Report a Concern

Automate the concern submission process with our Auto-reply feature.

Set up for Google Play apps

Please follow our guide on adding the "Report a concern" data connection for your Android app. This connection will allow you to report concerns from the AppFollow interface and use the Zendesk App. Make sure to configure the Invite user connect with "Reply to Reviews" and "Get Rid of SPAM and Offensive Reviews" access options.

Set up for App Store apps

To use the Report a Concern feature, your iOS app should have an active Reply to reviews (Reviews & Replies) data connection with the App Store. Keep in mind that only team members with "Admin" or "User" roles can add connections to your AppFollow account. More information: User Roles and Permissions.
 

Report a Concern feature is currently available for the App Store and Google Play apps only.

How to report a concern

1. Open the Reviews Feed page.
2. Select a review and click Report.
3. For the iOS app, you need to choose a reason for the report and add a description. For the Android app, no details are required.
4. Click 'Report'.

How to use with Zendesk App

If you are an active user of the Zendesk App, you can easily report spam and offensive reviews directly in Zendesk. First, make sure to set up a Zendesk App integration. Learn more in our Zendesk App Guide.

For iOS apps: 

1. Add the app to your Zendesk account.
2. Go to your AppFollow account and select the Zendesk Workspace.
3. Add Source Connection with your App Store Connect account. Keep in mind that only team members with "Admin" or "User" roles can add integrations to your AppFollow account. More information: User Roles and Permissions.
4. All done – now you can report an inappropriate review for your iOS app via the Zendesk App.

For Android apps: 

1. Add the app to your Zendesk App. 
2. Log in to your AppFollow account and go to the Zendesk Workspace. 
3. Choose your Android app and set the Invite user connect. 
4. Select the "Reply to Reviews" and "Get Rid of SPAM and Offensive Reviews" access options.
5. Find the Developer Account ID in your Google Play Developer account and enter it in the field. 
6. Make sure you've invited AppFollow to your Google Play account.
7. Complete the connection.

Congratulations - you are now set to report reviews directly from the Zendesk App!

App stores may block reports if you submit too many per day. Unfortunately, they don't disclose the exact limits. Therefore, we have set a daily limit of 15 reports per app from AppFollow. In case you report more, we will put them on hold (the "Pending" status) and submit the next day.

Follow the Statuses of Your Reports

You may filter the reported reviews by the status of the concern on the Reviews Feed page. 
On this page, we have the Republished review concern status, which means there was a concern created via AppFollow, and it was satisfied by the store, but the review from that author appeared again.

Satisfied reports will become visible if you enable the Deleted filter on the same page.

Use the Agent Performance tab to follow and analyze the statuses of your reports. The page shows the number of Reviews reported, which is the number of concerns reported during a selected period.

Please follow this article to know more about the Agent Performance page.

Further below on the Agent Performance page, you can see a chart which shows a Summary of the Statuses breakdown. On this chart, the following statuses are available:

• Pending - the number of concerns on hold (in queue) in AppFollow.
• Error - the number of concerns which were not possible to process due to the error.
• Submitted - the number of concerns that were reported to the store.
• Declined - the number of reports that were reviewed and declined by the store (available for Google Play only).
• Satisfied - the number of reviews removed by the store after they were reported. 
• Deleted - the number of reports that were deleted due to review updates (user updated their review).

We update the statuses according to the rules below:

1. Every day for 14 days after you reported it.
2. If there are no changes, we update the status again on the 21st day.
3. We make a final attempt on the 30th day after you reported concern from AppFollow. 

You can also find the "Distribution" chart, which shows you the reports distributed by dates within the range specified. Once you hover over a specific date, it will show you a breakdown of the statuses for that date:

You'll see reports submitted through AppFollow. If you reported a concern directly from the console, its status will be unavailable in AppFollow.

FAQ

Reporting Reviews

• Is there a daily or monthly limit for reported reviews?

Yes. AppFollow can submit up to 15 Report a Concern requests per app per day. This limit is based on app store restrictions. If you report more than 15 reviews in a day, additional reports will remain in the Pending status and will be submitted automatically on the following day.

• Is there any penalty for reporting a review that does not violate store policies?

We are not aware of any penalties for submitting a report. If a review appears to violate store policies, it is generally worth reporting it for evaluation. Keep in mind that each review can only be reported once through AppFollow.

• What types of reviews can be reported?

You should report reviews that violate the app store's review policies, such as:

• Spam content
• Offensive, abusive, or hateful language
• Fake or misleading reviews
• Off-topic content
• Other content that violates store guidelines

For detailed information, refer to the official store guidelines: Google Play, App Store.

• Can I add notes or additional context to strengthen my report?

For App Store reviews, you can provide a description when submitting the report. AppFollow also provides report templates that you can customize to explain why the review violates store policies.

For Google Play reviews, additional information is not required during submission.

Decisions and Outcomes

• How long does it take for the store to make a decision?

The review and decision process is handled entirely by the App Store or Google Play. Neither store provides a guaranteed timeline, so the time required may vary.

• What is the success rate of Report a Concern requests?

Success rates vary depending on the quality of the report and whether the review clearly violates store policies. Reviews that genuinely violate store guidelines are more likely to be removed.

• What happens if the store declines my report?

If a report is declined, it cannot be resubmitted through AppFollow. In this case, we recommend responding to the review directly. Many teams use both Report a Concern and review reply workflows together, ensuring that customers receive a response even if the review is not removed.

• Will the review author be notified if their review is removed?

The review moderation process is managed entirely by the App Store and Google Play. AppFollow does not have visibility into whether users are notified when their reviews are removed.

Tracking Reports

• Will I be notified when a reported review is removed? How can I track the history and results of my reports?

No, AppFollow does not currently send notifications when a reported review is removed. 

You can track report history and outcomes through the Reviews Feed, Agent Performance page, or Automation Performance page.

Best Practices

• Should I reply to a review after reporting it?

Yes, we recommend replying whenever appropriate. If the review is removed, the reply will no longer be visible. If the review remains published, your response may help address the user's concerns and potentially encourage them to update their rating.

• What are the benefits of reporting reviews?

Reporting reviews that violate store policies can help improve the quality and reliability of your app's public feedback. In cases where negative reviews are removed, this may also positively affect your app's overall rating and reputation, helping ensure that your app's rating reflects genuine customer experiences.