Hi everyone,
We are investigating a possible iOS permission state issue after a device previously installed our app through TestFlight and later installed the production version from the App Store using the same Bundle ID.
Environment:
- Device: iPhone 15
- iOS version: 26.2.1
- App distribution history: The app was previously installed through TestFlight and later installed from the App Store
- Permissions involved: Camera / Photos
Issue:
When the user opens the App Store version of the app and tries to access a feature that requires Camera or Photos permission, the iOS permission prompt does not appear as expected.
Also, the app does not appear under:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera
or:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos
Because of this, the user cannot manually enable the permission.
Another user on iOS was able to grant the permissions normally, so the issue appears to be isolated to the device that previously used the TestFlight build.
Expected behavior:
When the App Store version requests Camera or Photos permission, iOS should display the permission prompt, or the app should appear under Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera/Photos so the user can manage the permission manually.
Actual behavior:
The permission prompt does not appear, and the app does not appear in the corresponding privacy permission list.
Possible cause:
It seems like the device may be preserving or reusing a stale privacy permission state from the previous TestFlight installation, since both the TestFlight build and the App Store build use the same Bundle ID.
Steps to reproduce:
- Install the app through TestFlight.
- Open the app and trigger a Camera/Photos permission request.
- Grant or deny the permission.
- Stop testing or remove the TestFlight version.
- Install the production version from the App Store using the same Bundle ID.
- Open the App Store version.
- Trigger the same Camera/Photos permission request flow.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera/Photos.
- The app does not appear, or the permission prompt does not behave as expected.
Workarounds attempted or suggested:
- Close and reopen the app.
- Restart the iPhone.
- Delete and reinstall the app from the App Store.
- Stop testing the app from TestFlight.
- Reset Location & Privacy settings.
Question:
Has anyone experienced a similar issue where iOS does not show the permission prompt or does not list the app under Privacy & Security after switching from a TestFlight build to the App Store version with the same Bundle ID?
Is there a recommended way to fully clear the previous TestFlight permission state, or should this be reported as a possible iOS/TestFlight permission state bug?