The HUAWEI AppGallery Review Guidelines were last updated on January 19, 2021, and will take effect on February 19, 2021. Please refer to the review guidelines for updates in advance, and make adjustments based on any corresponding revisions to requirements.
Updates include:
• Specified requirements for privacy policies, and the collection and use of personal data.
• Specified regulations on in-app intellectual property rights infringement.
• Specified requirements on app information, content, and ads for children's apps.
In addition, we have also drafted a clearer classification of the HUAWEI AppGallery Review Guidelines for better understanding and updated some content in the AppGallery Review Guidelines.
If you are a developer based in the EU, offering goods or services to consumers based in the EU, you may be required by us to amend or remove, part or all of your apps, for legal or technical reasons, and we will provide you with prior notice of this, where we are legally required to.
Introduction
AppGallery is HUAWEI’s mobile app distribution platform. AppGallery provides users with app services, such as recommendations, search, installation, management, and sharing services, and helps developers maximize the business value of their apps.
This document is intended to help you pass app reviews. Before you submit your apps for public release, make sure the apps comply with the requirements in this document. If your apps are released on AppGallery, AppGallery will be the official release channel for those apps on HUAWEI devices by default. If apps released on AppGallery are found to have also been released through other channels, AppGallery has the right to inform users of risks involved. This document will be continuously modified and updated as new issues arise.
To help your app approval go as smoothly as possible, review the following listed items to avoid slowing down the review process or being rejected. Make sure that:
Your app complies with the following guides:
a. Developer Guides
b. HMS Core Development Guide
To help the app approval process go as fast as possible, you need to provide complete app information. The following requirements must be met:
1.1 App installation packages are in either APK or HTML5 format.
1.2 The correct language must be selected for your app.
1.3 The correct compatible device types must be selected for your app.
1.4 Your app name must be recognizable, with the length being between 3 and 64 characters without special characters such as “*” and “&”.
1.5 Your app description must be between 100 and 8,000 characters, be consistent with the actual app, and not mislead users.
1.6 Your app introduction sentence must not exceed 80 characters.
1.7 Your app icons must be square (image format: PNG; resolution: 192 pixels x 192 pixels).
1.8 For each app, you must provide at least three different images of the same size (image format: JPG or JPEG; recommended resolution: 480 pixels x 800 pixels or 800 pixels x 480 pixels).
1.9 App category must be consistent with actual app functions and usage.
1.10 App names, descriptions, icons, screenshots, and preview videos must be suitable for all audiences, without containing content from other device brands, mobile app platforms, or that violates the laws, regulations, and policies of the countries or regions where the apps are to be released.
1.11 You must provide documentation proving that your app complies with the laws of the countries or regions where the app is to be released.
1.12 Whether your app is free or paid must be selected based on the actual conditions. Correct payment types must be selected for paid apps, and payment amounts must be exact.
1.13 If any in-app features or functions, such as subscriptions, game levels, access to premium content, or unlocking of a full version require payment, the in-app payment option must be selected.
Your app must not contain vulgar or offensive content, or cause damage to devices or bodily injuries. The following requirements must be met:
2.1 Your app must not contain harmful functions such as viruses, Trojans, or suspicious code.
2.2 Your app must not contain malicious payment behavior, including but not limited to active payment deduction without requiring a second confirmation (that is, users only need to confirm purchase and payment once), payment deduction without permission, and misleading or tricking users to make payment without giving clear and obvious notifications (such as inserting payment agreements into app guidance pages).
2.3 Your app must not obtain irrelevant permission or compromise user information security.
2.4 The application must not have the behavior of reading SMS and call record permissions unreasonably and unnecessarily.
2.5 Your app must not connect to the Internet automatically for reasons unrelated to the app’s services without notifying users.
2.6 Your app must not disable the normal communication functions of user’s phone.
2.7 Your app must not enable system services, such as Bluetooth and GPS, without users’ permission.
2.8 Your app must not contain functions or SDKs that upload third-party executable code.
Standardized app functions can offer users a better experience. You must follow Google’s Android application developer guidelines. In addition, the following requirements regarding app functions must be met:
3.1 Your app must have good overall compatibility and be compatible with HUAWEI’s mainstream devices. Your app must be able to be installed, started, and uninstalled properly. Your app must not crash frequently. Your app must be able to be uninstalled without the help of third-party software.
3.2 Your app must only have one shortcut icon.
3.3 App icons, names, versions, functions, and content must be consistent with those provided when your app is submitted.
3.4 If accounts are necessary for using your app, make sure the accounts can be used without malfunction.
3.5 App push messages displayed on the notification panel can be closed normally.
3.6 Listed app functions must be available and can be used normally. Apps with incomplete functions may be rejected.
3.7 Your app must not affect device functions. For example, the app modifies default system settings, and afterwards, the modified settings cannot be modified anymore, or causes function buttons to not work normally.
3.8 Your app must not maliciously affect or disable other apps.
3.9 Your app must not force users to download other mobile apps.
3.10 Your app must not have hidden or imperceptible functions.
3.11 Your app must not have root functions.
3.12 Your app must not be self-updating (i.e. download executable components from your or other third-party websites)
Secure content can provide better services. App content must meet the following requirements:
4.1 Your app must not be a collection of website pages, developed from templates, a combination of third-party content, or lists of links.
4.2 Your app must not be the same as or similar to other apps in terms of appearances, names, and topics.
4.3 Your app’s main purpose must not be redistribution, such as an app store or game center.
4.4 Your app must not exhibit behavior such as listening and illegal monitoring.
4.5 Your app must not be a cracked version of another copyrighted app.
4.6 You must not submit multiple apps with a high amount of similar content.
4.7 Your app must not involve functions that modify other apps’ content, such as data and archiving.
4.8 You must effectively manage content generated by users. Management measures include but are not limited to the following: designing filter mechanisms for content that violates regulations, reporting mechanisms for timely responses, and disabling of services to users who severely violate regulations.
4.9 Your app must not contain illegal transactions, gambling and other content which is forbidden by the countries or regions where the apps are to be released.
4.10 Your app must not contain inappropriate, pornographic, or vulgar content.
4.11 Your app must not contain racially discriminatory content or content undermining peaceful relations between different ethnic groups.
4.12 Your app must not contain content that encourages violence or describes killing, hurting, torturing or abusing humans or animals.
4.13 Your app must not contain content that slanders religions, races, sexual orientations, genders, or other groups.
4.14 Your app must not have content that encourages the illegal use of weapons and dangerous items, or purchasing of weaponry.
4.15 Apps intended for children must not have external links, purchase opportunities, or other content that may affect children, unless this content is located in a specified device area under parental controls.
4.16 Your app must not contain content that involves bodily harm, such as illegal drug use, excessive alcoholic intake, driving under the influence (DUI), and traffic rule violations.
4.17 Your app must not contain content that is offensive, insensitive, disturbing or vulgar.
In-app advertisements must only be displayed inside apps. The following requirements must be met:
5.1 Your app must not push content that is irrelevant to the app itself to the notification panel.
5.2 In-app advertisements must not affect the user’s normal use of the device.
5.3 In-app advertisements must be suitable for their target groups.
5.4 The main purpose of your apps must not be to publish advertisements.
5.5 Your app must not push messages anonymously.
5.6 Your app must not link advertisement identifiers with user identities or permanent device identifiers, such as SSAIDs, MAC addresses, and IMEIs, without users’ explicit permission.
5.7 Users must be able to remove your app’s advertisements from the notification panel.
5.8 In-app advertisements must not install software forcibly or have the behavior of bundling downloading.
5.9 In-app advertisements must not contain fraudulent content.
5.10 In-app advertisements must not publicize other mobile app platforms.
5.11 In-app advertisement functions must be able to be closed. When apps are closed, the corresponding in-app advertisements must also be closed.
5.12 In-app advertisements must not contain malicious websites.
5.13 In-app advertisements must not force, mislead, or trick users to touch and open the advertisements.
5.14 In-app advertisements must not interrupt other apps, advertisements, or device functions.
If your app is not free, the payment modes must be clear and obvious to users. Using HUAWEI payment services is secure and convenient. To avoid delaying reviews or triggering a rejection, the following requirements must be met:
6.1 App pricing must be appropriate. Inappropriate pricing is forbidden.
6.2 HUAWEI payment services must be used if your app is a chargeable app.
6.3 If in-app payments are included in your app, it is recommended that you use HUAWEI In-App Purchases.
6.4 If your app contains chargeable HTML5 apps, HUAWEI In-App Purchases must be used.
6.5 If the game integrates with HUAWEI In-App Purchases, the game package name must end in “.huawei” or “.HUAWEI”.
Note: This regulation is limited to the countries where HUAWEI PAY is available.
You must handle user data with caution and ensure your app complies with the laws and regulations of the countries or regions where your app is to be released. The following requirements must be met:
7.1 Your app must not collect, transfer, or use users’ privacy data, such as location and contacts, without the user’s consent or other legal basis in applicable law.
7.2 Your app must provide anti-virus or security protection functions and privacy notices, and the privacy notices should include the following information: What user data will be collected or transferred, what such data is used for, and with whom such data is shared, and any other information as required by applicable law.
7.3 If your app transfers users’ personal data, users must be informed how and where such data is going to be used.
7.4 Your app must encrypt users’ personal information, such as identifiers and authentication, when collecting, storing, and transferring such information to ensure confidentiality and completeness.
7.5 During transactions using third-party payment services, your app must not record users’ transaction authentication information or disclose users’ personal information irrelevant to the corresponding transactions to any third-party.
7.6 If your app is used to handle financial, payment, or identity information, it must not disclose any of the user’s personal data.
7.7 Your app must not use permissions or data that are irrelevant to the apps’ functions.
7.8 Your app must not modify users’ personal data within itself or other apps.
As developers, you play the most important role in app releases and operations. If you violate the rules, you must take sole legal responsibility for negative impact to HUAWEI thereby incurred. The following requirements must be met:
8.1 You must ensure that all information (including but not limited to company names, legal names, company contact numbers, and email addresses) provided to HUAWEI is authentic, accurate, and complete.
8.2 You must inform HUAWEI of any changes in the aforementioned information.
8.3 You must integrate different versions of the same app based on educational level, location, or other factors into one instead of submitting different versions.
8.4 You must inform users of expired apps.
8.5 You must not increase your app ranking through manipulating downloads, comments, payments, providing rewards, or forging feedback.
8.6 You must not change app signatures, icons, or names too frequently.
8.7 Apps that are not maintained may be removed from AppGallery.
8.8 You must perform the responsibility of management community sections and the community sections must not contain the content that violates laws, rules and other regulations.