Testing an auto-renewable subscription
Verify that your app handles a subscription lapse properly using the accelerated time rates within the sandbox environment.
Overview
Auto-renewable subscriptions behave differently in the sandbox environment and the production environment.
In the sandbox environment, subscription renewals happen at an accelerated rate, and auto-renewable subscriptions renew up to 12 times after the initial purchase. This enables you to test how your app handles a subscription renewal, a subscription lapse, and a subscription history that includes gaps.
You can choose a subscription renewal speed for each Sandbox Apple Account in App Store Connect. For a complete list of subscription durations within the sandbox environment and more information, see Manage Sandbox Apple Account settings.
The accelerated expiration and renewal rates in the sandbox environment make it possible for subscriptions to expire before the system tries to renew them. When a subscription expires before the system tries to renew it, it results in a short lapse in the subscription period. These lapses are possible in production; verify that your app handles them appropriately.