Apple confirms annual App Store review downtime for five days starting December 23

Apple confirmed today that iTunes Connect will be unavailable for a five-day period lasting from December 23 to 27. The pre-announced shut down is part of Apple’s annual time off period for app reviewers at the company.

The busiest season on the App Store is almost here. Make sure your apps are up-to-date and ready for the winter holidays. New apps and app updates will not be accepted December 23 to 27 (Pacific Time), so any releases should be submitted, approved, and scheduled in advance. Other iTunes Connect and developer account features will remain available.

For developers, this means any changes being planned during that period should be in place ahead of time and new app and update submissions should be handled days in advance. For customers, it means the App Store won’t be updating for a few days aside from scheduled releases while the App Store team takes a break.

Apple regularly schedules this downtime period each year. The company has tips for developers for preparing for the downtime.