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

App & System Services Core OS iOS wwdc20-10110 Privacy

Martijn OP

Created Sep ’20

Replies 26

Boosts 0

Views 28k

Participants 15

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

Our App Store version is still compiled with Xcode 11.7
Install it from the App Store on an iPhone with iOS 14.0 final (18A373)
Launch the app. Whenever the first network action is started, the system popup is shown.
Allow permission
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:

Delete the app
Repeat steps 1 till 3 from above
No popup is shown but local network access is silently accepted.
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

Answered by Martijn in 642125022

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.

Martijn OP

Apr ’21

Finally good news; the No Feedback Assistant gave an update that the issue should be resolved in iOS 14.6 beta 1.
We just tested it an all 3 issues are resolved. Meaning that now:

After a re-install of the app, the system popup for Local Network permission is always shown.
After a re-install of the app, the iOS Settings app will always show the app name with toggle in "Settings -> Privacy -> Local Network" and "Settings -> app name"
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

Thank you Apple for resolving this. Hopefully next time you will act immediately after receiving valuable feedback; we did provide it 7 months ago, both on this forum as in the No Feedback Assistant.