How to open Settings programmatically like in Facebook app?

Question

I need to open Settings programmatically from within my app. I searched across SO but everywhere people say that it's impossible. But today I saw that it's implemented in Facebook app. There's a button on an UIAlertView and when you click it you open the Settings. So indeed this is possible to open Settings, I have witnessed this myself. But how to do that? Does anyone know how Facebook does that?

Answer 1

On iOS 8 you can open Settings programmatically!

Here is the code:

- (void)openSettings {     BOOL canOpenSettings = (&UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString != NULL);     if (canOpenSettings) {         NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString];         [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];     } } 

If your app has it’s own settings bundle, the settings will be opened showing your app’s settings. If your app does not have a setting bundle, the main settings page will be shown.

Answer 2

You can't, there is no API call to do this.

Only system dialogs, dialogs from Apple Frameworks, can open the settings app. In iOS 5 there was a app url scheme to open the system dialog but Apple removed it later.

---

With the coming of iOS 8 you can open the settings dialog on your apps page.

if (&UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString != NULL) {
   NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString];
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];
}
else {
  // Present some dialog telling the user to open the settings app.
}