iOS 14 Network privacy permission check is not shown after reinstall, nor is the toggle shown in Settings -> Privacy -> Local Network

While testing the implementation of this new check in our app, we discovered a bug:

  1. Our App Store version is still compiled with Xcode 11.7

  2. Install it from the App Store on an iPhone with iOS 14.0 final (18A373)

  3. Launch the app. Whenever the first network action is started, the system popup is shown.

  4. Allow permission

  5. Check Settings -> Privacy -> Local Network -> App Name is present with the toggle enabled.

So far so good.

However, we wanted to see the system permission popup again:

  1. Delete the app

  2. Repeat steps 1 till 3 from above

  3. No popup is shown but local network access is silently accepted.

  4. Check Settings -> Privacy -> Local Network. The App Name is not present. So it's not possible anymore to disable local network access.

This seems a serious bug, where a reinstall compromises the Local network privacy.

And another bug for developers, as there seems no way to show the system popup a second time. For example to validate the localised version of NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription, which doesn't seem to work either: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/657856


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Martijn
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Great news, the problem seems to be resolved in iOS 14.1 (18A8395).
We did multiple tests and every time the app is launched after a re-install, the Local Network permission is shown in the app.
Also the Local Network toggle is present in Settings App -> Privacy -> Local Network.

Added bonus
Finally it's possible to consistently reshow the Local Network permission in the app without uninstalling it first, by going to Settings App -> General -> Reset -> Reset Location & Privacy

Thanks Apple for resolving this.
Posted by
Martijn
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Yes I can confirm.

I declined permission on my app when the dialog appeared. Afterwards I uninstalled the app.
After reinstallation there is no way to allow local network permission, not from dialog, not from iPhone Settings.

So this means that in my case, the app stops working correctly, this is a very serious bug!

Posted by
Portokalas
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Yes, I too able to reproduce with these steps on one of my iPhoneX( where No SIM card installed) but the other iPhone7 ( where SIM card installed) Apple local network privacy works as expected.
Posted by
Norace
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This is extremely serious issue. When our users decline the permissions even by accident and reinstall or just update the app they are no longer able to use our app with devices on local network under any circumstances. In our case the App is POS system and we need to be able to connect to receipt printers in local network. Did anyone get any info regarding this issue from Apple developers? What should we do?
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crhaj
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I've sent an email to Quinn "the Eskimo" from Apple, with a request to respond here.
Posted by
Martijn
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This behavior is ridiculous. Makes it impossible to have an app that can communicate on the network if the user denies permissions when the dialog first appears. This is a huge bug.
Posted by
mikesl
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I don't understand how something this critical still doesn't have any attention from Apple. Would someone point me to the right direction where I can push for Apple's attention?
Posted by
crhaj
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Local network privacy presents a number of challenges but this is not one I’ve looked at in depth.

I’ve spent a lot of time investigating local network privacy issues over the past few weeks and I’ve never seen this issue. It’s possible that it only shows up when you install the app from the App Store itself. Can anyone confirm that? That is, does the problem reproduce if you repeat the instructions in Martijn’s original post but, rather than using App Store, use the Finder to install a Development build (one exported from the Xcode Organizer)?

Beyond that, has anyone filed a bug about this? If so, please post your bug number.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"
Posted by
eskimo
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Thank you Quinn, I've filed a bug in Feedback Assistant, see: FB8779490
Posted by
Martijn
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I can confirm that the issue is still present in iOS 14.0.1 (18A393).
Posted by
Martijn
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Great news, the problem seems to be resolved in iOS 14.1 (18A8395).
We did multiple tests and every time the app is launched after a re-install, the Local Network permission is shown in the app.
Also the Local Network toggle is present in Settings App -> Privacy -> Local Network.

Added bonus
Finally it's possible to consistently reshow the Local Network permission in the app without uninstalling it first, by going to Settings App -> General -> Reset -> Reset Location & Privacy

Thanks Apple for resolving this.
Posted by
Martijn
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The issue is back in iOS 14.2.

Apple, Apple, Apple. Shame on you.
Posted by
Martijn
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Is it possible that CloudKit stops working if the user denies the local network permission? we are experiencing some problems on CloudKit with users getting CKError 3 (no network) while they have 4G and good connection. Now wondering if they chose not to allow the local network permission.

Anybody?
Apple? are you there?
Mr Tim?
Posted by
pistoleta
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Dear Apple,

Every day we receive dozens of angry emails of paid app users.

Our app can't communicate with their devices over the network, because Local Network access is not applied and the toggle is NOT present in the iOS Settings app.

Please have the decency to respond in this forum and/or Feedback Assistant and resolve this asap.
And improve your Source Code Management process, to ensure that resolved issues will be merged in every new release.

Best regards,

Martijn
Posted by
Martijn
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This has NOT been resolved yet in latest iOS 14.3 beta 2 (18C5054c).

Is everybody still ***** from your M1 launch party?
Come on, fix this asap. We're loosing customers every day due this recurring bug.
Posted by
Martijn
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I have submitted a bug with FB8978088

I wasn't able to reproduce the bug locally until I updated to the latest iPad-version. It looks like this happens only once after the system has been updated. Afterwards the prompt has been shown correctly
Posted by
niggeulimann
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