NSUserTrackingDescription failure

Question

I have a build that is stuck in prepare for submission, it keeps telling me the following:

Your app contains NSUserTrackingUsageDescription, indicating that you will request permission to track users. To publish this information on your app's product page, you must indicate which data types are tracking users. If this is incorrect, update your app binary and upload a new build to App Store Connect.

No matter what I say or do I can never get beyond this. I have uploaded binary after binary and even answering the questions nothing solves the problem.

Suggestions? I can't seem to find a way to delete this "prepare for submission" without deleting the app that is currently on the app store.

Answer 1

Step 1:

Under the "Usage Data" Section. Select "Advertising Data".

Step 2:

Then enable the common options.

• Third-Party Advertising
• Analytics
• No, advertising data collected from this app is not linked to the user’s identity
• Yes, we use advertising data for tracking purposes

That's All. Be transparent, If you are really tracking the users then select the related options.

Answer 2

It's counter-intuitive, but you are publishing App Privacy for a version of the app that is already on the App Store, not for the update you are preparing to submit.

So if the app version that's already published has NSUserTrackingUsageDescription, you need to select "Yes, used for tracking purposes" for now.

After you upload a new binary with NSUserTrackingUsageDescription removed, and it passes review ("Ready for Sale") you can change App Privacy and select "No, not used for tracking purposes"

Answer 3

My app wasn't live and in the App Privacy section I ran into the same error as the op. My app uses Core Location. To address this issue go to App Store Connect > App Privacy:

1- under Data Types > Location > I selected Precise Location > Next > Save

2-under the gray Location/Precise Location Section (pictured below) press the blue Edit Button and tick these 3 selections:

• Used for App Functionality

• Linked to the user's identity

• Used for tracking purposes this is the last option, you must tick Yes, we use precise location data for tracking purposes. This will make the error go away

Now the Location section it looks likes this and the error went away

Answer 4

Apple has made it complicated as ever, thanks again Apple.

As mentioned above we could not change the Privacy data types in the Appstore connect because the current live version does use that permission.

We did upload a new binary with NSUserTrackingUsageDescription removed, and just got rejected. they ask us to add that permission or modify the privacy section, which we can not do. We replied explaining the situation, I'll modify this comment according to their reply.

Update: At first Apple review team insisted we should either change the privacy settings (can't) or submit a new app version. I found this help page: https://help.apple.com/app-store-connect/#/dev1b4647c5b Which under "Adding and removing data types" Mentions this part: "If your app is currently available on the App Store, make sure your responses reflect the data collected only from that app version."

I quoted it to Apple review team, and now finally update was approved!