Login is not required for features that do not need identity

Apple's guideline 5.1.1 states that apps may not require users to register or log in before using features that don't require identity. An app that redirects everyone to a login screen on first launch gives the reviewer no way to evaluate the core functionality — which itself can cause rejection. Beyond compliance, requiring signup before showing any value is the single highest-conversion-killing pattern in mobile onboarding: users uninstall rather than create accounts for apps they haven't seen yet. A meaningful guest mode isn't optional polish — it's required by policy and critical for growth.

Implement a guest navigator that exposes the app's core read-only value before authentication is required.

// src/navigation/RootNavigator.tsx
export function RootNavigator() {
  const { user } = useAuth();

  return (
    <Stack.Navigator screenOptions={{ headerShown: false }}>
      {user ? (
        <Stack.Screen name="App" component={AuthenticatedNavigator} />
      ) : (
        // Guest users see the main browse/explore experience
        <Stack.Screen name="Guest" component={GuestNavigator} />
      )}
    </Stack.Navigator>
  );
}

Gate only actions that genuinely require identity: saving, posting, purchasing, syncing preferences. When a guest attempts a gated action, show a prompt inviting them to sign up — not a hard redirect to login from the app root.

• ID: guest-access-available
• Severity: low
• What to look for: Count all relevant instances and enumerate each. Look at the app's navigation flow for unauthenticated users. Check if the app immediately redirects all users to a login screen on launch (if (!user) return <LoginScreen />). Examine what content or features are available without signing in. Features that should work without auth: browsing a catalog, reading content, searching, viewing public profiles, exploring the app's main value proposition. Features that legitimately require auth: saving preferences, posting content, making purchases, accessing personalized data. Also look for expo-router middleware or React Navigation guards that blanket-redirect all non-auth users to login.
• Pass criteria: Users can access a meaningful portion of the app's core functionality without creating an account. At least 1 implementation must be verified. Authentication is only required for features that genuinely need identity (saving state, posting, purchasing).
• Fail criteria: App redirects to login on first launch with no way to explore or try the app; all content is paywalled or auth-gated even for read-only browsing; "Continue as Guest" option exists but provides no meaningful access.
• Skip (N/A) when: App is inherently identity-bound — e.g., banking, medical, corporate SSO — where all features legitimately require authentication. Also skip if the app is a companion app for a hardware device requiring account-based pairing.
• Detail on fail: "App redirects all unauthenticated users to LoginScreen immediately on launch — no guest access to any features" or "'Continue as Guest' option exists but leads to a screen with no content"
• Remediation: Apple guideline 5.1.1 states apps may not require users to sign in before allowing them to access features that do not require identity.
  1. Allow browsing/reading without signup — show the app's main value proposition to unauthenticated users
  2. Only gate actions that require identity: saving, posting, purchasing, syncing
  3. Implement a guest user flow:

     // In navigation root
     const Stack = createNativeStackNavigator();
     return (
       <Stack.Navigator>
         {user ? (
           <Stack.Screen name="App" component={AuthenticatedNavigator} />
         ) : (
           <Stack.Screen name="Guest" component={GuestNavigator} />
         )}
       </Stack.Navigator>
     );
     

  4. Use prompts to encourage sign-in when users try to use features that require it, not as the entry gate