In order to help users understand an app’s privacy practices before they download the app on any Apple platform, app owners must enter privacy details of their app within App Store Connect prior to being able to publish.
With this information, users will be able to learn about some of the data types the app may collect, and whether that data is linked to them or used to track them. You’ll need to provide information about your app’s privacy practices, including the practices of third-party partners whose code you integrate into your app, in App Store Connect.
While answering the questions posed by Apple, please keep in mind that you are (or your client is) seen as the owner of the app, and that in that sense, AppMachine is seen as a third-party partner.
The app privacy details can be provided through App Store Connect.
- Login on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/ with your Apple Developer account.
Please make sure that the account you're logging in with has the Account Owner or Admin role. Any other role is insufficient to perform the required actions. - When logged in, open your app via the My Apps section.
Once opened, you'll find the App Privacy page listed in the left-side menu.
Note: you don't need to fill in the Privacy Policy URL here. You can enter that data in AppMachine. - Open this page and click the 'Get Started' button to start the app privacy questionnaire.
You will then be shown the following screen:
Select the option 'Yes, we collect data from this app' and continue by clicking the Next button. - On the next page, you will see this page:
You're prompted by Apple to check the boxes for all data types that the app collects.We'll go over these one by one:- Contact Info
Whether or not you enable the checkboxes in this section depends on the functionality you've added to the app. For example, if your app contains a Contact Form through which personal information is provided, then enable the boxes for the information that the user can provide within the app. - Health & Fitness
Links to this API are not supported within the AppMachine platform. However, if you've created a custom (Pro) block which uses these APIs, then enable the checkboxes that apply. - Financial Info
The 'Payment Info' option in this section concerns payments which are handled through means other than a payment service.
For example, if your app contains a manual payment option, then the 'Payment Info' option has to be checked. If your app uses PayPal checkouts, then you do not have to check this box, because these payments are handled by PayPal without you ever seeing the users payment information.
If your app collects any other type of financial information from its users, then check the appropriate box(es) accordingly. - Location
You nee to enable the 'Precise Location' in order to show the location of a user on a map within your app. - Sensitive Info
Enable this option if your app collects data such as racial or ethnic data, sexual orientation, pregnancy or childbirth information, disability, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, political opinion, genetic information, or biometric data.
You don't need to NOT enable this if you are using Basic or Plus AppMachine blocks.
- Contacts
There is no module available in AppMachine that allows you to collect data via the device's contacts lists, so do NOT enable this. - User Content
The 'Customer Support' option is present within every AppMachine app by default due to the 'I need support' email option on the App Information page. Therefore, the Customer support option has to be enabled. Other options are enabled depending on the content that has been added to the app. - Browsing History
There is no module available in AppMachine that allows you to collect data related to the users' browsing history. - Search History
There is no module available in AppMachine that allows you to collect data related to the users' search history. - Identifiers
Enable both the User ID as well as the Device ID, as they are both collected by AppMachine. These IDs are used to be able to send push notifications to the app. - Purchases
Enable this option if your app collects data related to a users' purchases or purchase tendencies. - Usage Data
V1 : All AppMachine apps collect analytical data which can be viewed via their respective Analyze pages within AppMachine.
V2: if you have enabled the Analytics tracking in your app, your app will collect analytical information via Firebase/Google Analytics. Read more about that in this article.
Therefore, the 'Product Interaction' option must be enabled. Other options can be enabled if applicable through the app's custom content. - Diagnostics
All AppMachine apps collect various diagnostics data. Enable All options in this section. - Other Data
Enable this option if you collect any other types of data through your app that has not been mentioned. This only applies if you have a PRO app and collect other data types not mentioned.
15. Click Save
- Contact Info
5. You will see this screen:
For each of the enabled options, you'll have to indicate how the collected data is used by you or your third-party partner(s), as displayed in the example screenshot below.
6. Click on each Set Up tile and answer three questions for each tile.
The app privacy options which are present in all AppMachine apps are listed in the table below. For each of the options, we've indicated how the collected data is used by AppMachine. Indications for any other options that you may have enabled due to the functionality used in your app, will have to be provided by yourself.
| Data Types | Information Type |
| Precise Location | App Functionality |
| Customer Support | App Functionality |
| User ID | App Functionality |
| Device ID | App Functionality |
| Crash Data | App Functionality |
| Performance Data | App Functionality |
| Other Diagnostics Data | App Functionality |
After indicating the way the collected data is used, Apple will ask whether the collected data is linked to the user's identity. This question can be answered with 'No' for each item.
Next, Apple will ask you to indicate whether the data will be used for tracking purposes. This question can be answered with 'No' for each item.
The GIF below is an example of how you can set each one of the categories:
7. >> Don't forget to hit the 'Publish' button to submit the app privacy settings in App Store Connect <<
When you've provided the app privacy information for all of the data types that your app collects, your app can be updated with new store versions once again.
If you are publishing via the old 2021 flow:
Since all technical details of the app have now been uploaded to Apple, you can submit the app into review with Apple by following these steps:
- Login on https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/ with your Apple Developer account.
- Open the 'My Apps' section and select your app.
- From the left side menu, select the latest version of the app. This will be displayed as the version number '1.x' followed by the state of the app 'Prepare for Submission'.
- Scroll down the page to the section that says 'Build'.
- Click the + icon next to Build. If the + icon is not available then hover over the currently selected build (hyperlink) and remove it using the - button. After removing the currently selected build, the + icon should re-appear.
- Select the latest build, which corresponds with the version number entered for the app. (this should be version 1.x.0.0)
- Save the changes. (if required)
- Click Submit for Review.
- Answer all questions with 'No'. (if required)
- Complete the process.
If you run into any errors during the process, please contact support@appmachine.com. Providing screenshots of the error or flagged fields will be very helpful.
Please note: When you add or remove content from your app which is defined within the app privacy settings, you will also have to update your app privacy settings in App Store Connect to reflect these changes.