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An App's Journey Through Meta's Requirements
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App Development
Ideation
The process of planning your app includes but is not limited to...
- Creating your initial story
- Sketching out your game
- Researching the competition
Core Development
Produce a playable game in terms of overall structure, story, levels, pacing, and gameplay mechanics
Full Scale Production
Flesh out your app by building or automating pipelines for profiling, rendering, and optimizing, as well as design your game's UI/UX and integrate art, sound, and visual effects
Refine & Polish
A final internal QA process to get your app ready to submit
- Playtest your app to find as many bugs as possible
- Test against the Virtual Reality Checks (VRCs)
Many apps fail required VRCs during App Review. Take time to test your app against all required VRCs before you submit to avoid delays.
Internal Testing
Throughout each stage of building your experience, consistently test your app to ensure it meets our Content Guidelines and meets our standards for User Comfort & Safety
App Submission
Account Creation
Developer Verification
Verify your Meta Horizon account using a payment method, phone number, or two-factor authentication
Verify your organization either by verifying your identity as an administrator, or verifying that your account is associated with a legitimate business
Complete Age Group Self-Certification
Self-certify that your app is intended for general audiences (teens and adults 13+), children (10-12), or mixed ages (both)
Are you requesting access to platform features?
Were you approved to use platform features?
If you requested access to platform features and were not approved, resubmit your DUC. If you didn't request access, you won't have additional annual requirements. Your app will continue to be evaluated by Meta through ongoing reviews.
Annual Requirements
If you have access to certain platform features, you may be subject to additional requirements. Refer to the diagram below
Ongoing Reviews
So long as your app is live on the Meta Horizon Store, your app will be monitored and reviewed to ensure it continues to comply with Meta's policies and terms. These reviews include but are not limited to reviews of your privacy policy to ensure compliance with the VRCs, and content moderation to ensure compliance with the Content Guidelines
Annual Resubmission
Re-submit your DUC
You will submit a new DUC every year to recertify how you will handle the data you are granted access to through platform features
Approved
Platform features are approved
1 year passes
45 days later
Data Protection Assessment (DPA)
Some developers may have to submit a DPA every year so that Meta can evaluate how you protect the data you have access to through platform features
45 days to complete
Pass
You pass the DPA
This simple graphic assumes you are granted the platform features you request, and you pass the DPA
App Submission
Account Creation
Developer Verification
Verify your Meta Horizon account using a payment method, phone number, or two-factor authentication
Verify your organization either by verifying your identity as an administrator, or verifying that your account is associated with a legitimate business
Complete Age Group Self-Certification
Self-certify that your app is intended for general audiences (teens and adults 13+), children (10-12), or mixed ages (both)
Are you requesting access to platform features?
Submit a Data Use Checkup (DUC)
If you want access to platform features, you will submit a DUC to demonstrate that you plan to protect User Data in accordance with the Developer Data Use Policy (DDUP). Your requests will be considered as a part of App Review
Answer Data Handling Questions
As a part of your DUC, you will answer certain data handling questions to confirm that you are prepared to securely process the personal data you will receive from Meta Horizon platform features in compliance with the DDUP
Approved
Platform features are approved
Submit your app for review
Upload your build to the production channel and submit it for review
Plan to submit your app for review at least two weeks before your target launch date.
App Review
This process is comprised of a Technical Review where Meta will check whether your app meets all the minimum required technical and content standards and a Content Review where Meta will evaluate your app for its overall completeness, polish, and value
Request for Information
If more information is required by Meta reviewers after submitting your app, a “Request for More Information” (RFI) will be sent and can be found under the Tasks page for your organization. Each RFI will have its own self-contained instructions you will need to resolve for each specific case.
Approval & Release
If your app passes both the technical review and content review stages, it becomes eligible for distribution on the Meta Horizon Store
Grow Your App on the Store
Once your app is live, it's time to find your audience.
Ongoing Reviews
So long as your app is live on the Meta Horizon Store, your app will be monitored and reviewed to ensure it continues to comply with Meta's policies and terms. These reviews include but are not limited to reviews of your privacy policy to ensure compliance with the VRCs, and content moderation to ensure compliance with the Content Guidelines
Were you approved to use platform features?
Annual Requirements
If you have access to certain platform features, you may be subject to additional requirements. Refer to the diagram below
If you requested access to platform features and were not approved, resubmit your DUC. If you didn't request access, you won't have additional annual requirements. Your app will continue to be evaluated by Meta through ongoing reviews.
Annual Resubmission
Re-submit your DUC
You will submit a new DUC every year to recertify how you will handle the data you are granted access to through platform features
Approved
Platform features are approved
1 year passes
45 days later
Data Protection Assessment (DPA)
Some developers may have to submit a DPA every year so that Meta can evaluate how you protect the data you have access to through platform features
45 days to complete
Pass
You pass the DPA
This simple graphic assumes you are granted the platform features you request, and you pass the DPA
Disclaimer: This resource does not guarantee compliance with Meta policies, nor applicable data privacy laws. Review Meta Horizon's Developer Data Use Policy for a comprehensive overview of Meta's requirements.
