Apple's Exposure Notification API Now Available in iOS 14 With Fourth Beta Update - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple's Exposure Notification API Now Available in iOS 14 With Fourth Beta Update

As of today, the iOS 14 beta supports the Exposure Notification API, which will let iOS 14 users download ‌Exposure Notification‌ and COVID tracking apps in countries where those apps are available.

exposure notification cartoon
‌Exposure Notification‌ support was added in the fourth beta released this morning, and it is listed as a feature in the update's release notes.

‌Exposure Notification‌ was released as an iOS 13.5 update back in May, but the API was not added to iOS 14 until today, which prevented iOS 14 users from being able to download and use apps that take advantage of the ‌Exposure Notification‌ API.

That wasn't a major issue when only developers were able to download iOS 14, but it became a problem when the public beta was released and more people had iOS 14 installed as none of those people could use contact tracing apps.

‌Exposure Notification‌ now works on both iOS 13 and iOS 14, with apps that use the API available in Canada, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark, and more.

For more on ‌Exposure Notification‌ and how it works, make sure to check out our Exposure Notification guide.

Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners

Sunday September 20, 2026 7:24 pm PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and the settlement website is now live. Apple will pay an estimated $25 per eligible iPhone to eligible customers, who can submit a claim via the settlement website between September 21 and December 21 of this year. The exact payment may be higher or lower than $25 depending on the...
iphone 18 pro max prepare

iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping

Friday September 18, 2026 4:27 pm PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity over 20 watt-hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max needs to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity has to be limited through firmware. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses an "innovative battery-firmware solution" that limits battery capacity to below 20Wh between when the...
iphone duo weather

Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease

Friday September 18, 2026 9:51 pm PDT by
Apple hardware engineering VP Tom Marieb spoke with TechRadar and shared some candid thoughts about Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo. The iPhone Duo uses a matte nano-texture display, which is meant to cut down on glare and minimize the visibility of the crease. When asked if the iPhone Duo's crease would be more visible over time, as that's what tends to happen on other foldables, Marieb said...

Top Rated Comments

80 months ago

Honest question: What do you do if you are notified that you may have been exposed? Quarantine yourself? Get tested each time? That seems impractical and unnecessary. I'm sure it generates a lot of interesting data, but for what?
That's right, getting tested and quarantining yourself until you get the result.
The notification is actually more nuanced than many people think. I've seen instances when you get the info you had 1 possible contact, meaning you met a person that was later confirmed positive, but you haven't been around for more than 10 minutes. This is a mild risk. When there's a high risk, not getting tested and self quarantining could require getting your family and / or co-workers infected.
That's both unethical and a lot more unnecessary.

Worst case: The whole exposure notification doesn't help much.
Best case: You prevent yourself from infecting someone else.

We're one species, one planet. Let's work together on this, people!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Buran Avatar
80 months ago
Great. Now if we could actually make use of it in the home country of Apple and Google...
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmilo Avatar
80 months ago

Honest question: What do you do if you are notified that you may have been exposed? Quarantine yourself? Get tested each time? That seems impractical and unnecessary. I'm sure it generates a lot of interesting data, but for what?
Uncle of my bf: DEAD
Uncles brother: DEAD
2nd brother: DEAD
step grandpa of my bf: infected
bfs mum & dad: unknown, cuz they refuse to test them unless they show symptoms even though they were in the house helping the sick grandpa

so yeah, any attempt in helping so slow down the spread is good enough for me
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
80 months ago

I don't see why we should be trusting the government with this - or even why we should be looking to the government to do this. I'd trust Apple (and even Google) to release their app for anyone to use. I'd install it in a second. Instead we have to wait for the states (in the US) to create apps.

There are open source apps using this with the source on GitHub. Hey, Apple, Google, just open it up so that anyone can use the app without the need for some government involvement. If they had done this in May, everyone worldwide would have at least one app to use.
The nature of the app requires getting the test results from the health authority.

If Apple and Google offered an app that serves "honor system" data, where infected individuals enter the data manually, the app would be untrustworthy ("the boy who cried wolf").

Apple and Google actually made and offers sample app that essentially requires just the back-end integration, but the US government either disagrees with using tech for contact tracing or hasn't prioritized the project.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
80 months ago

Honest question: What do you do if you are notified that you may have been exposed? Quarantine yourself? Get tested each time? That seems impractical and unnecessary. I'm sure it generates a lot of interesting data, but for what?
You should schedule a test and otherwise keep social distancing. It may be impractical and feel unnecessary but it is really implemented in order to protect people.
While you may think you may "beat this" there are a lot of elderly and people with poor health that will probably not make it. I, for one, am primarily following the guidelines in order to protect my own family but in doing so others will benefit too
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
80 months ago

Unfortunately the majority of at-risk people have old devices and cannot install these apps or OS version. Sadly Apple does not seem to be concerned.
It's not just about software, but also hardware. The protocol utilizes Bluetooth to detect those around you. Bluetooth has evolved through several versions, and older devices will have older Bluetooth versions which may not support the type of signalling that's requiring. (I don't know). Then there's battery capacity, with many turning Bluetooth off to extend battery life, again rendering the detection of those around you null and void.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
1 hour ago
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
2 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
11 hours ago
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
11 hours ago
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
12 hours ago
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
14 hours ago
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
16 hours ago
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
16 hours ago
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
16 hours ago
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
17 hours ago
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
17 hours ago
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
17 hours ago
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
18 hours ago
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
18 hours ago
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
18 hours ago
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
20 hours ago
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
20 hours ago
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
20 hours ago
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
21 hours ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
21 hours ago
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
22 hours ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
1 day ago
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
1 day ago
Apple Fitness+ Layoffs Reported Ahead of Potential 'Major' Changes
Apple Fitness+ Layoffs Reported Ahead of Potential 'Major' Changes
1 day ago
A Shorter Apple Pencil Was Supposed to Launch Alongside iPhone Duo
A Shorter Apple Pencil Was Supposed to Launch Alongside iPhone Duo
1 day ago
Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners
Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners
1 day ago
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
M6 Pro Chip Result on Geekbench is Likely Fake
3 days ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Sees First Discount After Launch, Now $779.99 on Amazon
3 days ago
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
Top Stories: iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate Out Now, Siri AI Waitlist, and More
3 days ago
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease
3 days ago