Apple Shares Updated App Store Review Guidelines for App Tracking Transparency

Apple today published new App Store guideline updates for developers, tweaking many existing guidelines and adding a new rule pertaining to the App Tracking Transparency requirement in iOS 14.5.

app tracking transparency prompt ios 14
The new 5.1.2(i) rule related to App Tracking Transparency requires developers to ask for explicit permission before tracking user activity, something that Apple has been planning to implement since iOS 14's release. Apple last week said that its App Tracking rules would be enforced starting with the next iOS update, which will be iOS 14.5.

5.1.2(i): Added: "You must receive explicit permission from users via the App Tracking Transparency APIs to track their activity. Learn more about tracking."

Coinciding with the new rule around App Tracking Transparency, Apple today highlighted the SKAdNetwork 2.2 and Private Click Measurement APIs that are available to developers as alternatives to more invasive user tracking methods.

SKAdNetwork 2.2 allows developers to display and measure ad effectiveness while preserving user privacy, while Private Click Measurement, an iOS 14.5 feature, lets ad networks measure the effectiveness of advertisement clicks within iOS apps that navigate to a website, but in a privacy-focused way.

App Tracking Transparency will be enforced when iOS 14.5 is released, and Apple has said that it expects the new update to launch in the early spring.

Apple's ‌App Store‌ Guidelines update also clarifies several existing rules and includes minor wording changes and tweaks, with a full list of changes available on Apple's developer site.

Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

icanhazmac Avatar
63 months ago
Can't wait to say no! Thanks again Apple for this small step towards education and choice when it comes to tracking!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EmotionalSnow Avatar
63 months ago
Honestly, I am kinda hoping that Facebook intentionally ignores the user’s choice. Because then Apple would finally have a good reason to kick them off the App Store.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scottishwildcat Avatar
63 months ago

Honestly, I am kinda hoping that Facebook intentionally ignores the user’s choice. Because then Apple would finally have a good reason to kick them off the App Store.
Apple have had numerous good reasons to kick them off before, such as when they did this ('https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203551/apple-facebook-blocked-internal-ios-apps') and this ('https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/22/apple-facebook-onavo/'). But they never have, because they know it would be terrible for business.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Davidglenn Avatar
63 months ago
Great news, it must be option if I want to be tracked. Life should be about choices.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The_Gream Avatar
63 months ago

For many apps, People have the choice: be tracked and enjoy the app freely or pay.
Now people what to have the app free without giving anything back. It's kind of a robbery. It very clear on the UE pop-up what is done with their data. It's their choice they are tracked. They could pay 1$ but choose not tO.

Apple is all there about privacy. But this company has no moral... Not paying taxes, not respecting workers laws, treating Appstore employees as if they were thieves (even a watch "warehouse" where watches cost more than a car, more that a house is not treating their employees that way...). Using environment as a marketing, while they waste energy with the magsafe just for marketing, waste batteries resources for useless wireless devices...
I just want to say, I don’t always agree with Apple on some of the stuff they do, but they do a lot more for their employees and the people working in their supply chain than probably any other company in the world. Plus, they pay the taxes they are required to pay - there is a reason they have financial lawyers and supper smart accountants - stockholders would lose their **** if Apple didn’t make sure they paid only what they had to. Just because Apple is worth tons of money, everything they do gets shifted through a very fine tooth comb, and people who don’t seem to understand how the world works get all judgmental about stuff.
And this wasteful wireless charging that you seem to hate - sadly the consumers what it. BUT, to make it less wasteful Apple decided to use a magnetic system

consumer gets what consumer wants = money.
consumer DOESN’T get what consumer wants != money.

plus, that rant about how the people are treated - yeah it sucks for them right now - but their lives would be much worse without it. Also, if you want to go pointing fingers, then you need to be pointing at the massive consuming and wasteful Western culture that has been rampant since the post-second world war.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
InGen Avatar
63 months ago
Could someone clarify, does saying no inhibit an application from knowing what a phones ID is in the first place or does it only “prevent” them from using it for tracking purposes?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)