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

iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4: Here Are 5 New Features to Expect on Your iPhone

Tuesday September 16, 2025 11:17 am PDT by
iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon. iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Apple's Rumored MacBook Pro Redesign: 6 New Features Anticipated

Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:26 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small ...
ios 26 liquid glass dark mode

iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design Makes App Icons Look Crooked, Report Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:55 am PDT by
iOS 26's new Liquid Glass interface has been criticized for making some content illegible in certain circumstances, and now the UI design is reportedly causing another unusual visual problem for some users. Liquid Glass adds subtle glowing effects to the corners of app icons, creating a dynamic glass-like appearance with depth and parallax effects. However, as noted by Gizmodo, this design...
iOS 26 Glass Feature

iOS 26: The Top 100 New Features and Changes

Tuesday September 16, 2025 12:26 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, and it's now available for all iPhone users with a compatible device. There are a lot of changes and features to learn about, so if you want a quick, easy-to-read list that outlines what's new, we've got you covered. Design Liquid Glass design that reflects light and refracts what's underneath. It's system wide, with dynamic tab bars and toolbars...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

icanhazmac Avatar
61 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
61 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
61 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
61 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
61 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
61 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)