Delve into the world of built-in app and system services available to developers. Discuss leveraging these services to enhance your app's functionality and user experience.

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How to Archive iMessages via API with User Authorization Workflow?
I’m working on a solution to archive iMessages by using an API or similar mechanism. Here’s the desired workflow: The user provides their phone number to initiate the archiving process. They receive a text message with a URL link. Clicking on the link authorizes the archiving of their iMessages. Once authorized, their text messages are archived. So far, I’ve researched third-party services and APIs but haven’t found any that offer this capability directly for iMessages. Questions: Are there any APIs or frameworks (Apple or third-party) that support accessing and archiving iMessages programmatically?
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448
Jan ’25
Clarification of Age Assurance Implementation (Guideline 2.3.6)
My app updates are repeatedly rejected under Guideline 2.3.6 – Accurate Metadata, with a request to remove “Age Assurance” unless the feature can be located. However, the app does include age assurance. During onboarding, users must enter their date of birth, and users under 16 are blocked from completing registration and using the app. The app contains a women’s health blog and a community Q&A feature (similar to Reddit), where users can ask and answer health-related questions. For this reason, I am considering restricting access to users 18 and older. Each time I explain this to the review team and provide a screenshot of the DOB screen, the app is approved. What is the correct way to document or surface this in App Store Connect so reviewers can easily find it and avoid repeated rejections? Is a DOB gate sufficient for Apple’s definition of Age Assurance?
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33
3w
WeatherKit Swift API -metadata reportedTime
Hi there, I am using WeatherKit to display weather forecast information in an app. I would like to include some information about when the weather forecast was issued for my users to see. This information is included in the response Metadata as documented in the WeatherKit REST API docs: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/weatherkitrestapi/metadata Specifically there is a “reportedTime” property which I would like to use here. However I am consuming WeatherKit via the Swift API, I don’t see this property available via the Swift APIs. How can I access the reportedTime property via the WeatherKit Swift APIs? Or is it not exposed via the Swift APIs?
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352
Jan ’25
isEligibleForAgeFeatures: wrong minimum OS version
Dear Apple, while implementing Declared Age Range API in my app, I've noticed a mistake in documentation: the isEligibleForAgeFeatures property is marked 26.0+ in documentation, but 26.2+ in Xcode, which ultimately leads to inability to use it with OS below 26.2. Moreover, I'm thoroughly confused by this quote from documentation: This flag returns true on iOS and iPadOS based on a person’s eligibility and always returns false on macOS. It leads me to two questions: Is it possible to use Declared Age Range API for macOS apps? Will it be possible to use it in future? Will there be any changes regarding this matter in a meantime (especially after Jan 1st)? If yes - when should we expect these changes? If no - why this API declares macOS 26+ support alongside iOS/iPadOS, if it simply doesn't work for macOS now? As of now, my iOS app works flawlessly with given API (on iOS 26.2) while macOS app returns isEligibleForAgeFeatures = false and requestAgeRange request always throws AgeRangeService.Error.notAvailable. Also, does it mean that one should not use isEligibleForAgeFeatures boolean while implementing Declared Age Range API for apps below iOS 26.2 (I mean 26.0+)? Or implementing given API for iOS 26.2+ is a sufficient way to go? So shouldn't the whole API be marked as 26.2+? The minimum iOS version in my app is 16.0 and minimum macOS version is 13.0 anyway, so the significant part of users is left out of these updates, but the main goal here is legal compliance.
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87
2w
Share Age Range Permission - Defect 'Ask Always'
Share Age Range Permission is set to 'Ask First'. Application requested for AgeRange via requestAgeRange API. System presented a consent window where user has to make a choice. User did not acted. Application was pushed to background. Our Application supports PushToTalk Framework and we have successfully joined the channel already. User tapped on the blue-pill , SystemUI will get presented. User tapped on the SystemUI, A New Full Screen SystemUI will get presented. User chosen 'Leave' option and our application left the active channel. 10 User brought the application to foreground and the previous "Share Age Range" system window disappeared. 11. After Step 10, We need to terminate and launch our application in order to get the "Share Age Range" system window. Is "Share Age Range" system window getting disappear is expected here or a BUG
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61
3w
Clarification on AskCenter and Age Assurance APIs for Texas Regulatory Compliance
Hello, I’m currently reviewing and implementing age assurance and parental approval flows using AgeRangeService and PermissionKit (AskCenter) in the context of Texas regulatory compliance requirements. While the high-level APIs are clear, there are several technical aspects where the intended usage patterns are not fully explicit in the documentation. Clarification on these points would help ensure our implementation aligns with system expectations and regulatory obligations. ⸻ Querying the current approval state for SignificantAppUpdateTopic AskCenter.ask(...) returns Void, and AskCenter.responses(for:) provides an AsyncSequence of approval events. Is there an official or recommended way to determine whether a SignificantAppUpdateTopic has already been approved when the app launches, or is listening for future responses events the only supported mechanism? ⸻ Behavior of AskCenter.responses(for:) regarding past approvals When subscribing to AskCenter.responses(for:): • Does the stream replay previously recorded approval or decline decisions? • Or does it only emit events that occur after subscription? This affects whether the listener must be registered early in the app lifecycle. ⸻ Recommended lifecycle timing for registering a responses(for:) listener What is the intended or recommended time to register a responses(for:) listener? • At application launch • Immediately before calling ask(...) • When entering a specific gated feature Clarification on the expected lifecycle usage would be helpful. ⸻ Repeated calls to ask(...) after approval If AskCenter.ask(...) is called again for the same SignificantAppUpdateTopic after parental approval has already been granted: • Is the request ignored? • Is a new approval request sent to the parent? • Or is the call handled idempotently by the system? ⸻ Delivery of approval results when the child app is not running If a parent approves or declines a SignificantAppUpdateTopic while the child app is not running: • Will the approval decision be delivered as a responses(for:) event on the next app launch? • Or is the app expected to persist approval state locally? ⸻ Persistence of approval state Is the approval decision for SignificantAppUpdateTopic persisted by the system at the OS level, or is the app responsible for storing approval state? Additionally, does the approval persist across: • app restarts? • app deletion and reinstallation? ⸻ Meaning of activeParentalControls.significantAppChangeApprovalRequired How is activeParentalControls.significantAppChangeApprovalRequired determined? • Is this value explicitly configured by a parent (for example via Screen Time)? • Or is it automatically determined by the system based on region, age, or regulatory requirements? ⸻ Relationship between significantAppChangeApprovalRequired and AgeRangeService When activeParentalControls contains significantAppChangeApprovalRequired, is it still expected that apps call AgeRangeService.requestAgeRange(...)? Or can the presence of this flag be treated as sufficient indication that the user is a minor for gating purposes? ⸻ Recommended interpretation of AgeRangeDeclaration Is the intended usage of AgeRangeDeclaration to handle each case individually, or is it acceptable and recommended to interpret the values as different trust levels (for example, self-declared vs. government ID or payment verified)? Clarification on these points would help ensure that implementations of age assurance and parental approval flows are consistent with system behavior while meeting regulatory compliance requirements. Thank you for your guidance.
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60
3w
WeatherKit attribution for watch app
I have a watch only app that display an open/close park status and the current temperature with a current condition icon. That's it. On second submission the watch app was rejected due to no WeatherKit attribution. I have a lack of clarity of what's needed. With my single view that display my content I don't want WeatherKit attribution to overwhelm what's being presented to the user. I've tried looking for watch apps in the store that provide attribution and I'm not finding any. Looking for advice on how to meet this requirement without attribution overpowering my content.
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60
3w
Clarification on AskCenter and Age Assurance APIs for Texas Regulatory Compliance
Hello, I’m currently reviewing and implementing age assurance and parental approval flows using AgeRangeService and PermissionKit (AskCenter) in the context of Texas regulatory compliance requirements. While the high-level APIs are clear, there are several technical aspects where the intended usage patterns are not fully explicit in the documentation. Clarification on these points would help ensure our implementation aligns with system expectations and regulatory obligations. ⸻ Querying the current approval state for SignificantAppUpdateTopic AskCenter.ask(...) returns Void, and AskCenter.responses(for:) provides an AsyncSequence of approval events. Is there an official or recommended way to determine whether a SignificantAppUpdateTopic has already been approved when the app launches, or is listening for future responses events the only supported mechanism? ⸻ Behavior of AskCenter.responses(for:) regarding past approvals When subscribing to AskCenter.responses(for:): • Does the stream replay previously recorded approval or decline decisions? • Or does it only emit events that occur after subscription? This affects whether the listener must be registered early in the app lifecycle. ⸻ Recommended lifecycle timing for registering a responses(for:) listener What is the intended or recommended time to register a responses(for:) listener? • At application launch • Immediately before calling ask(...) • When entering a specific gated feature Clarification on the expected lifecycle usage would be helpful. ⸻ Repeated calls to ask(...) after approval If AskCenter.ask(...) is called again for the same SignificantAppUpdateTopic after parental approval has already been granted: • Is the request ignored? • Is a new approval request sent to the parent? • Or is the call handled idempotently by the system? ⸻ Delivery of approval results when the child app is not running If a parent approves or declines a SignificantAppUpdateTopic while the child app is not running: • Will the approval decision be delivered as a responses(for:) event on the next app launch? • Or is the app expected to persist approval state locally? ⸻ Persistence of approval state Is the approval decision for SignificantAppUpdateTopic persisted by the system at the OS level, or is the app responsible for storing approval state? Additionally, does the approval persist across: • app restarts? • app deletion and reinstallation? ⸻ Meaning of activeParentalControls.significantAppChangeApprovalRequired How is activeParentalControls.significantAppChangeApprovalRequired determined? • Is this value explicitly configured by a parent (for example via Screen Time)? • Or is it automatically determined by the system based on region, age, or regulatory requirements? ⸻ Relationship between significantAppChangeApprovalRequired and AgeRangeService When activeParentalControls contains significantAppChangeApprovalRequired, is it still expected that apps call AgeRangeService.requestAgeRange(...)? Or can the presence of this flag be treated as sufficient indication that the user is a minor for gating purposes? ⸻ Recommended interpretation of AgeRangeDeclaration Is the intended usage of AgeRangeDeclaration to handle each case individually, or is it acceptable and recommended to interpret the values as different trust levels (for example, self-declared vs. government ID or payment verified)? ⸻ Clarification on these points would help ensure that implementations of age assurance and parental approval flows are consistent with system behavior while meeting regulatory compliance requirements. Thank you for your guidance.
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4
176
3w
How does ageGates actually affect the returned age range?
I’m trying to fully understand the purpose of the ageGates parameter in the AgeRangeService.requestAgeRange API. The official documentation includes the following statement: “The system may return geo-specific age ranges that override your provided age gates based on the person’s location and applicable regulations. When geo-specific ranges are required, the returned age range reflects regulatory requirements rather than the bounds of your age gates.” Based on this, it seems that even if my app provides specific age thresholds through the ageGates parameter, the system may override those boundaries depending on regional laws or regulations, and return a completely different lowerBound / upperBound than what my age gates would suggest. My current understanding is: ageGates indicates the thresholds my app uses to define its internal feature tiers, but the actual age range returned by the OS is determined by legal or regional requirements (e.g., COPPA, GDPR-K, AADC, SB2420), meaning the returned age range may not align with the age ranges implied by my ageGates values. I’d like to confirm whether this interpretation is correct. Additionally, if different regions may produce different lowerBound / upperBound values due to regulatory requirements, then it seems that: developers shouldn’t rely on fixed age buckets, and instead must implement feature gating logic dynamically based on whatever age range the OS returns. So my questions are: Is my understanding correct that ageGates is simply a hint that describes my app’s tier thresholds, and the OS may override those boundaries to comply with local regulations? If lowerBound / upperBound can vary across regions, what is the recommended way for developers to design their feature-gating logic? Should we avoid hardcoded age buckets and instead build flexible logic that adapts to whatever range the OS returns? I’d appreciate clarification so I can design our age-based policies appropriately and in a regulation-compliant way.
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79
3w
先调用isEligibleForAgeFeatures,返回YES后,调用requestEligibility,不会弹出是否分享年龄框的提示
[MTAgeRangeService requestEligibility:^(BOOL eligible) { if (eligible) { //您应用程序的用户所在的地区,需要执行特定年龄相关义务 [MTAgeRangeService requestAgeRangeWithAgeGates:18 in:[ViewU getCurrentVC] completion:^(enum ARResponseType responseType, ARAgeRange * _Nullable ageRange, NSError * _Nullable error) { [weakself.ageRangeLoadingView dissmiss]; self->_ageRangeLoadingView = nil; if (responseType == ARResponseTypeSharing) { //用户同意并分享了年龄范围 if ([ageRange.lowerBound intValue] >= 18) { //满18岁可以注册 }else{ //不到18岁不能注册,提示一下 } }else{ //用户拒绝或者其他未知错误,需要提示 }else{ } } }] ; }else{ }];
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128
3w
Live caller id lookup - Which secret key is used for PIR database HE encryption on test env
Hi, I'm trying to setup PIR service for live caller id lookup (in python but based on swift example: https://github.com/apple/live-caller-id-lookup-example). The swift example provides utilities for database setup and encryption, but I can't find any specification about which key is used for database encryption and how the ios system knows about this key in order to be able to construct the PIR requests. So my question is how does the PIR service communicate the secret key to ios system or vice versa? (specific to the test environment, before onboarding)
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289
Feb ’25
How can I stop CPNavigationSession properly on CarPlay disconnect
Hi there, I'm facing an issue when disconnecting CarPlay that the navigation session seems to be in some weird state where it is not properly finished. So when I reconnect CarPlay the "Metadata in instrument cluster or HUD" does not update anymore until I start another navigation session and stop that one. You can see that the instruction to the left on this screen recording is not updating anymore after a reconnect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sncxyJULjQk I have a modified the CostalRoad sample app to add support for the HUD cluster and to auto start a navigation simulation when CarPlay connects. https://github.com/g4rb4g3/CoastalRoads Can anyone tell me what I have to do when CarPlay disconnect so I can start a new navigation session on reconnect that has a working HUD cluster? Fun fact is that Apple Maps handles this quite nice (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpJEIyGcwdo), it somehow manages to finish the navigation session and brings up the HUD cluster just fine on reconnect. I wonder how I can achieve the same, anyone having an idea on that?
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268
Feb ’25
Universal Link always shows “Open App A?” banner instead of redirecting automatically
We have a login flow where the user authenticates in Safari, and at the end of the process the authentication server redirects back to our app using a Universal Link. On most devices, the app opens automatically without any confirmation banner. However, on several iPads, Safari always shows the “Open App A?” banner after the redirect. The user must tap Open every time. Other devices running the same iOS version do not show this issue. Expected Flow (working devices): Start authentication Safari login Authentication server redirects using a Universal Link App A opens automatically Problematic Flow (several iPads): Start authentication Safari login Authentication server redirects using a Universal Link Safari shows “Open App A?” confirmation banner User must tap Open App A starts Questions: Is this a known issue in iOS? Or is this expected behavior under certain conditions (i.e., is there a specific Safari/iOS specification that causes this banner to appear)? Is there any way to prevent Safari from showing the “Open App A?” banner and allow automatic redirection? *This issue did not occur on iOS 16, but it started appearing after updating to iOS 17. Devices : iPad 9th Gen/iPad 10th Gen
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96
Nov ’25
Filtering MMS Messages with Multimedia Content (Images, Videos, etc.)
Hi Apple Developer, I’m working on a message-filtering application and reviewing Apple's documentation on message filtering. The documentation clearly states that MMS messages can be filtered. (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/identitylookup/sms-and-mms-message-filtering) When we refer to MMS, it includes images, short videos, and other supported multimedia formats. However, the ILMessageFilterQueryRequest only provides the message body as a String, meaning we can access text and links but not images or other media files. Could you please confirm whether Apple allows third-party applications to access multimedia content sent from unknown numbers? Looking forward to your quick response. Thanks, Rijul Singhal
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277
Feb ’25
AppleTV returns to homescreen overnight
Hi We have an AppleTV app that is used to continuously display information (digital signage). One of our clients reports that their AppleTV returns to the homescreen by morning. While our recommendation is to setup Mobile Device Management to lock the AppleTV into running only our app, not every client will have the IT knowledge to set this up. So we're trying to figure out possible causes for the app getting closed. We've not received any crash reports, nor does the device give any indication the app crashed. The energy saving settings are set to run continuously without sleep. The client is reporting this happens every night, so it seems unlikely to be caused by tvOS updates. Are there other things I could rule out to find the cause of this issue? Any ideas are welcome, thanks!
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40
Dec ’25
API to check Core Spotlight storage limit
There's a 128mb limit for donating items to core spotlight. As far as I understand, there's a warning that shows in the Xcode console when either approaching or hitting that limit. It would be great if there was an API to check the current status of available storage for QA purposes to see if we're either donating too much or can donate more. Thanks!
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278
Jan ’25
Texas age verification: revoked consent & notifications?
The published "Next steps for apps distributed in Texas" says "A parent or guardian in Texas can withdraw consent for any app, which will block launching of the app on the child or teen’s device." My question is: will this also block notifications sent to that app from showing up on that device? Or will notifications still be delivered to the notification center, even though the app can't be launched? (Specifically, notifications sent from a server via Firebase topic/token). If notifications are not blocked automatically, what is the expected flow for this scenario? My app sends notifications from a server like this. I could implement client-side code to say "if consent is revoked, unsubscribe from notifications", but if the OS blocks launching of the app, this client-side code would never run. Similarly, I could subscribe to the server notifications for when consent is revoked, but my app is free & accountless, so I'm not aware of any information in the server notification that I could use to identify the specific user whose notifications should be stopped. (For example my users won't have an appAccountToken because they never made a purchase). Guidance would be much appreciated. I'm trying to comply with the law but I don't know how.
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198
Nov ’25
Request array with AppIntents
Hi, I’m trying to get an array of strings from the user using AppIntents, but I’m encountering an issue. The shortcut ends without prompting the user for input or saving the value, though it doesn’t crash. I need to get the user to input multiple tasks in an array, but the current approach isn’t working as expected. Here’s the current method I’m using: // Short code snippet showing the current method private func collectTasks() async throws -> [String] { var collectedTasks: [String] = tasks ?? [] while true { if !collectedTasks.isEmpty { let addMore = try await $input.requestConfirmation("Would you like to add another task?") if !addMore { break } } let newTask = try await $input.requestValue("Please enter a task:") collectedTasks.append(newTask) } return collectedTasks } The Call func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult { let finalTasks = try await collectTasks() // Some more Code } Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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329
Feb ’25
Is testing of Age Range API available in xcode simulator?
From https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/803945?answerId=862153022#862153022, the testing of Age Range API was not available through xcode simulator back in Oct 2025. Is this available now? In particular: Is requestAgeRange testing available through simulator? Is requestAgeRange testing with sandbox account available through simulator? Is isEligibleForAgeFeatures available through simulator? Is isEligibleForAgeFeatures testing with sandbox account available through simulator? If the answer is "yes" to any of the above, which version of the xcode and ios version should I use? So far I didn't get any of the above working on the simulator, and I can't find any documentation on the answers above. Thank you!
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2
163
Dec ’25