How it works
When you submit a new version in App Store Connect, you can choose to reset the summary rating. From release on, the App Store shows an average based only on ratings for the new version. Existing written reviews remain on the product page.
Google Play has no rating reset. Instead, its rating already weighs recent ratings more heavily.
When a reset makes sense
- A major version fixed the problems that caused a low rating.
- The app was rebuilt or relaunched, and old complaints no longer apply.
When it doesn't
- Your current rating is good. After a reset the page shows few or no ratings for a while, which can lower conversion.
- The underlying issue isn't fixed yet — the new average will fall again.
Example
An app at 3.1 stars ships version 4.0, which fixes the crash most one-star reviews mention. The team resets the rating, adds an in-app review prompt after successful sessions, and the new average settles at 4.5 within a month.