I am an individual developer enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. My account already holds the Family Controls (Distribution) entitlement. I am building a self-control app for adults who want to reduce their own compulsive pornography use. The user applies the restriction to themselves. There is no parent, partner, or accountability feature of any kind, and FamilyControls is used with .individual authorization. To detect adult sites outside Safari, I plan to use a NEPacketTunnelProvider that runs entirely on the device: it inspects the SNI locally, never routes traffic to any server, never changes the user's IP address, and transmits no data anywhere. It offers no VPN service to the user — it is only an on-device filter. Two questions about Guideline 5.4: Does the requirement that an app "may only be offered by developers enrolled as an organization" apply to a content blocking app of this kind, or only to apps offering a VPN service to their users? The second sentence of 5.4 states that "Parental control, content blocking, and security apps, among others, from approved providers may also use the NEVPNManager API", and I would like to know whether that category is subject to the same account requirement. What is an "approved provider" in the sense of Guideline 5.4? I could not find any definition, application form, or entitlement associated with this term. I would rather ask before building than submit and be rejected.

Product: Vozzy — custom keyboard + containing app for user-initiated dictation. Bundle: br.com.buddyapps.FlowType App Group: group.br.com.buddyapps.FlowType Flow: User selects our keyboard in a host app (Notes/Messages). Without Full Access, QWERTY input works locally. With Full Access, user taps Microphone to dictate. Containing app owns mic permission, AVAudioSession, capture, SpeechAnalyzer, Foundation Models. Keyboard never captures audio; it reflects shared state and inserts via textDocumentProxy. Already settled (do not re-ask): No public API to identify the host app. No public API to return to the host app. Feedback: FB22247647. Question (single issue): App Review Guideline 4.4.1 says keyboard extensions must not launch apps other than Settings. Is there any public, App-Review-compliant mechanism for a custom keyboard to request its containing app to activate audio capture for this user-initiated dictation flow? If yes: Which public API / App Intent surface? Is a visible switch to the containing app required? May the audio session continue while the user returns to the host app? May Stop/Cancel commands travel through an App Group while the containing app is backgrounded? Our current policy: Launch uses public NSExtensionContext.open (Debug only). Release has no keyboard path that opens the containing app. Release does allow in-place signaling when the app is already resident (App Group command + Darwin notification; launches nothing). We will not enable Release launch without a written answer naming an allowed public mechanism. App Group payload inventory + retention, Full Access-off QWERTY behavior, onboarding privacy copy. I do not have a focused Xcode sample because this is an API / App Review policy question, not a crash or incorrect return value. The keyboard extension never captures audio. Debug uses public NSExtensionContext.open; Release compiles that path out. I can attach flow diagrams and a device screen recording. Related: FB22247647 (return to host — already answered No; not re-asking).

We completed an App Store app transfer and the Notification Service Extension Filtering Entitlement (com.apple.developer.usernotifications.filtering) did not transfer with the app. App Apple ID: 6760007376 NSE Bundle ID: io.nolink.ios.nse New Team ID: M85WA8W78C Previous Team ID: V2E3A94DC9 The app, bundle IDs, and App Store presence all moved normally, but the entitlement is not available on the new team, so we cannot sign the NSE with the configuration the app previously shipped with. Our app is an encrypted messenger and this breaks incoming call handling for live users. Two questions: Is there an official process for re-associating a previously approved entitlement with the receiving team after a transfer, or does the new team always have to submit a fresh request? Could entitlements tied to a specific App ID move with the app during a transfer, the same way bundle IDs do? We have an open support case, but wanted to raise the general question here too.

TL;DR: looking for FileProvider Extension debugging suggestions... I am attempting to develop NSFileProviderReplicatedExtension. Against a real backing repository (~4TB), I've seen fileproviderd become heavily loaded, non-responsive (i.e. fileproviderctl dump has failed to complete within 60s on 8 tries) and (maybe?) re-enumerate the contents of the repository. The profiler says that it's spending most of its time doing sqlite work against the table for the domain from my extension. I hypothesize that my extension has telling fileproviderd occasionally inconsistent things and it is now making sure that the world is the way that it should be. So: is there a way to get it to log when it has received invalid info? (I did read its (terse 😊) man page. I'm running out of ideas of what more to check with responses from the extension.

iOS 18 (22A3354) will not offer a option in settings (> Apps > Phone) after calling openSettings to enable live caller id lookup extension. iPhone and MacBook are in the same network. The PIRService runs on MacBook and is reachable via iPhone Safari (via http://MacBookPro:8080/). Hummingbird print log: hb_method=GET hb_uri=/ [Hummingbird] Request. After deploying the application via Xcode to the iPhone no requests are printed in the terminal. The extension was added like documented and bundle id is also checked multiple times. issuerRequestUri in service-config.json is http://MacBookPro:8080/issue. As far as I can tell, everything has been set up in accordance with the Testing Live Caller ID instructions. Is there something missing?

I am evaluating a macOS app for Apple-silicon Macs. I would like to know whether a third-party macOS app can create a new desktop display that ordinary existing macOS apps can use as a normal display. The intended use is an external landscape display used as a logical portrait workspace. The logical top half would be shown on the physical right half, and the logical bottom half on the physical left half. I have reviewed Quartz Display Services and ScreenCaptureKit. My understanding is that they support configuration or capture of existing displays, but not creation of a new host desktop display. Is there a supported public API for this on the current macOS release or the immediately previous release? If yes, please point me to the API and documentation. I am looking only for a supported public API path. I do not want to use private APIs, root privileges, kernel extensions, or bypass system security controls. Thank you.

This is about AlarmKit, and this problem is also happening with the native phone alarm. I’m working on some alarm apps, and some users have been complaining that when they get their phone, the alarm is being dismissed. We were never able to simulate this until today. We noticed that when touching the bottom notch of the phone, below the stop swipe area, sometimes the alarm is simply dismissed. In some cases, you can see the same UI repeated behind the screen; other times, you can’t drag, but it also dismisses the alarm. This seems to have been happening for quite a while with our users. They grab their phones, unintentionally touch that area, and dismiss the alarm. It’s very critical for us because we present other buttons on AlarmKit for the user to click on (guess which bird is singing, for example). Feedback Ticket Created: FB24407814

We're seeing a behavior change with ILMessageFilterExtension on iOS 26 and would like to confirm whether this is expected or a regression. Environment iOS: 26.x Framework: IdentityLookup Extension type: ILMessageFilterExtension Behavior For a new sender: An incoming SMS arrives. handle(_:context:completion:) is invoked. The extension returns a classification. The conversation is moved to the Spam folder. Subsequent SMS messages in the same conversation are delivered to the Spam folder, but handle(_:context:completion:) is no longer invoked for any new messages. Expected behavior We expected the message filter extension to be invoked for every incoming SMS, regardless of the current conversation folder, allowing the extension to evaluate each message independently. Actual behavior Once the conversation is in the Spam folder, all subsequent messages bypass the extension completely. The extension receives no callback, making it impossible to: Re-evaluate new messages using updated filtering logic. Change the classification if sender reputation changes. Apply cloud-based or dynamic filtering policies on subsequent messages. Questions Is this behavior expected in iOS 26? Has the message filtering pipeline changed so that conversations already classified as Spam no longer invoke ILMessageFilterExtension? Is there any documented API or recommended approach to have the extension evaluate every incoming message for an existing Spam conversation? If this is not expected, is this a known issue? If anyone from Apple or other developers can confirm whether this is by design, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone, I'm developing an iOS app that includes both a Message Filter Extension and a Call Blocking Extension. I'd like to understand whether there is any supported way to collect or access statistics for these extensions, such as: Number of messages filtered (allowed vs. junk) Number of blocked calls Number of identified calls Extension invocation count Filtering success/failure metrics Any analytics or usage data exposed by the system I understand that these extensions are privacy-sensitive, so I'm not expecting access to user content. I'm specifically looking for aggregate statistics or system-provided metrics that an app can legally and technically access. My questions are: Does iOS expose any APIs or callbacks for collecting usage statistics from a Message Filter Extension? Is there any way to determine how many calls were blocked or identified by a Call Blocking Extension? Are there any recommended Apple-supported approaches for tracking extension usage without violating user privacy? If no APIs are available, is this limitation intentional due to the privacy model of these extensions? I'd appreciate any guidance or best practices from Apple engineers or developers who have worked with these extensions. Thank you!

Summary Our Share Extension works correctly on iOS 18 but silently fails on iOS 26. The app appears in the share sheet, the user taps it, the sheet dismisses — and nothing else happens. The containing app never opens. Environment App: com.yourcompany.app Extension: com.yourcompany.app.shareaudio (com.apple.share-services) Source app: Voice Memos Deployment target: iOS 17.0 iOS 18.x (TestFlight): ✅ works — extension runs, app opens, file imports iOS 26.x (same build): ❌ fails — share sheet closes, extension appears to terminate immediately What we've tried Activation rule — NSExtensionActivationRule with UTI-CONFORMS-TO covering com.apple.quicktime-audio, public.audio, public.mpeg-4-audio, com.apple.m4a-audio, public.file-url. Loading the file — tried loadFileRepresentation(forTypeIdentifier:), loadInPlaceFileRepresentation, and loadItem, with fallbacks prioritizing public.file-url and com.apple.quicktime-audio. Logged registeredTypeIdentifiers to confirm what the provider exposes. Opening the containing app — calling extensionContext?.open(url) before completeRequest. Also tested a secondary URL scheme. App Group is configured; we write a pending flag and check it in sceneDidBecomeActive. Voice Memos export modes — tested both Rendered (.m4a) and Editable (.qta). None of this changed the behavior on iOS 26. Specific questions What does NSItemProvider.registeredTypeIdentifiers return on iOS 26 for Voice Memos recordings, especially .qta files? Is com.apple.quicktime-audio still the correct UTI for .qta on iOS 26, or has it changed? Has the recommended API for loading shared audio changed in iOS 26 — loadFileRepresentation, loadInPlaceFileRepresentation, or loadItem? Is NSExtensionContext.open(_:completionHandler:) still the supported way to open the containing app from a Share Extension on iOS 26? Are there new entitlements or restrictions? Is there any WWDC25 session or updated documentation covering Share Extensions receiving Voice Memos exports (including AVFileType.qta)? Is this a known regression in iOS 26? Happy to share logs, a TestFlight build, or a minimal reproducible project if that helps.

Hi everyone, I am working on an iOS application that utilizes a Broadcast Upload Extension (ReplayKit) to perform local, on-device screen analysis. Currently, we are using RPSystemBroadcastPickerView to allow the user to initiate the broadcast session. However, for our specific tracking use case, requiring the user to manually tap the "Start Broadcast" button every time creates a significant friction point in the user experience. My questions are: Is there any private API, entitlement, or MDM (Mobile Device Management) configuration that allows an app to programmatically start a ReplayKit screen recording session completely in the background without explicit human intervention (e.g., without tapping a button in the UI)? If this is strictly prohibited for consumer apps on the App Store due to privacy guidelines, are there any exceptions or enterprise-level profiles available for supervised devices that bypass the mandatory RPSystemBroadcastPickerView user interaction? My understanding is that Apple enforces this manual trigger and the red status bar indicator for strict security and privacy reasons, but I am looking for an official confirmation on whether any programmatic workaround exists for this in modern iOS versions (iOS 15+). Thank you in advance for your time and clarification!

I have created a share extension for my app which supports accepting an image. However the app do not appear in the "Share with App" action of shortcuts. It only shows "Health" and "Reminders" which are default apple apps. What I found though is that if I open some other app like Photos and share an image from it, then go to end of app's list and click more. And in the list if I toggle my app off and on again. And then come back to shourtcuts app, the app then appears. Step 1: Open share sheet, click more Step 2: Toggle the app off and on again and save. And then it switching to shortcuts app, it appear now. I am unable to find a way on how to make this app's share extension support the "Share with app" action of shortcuts by default. This looks like a bug. I did not find any proper documentation as well for this. Can anyone point me to correct way / resource to add my app as supported app here out of the box. Minimal reproducible example: ZIP file of xcode project

I want to use features described in the background assets WWDC22 session (https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2022/110403/). In earlier versions of Xcode 14 beta there used to be a background asset extension target type, however this got removed in beta 5 and has still not been put back even though Xcode 14 RC is released. With Xcode 14 beta 4, if the background asset target was chosen then a bunch of template code was created, same as happens with any extension type. But if the background asset extension target type isn't even present in the Xcode 14 RC, how is one supposed to create an extension and use this new feature?

I have an app update that is completely ready for submission. This update incorporates a subscription for new functionality. I'm unable to submit as the subscription is stuck in the "Prepare for submission" state instead of going to "Ready to submit" and I'm unable to include it with my app. After doing some research, I found that the banking information on my developer account is broken. I tried to update and fix this information. However, I get an error saying that it is unable to find "Bank of America". I suspect this is causing everything else to be stuck in the "Prepare for submission" state. Does anyone know how to work around this issue or can someone at Apple give me an ETA as to when things will be fixed. This issue is delaying my release. - Ken

I have been implementing a share extension for my app and have added the activation rule NSExtensionActivationSupportsImageWithMaxCount. While testing I've noticed that my app will appear in the Share Sheet as a viable target when the max count is exceeded by up to 2 additional photos. For example if I set max to 4 then my app will appear in the share sheet when the user is sharing 1-6 images. On its own this wouldn't be too problematic, I figured I could put some validation in the extension that specifies the user has exceeded the allowed number. But while debugging the extension under this scenario I noticed that the inputItems array on the NSExtensionContext will only contain the number of items I've defined as the max, and silently drop the extra items. I'm sure users will see this as a bug with my app "losing" the extra images since the OS/Share Sheet provides my app as a valid target. My entire Info.plist <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>NSExtensionAttributes</key> <dict> <key>NSExtensionActivationRule</key> <dict> <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebURLWithMaxCount</key> <integer>1</integer> <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsImageWithMaxCount</key> <integer>4</integer> </dict> </dict> <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key> <string>com.apple.share-services</string> <key>NSExtensionPrincipalClass</key> <string>$(PRODUCT_MODULE_NAME).ShareViewController</string> </dict> </plist> Entire code implementation of the extension class ShareViewController: UIViewController { override func viewDidLoad() { super.viewDidLoad() if let extensionContext { debugPrint(extensionContext) } } } Edit: I've been testing on iOS 26.5 with a minimum deployment of iOS 26.0

Hi everyone, First, I'd like to say that I'm really excited about the direction FSKit is taking. Having a modern, user-space filesystem framework on macOS is a huge improvement, and I'm currently working on porting an existing cross-platform FUSE-based filesystem to use it. One challenge I've run into is automated testing. Our project has Linux, Windows, and macOS CI. On Linux, we can perform real mount/unmount integration tests on every commit. On Windows, we can do the same using WinFsp. However, on GitHub-hosted macOS runners, it appears that filesystem extensions still require interactive approval or registration before they can be mounted. This makes it difficult to validate the actual mount lifecycle in ephemeral CI environments. We can still compile and unit test our filesystem logic, but we can't exercise the final "mount a filesystem and verify it behaves correctly" integration tests without a self-hosted Mac. I'm curious whether this is the expected long-term workflow, or whether Apple has plans to make this easier for developers. Some questions I have are: Is unattended registration of an FSKit filesystem extension in CI something that's being considered? Are there plans to support ephemeral CI environments such as GitHub Actions without requiring manual interaction? Is there a recommended approach for automated integration testing of FSKit filesystems today that I'm overlooking? More generally, what does Apple envision as the best practice for projects that want to continuously test real filesystem mounts? I completely understand the security motivations for requiring user approval on end-user systems. My question is specifically about trusted development and CI environments where the machine is temporary and exists solely for automated testing. Thanks for any guidance, and thanks to the FSKit team for the work that's gone into making user-space filesystems a first-class experience on macOS.

I am writing a share extension for my app so users can share images from other apps. I have added the NSExtensionActivationSupportsImageWithMaxCount key to the NSExtensionActivationRule dictionary but I am wondering if there is a way to define the activation rule to say I will accept any number of images, and not have it constrained by a maximum value. Looking at the documentation I've noticed that attachments seem to be the only option that defines a minimum count (NSExtensionActivationSupportsAttachmentsWithMinCount). Is there an undocumented equivalent for images or some particular combination to use? I know I could set the max to be some very high number like 999, but I'm just wondering if there is an "official" supported way to achieve a min count defined on the extensions rules.

In the WWDC19 session "Embedding and Sharing Visually Rich Links" it mentions how the Messages app is able to gain access to the LPLinkMetadata provided to the Share Sheet (direct time link) so that it does not have to load the metadata itself. Looking through the NSExtensionContext's inputItems in my share extension and I could not see anything obvious that would allow my own share extension to read the loaded metadata. Am I missing something or is the metadata not made available? To be clear, I am aware of how to use LPMetadataProvider to fetch the metadata. I just want to know if my share extension can make use of the metadata that the Share Sheet has already loaded.

Hello, I am developing a Safari extension that uses service workers and all works well. When the extension is updated, a new content script is injected into the current open tabs however the service worker connection with the new content script does not get established. I confirmed both the old content script and new one is on the page, but the new one just doesn't execute which means it will not connect to the service worker. In Chrome a newly injected content script does work and in FireFox it is handled by FireFox automatically. How can this be done in Safari? Any help would be appreciated.

These days, we live our lives completely surrounded by and immersed in smartphones. It seems there isn't a single person among us who isn't. This is because we can find all kinds of information, meet friends, and enjoy our leisure time on our smartphones. However, there is one thing we are overlooking. It is the emotion you will feel toward the people around you as you die on the day you come to pass away. What is that emotion? It is regret. That regret is likely the longing to enjoy physical intimacy, conversation, travel, and everyday life more. That is why I am developing an app with a special feature. I am developing an app that helps users self-regulate and maintain moderation in their smartphone usage—something we are addicted to and love so much, yet often fail to realize that it is poison. This app is designed to encourage mutual moderation and provide rewards. Ironically, this app is designed to operate on the smartphone itself. The reason is that if the smartphone is a tiger's den, then to catch the tiger, one must enter the tiger's den. While conceptualizing and proceeding with development, I encountered a completely insurmountable wall. This is because the iPhone cannot accurately measure the screen-off time. I earnestly hope that if there is a team or developer working on the iPhone framework, you can resolve this issue. If you can extend the extension or take measures to allow access to that data within the SDK, I believe I will be able to complete this app. I look forward to your help.