Upcoming Requirements

Checked October 9, 2026.