Error Appstore connect : Missing Purpose String in Info.plist File
IosApp StoreExpoAppstore Approvalinfo.plistIos Problem Overview
I've submitted my app for review to the App Store Connect. Although the app is still under review, I've received an email to inform me that I have to fix an error. Here is the content of the message:
> Dear Developer, > > We identified one or more issues with a recent delivery for your app > XXXXX. Your delivery was successful, but you may wish to correct the > following issues in your next delivery: > > "Missing Purpose String in Info.plist File. Your app's code > references one or more APIs that access sensitive user data. The > app's Info.plist file should contain a > NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription key with a user-facing purpose > string explaining clearly and completely why your app needs the data. > Starting spring 2019, all apps submitted to the App Store that access > user data will be required to include a purpose string.If you're > using external libraries or SDKs, they may reference APIs that > require a purpose string. While your app might not use these APIs, a > purpose string is still required. You can contact the developer of > the library or SDK and request they release a version of their code > that doesn't contain the APIs. > > > After you’ve corrected the issues, you can use Xcode or Application > Loader to upload a new binary to iTunes Connect. > > Best regards, > > The App Store Team
My app is fully built with Expo and I don't know how to access and modify the Info.plist.
Any idea?
Ios Solutions
Solution 1 - Ios
EDIT April 2019 : You now have to add these two keys, as spring 2019 has begun. Note that NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
is now deprecated (since iOS 11) and has been replaced with NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription
and NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
. If you want to support lower than iOS 11, you'll have to use the three values.
To sum up you have to:
- Add
NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription
ANDNSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
for iOS 11 and more - And add
NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
if you want to support iOS 10 and less - And finally, you can add
NSLocationUsageDescription
if you wan to support iOS 8 and less.
You can submit your app even if you got this message !
I’ve just faced the same issue yesterday, even if the app isn’t using the location functionality. It may be related to some framework included in the project that have this optional feature.
I can confirm that my app has been approved even without the NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
and NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
key in info.plist
Indeed, as Apple stated in the mail :
> Starting spring 2019, all apps submitted to the App Store that access user data will be required to include a purpose string.
So the only thing to do is to add this key (right now is better, so that you won’t forget) in you project so that it will be included in your next update.
Just add two new entries in your info.plist
, with NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
and NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
as keys and a short description of why you use them as the value (even if you don’t really use them...).
Solution 2 - Ios
If you're using Expo, you can add solve by adding infoPlist to app.json like so:
"expo": {
"ios": {
"bundleIdentifier": "com.app.myapp",
"infoPlist": {
"NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription": "Some message to appease Apple.",
},
},
}
Solution 3 - Ios
I have some apps in the store and I tried to distribute a version for QA and the same thing happened in two different Apps. I think this is a new criteria to accept the builds uploads to Appstore connect.
The solution is simple, add the following lines in the .plist file.
<key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>custom message</string>
<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>custom message</string>
PS: In my case have not using any feature of location, but I added these lines in order to comply with Appstore connect guidelines. Btw after receive that email, I could test the app even when they said that build it had some issues.
I hope this work for you guys.
Solution 4 - Ios
It's a new requirement from apple, even if you do not use location. If you want to add the permissions in Xcode, look for "Privacy - Location Usage Description" and "Privacy - Location When In Use Usage Description" and type a custom string for each of them.
Solution 5 - Ios
For more simplifying you can add these lines in your info.plist. These error are coming because Starting spring 2019, all apps submitted to the App Store that access user data will be required to include a purpose string.
-
Open info.plist as source code.
-
Add these following lines in your plist
<key>NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription</key> <string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string> <key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key> <string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string> <key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key> <string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string>
Solution 6 - Ios
########Use this key in info.plist file#######
Solution 7 - Ios
We did receive the same email and we aren't using the CoreLocation at all. After a quick search, we found that Parse SDK could use CoreLocation. In Apple's email, they clearly say:
>If you're using external libraries or SDKs, they may reference APIs that require a purpose string.
That mean the minute your code or any other Library or SDKs can use CoreLocation, even if you don't use it, you need to provide privacy description for "When In Use" and "Always Use".
It is also something new from Apple and for now it's only a warning but it will be required starting in Spring 2019 for new submissions.
Solution 8 - Ios
>"Missing Purpose String in Info.plist File. Your app's code references one or more APIs that access sensitive user data. The app's Info.plist file should contain a NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription key with a user-facing purpose string explaining clearly and completely why your app needs the data. Starting spring 2019, all apps submitted to the App Store that access user data will be required to include a purpose string.If you're using external libraries or SDKs, they may reference APIs that require a purpose string. While your app might not use these APIs, a purpose string is still required. You can contact the developer of the library or SDK and request they release a version of their code that doesn't contain the APIs.
Open Info.plist
as source code.
Add these following lines in your plist
<key>NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string>
<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string>
<key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>$(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Location access for "some reason"!</string>
Solution 9 - Ios
This issue is occurring because you haven't included
<NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription>
for your app. I faced the same issue when I tried to submit my app on the AppStore. After the app was processed, I got the same mail. I just added the description and now its resolved.
Hope this helps.
Solution 10 - Ios
There are the following cases:
NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription (iOS>11)
NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription (iOS>11)
NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription (iOS<=10)
NSLocationUsageDescription (seems very old, iOS8?)
Apple states at:
>Add the NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
key and the NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription
key to your Info.plist file.
and:
>If your app supports iOS 10 and earlier, add the NSLocationAlwaysUsage
NSLocationUsageDescription
seems dead, the only ref in ADC site is:
https://developer.apple.com/ibeacon/Getting-Started-with-iBeacon.pdf
So to be sure, use first 3.
Solution 11 - Ios
These answers all tell you how to comply with the App Store rules to avoid the warning but the true fix would be for Expo to allow you to disable their SDKs requirement for Location Services unless you actually use them - I'm not sure if this is possible.
Solution 12 - Ios
same issue in Feb 19, got an email with a bunch of permissions I am not using, I assume they are from plugins. Apple says in March 19 it is a requirement so I am adding these in info.plst and uploading again.
It is very silly indeed.
Solution 13 - Ios
I had
<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription </key>
instead of
<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
be sure to remove trailing whitespace
Solution 14 - Ios
I also face the same issue but after 27 hours, I received the email about approved even I did nothing. So wait for approximately 24 hours instead of doing all this process again.
Solution 15 - Ios
Please review the email you received from **App Store Connect **
Instructions
-
Open info.plist file.
-
Add and search for the missing key from the options provided (e.g. Contacts = Privacy - Contacts Usage Description)
-
Add Usage Description:
> $(PRODUCT_NAME) needs Contacts access to "Provide The Reason Here".
Solution 16 - Ios
With Xcode 11 copy the key NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
and add this to Info
-> Custom iOS Target Properties
-> Click +
in the bottom left of this tab and as a value insert some kind of description like This app requires location access to function properly.
.
Solution 17 - Ios
My app also got that, and I do nothing about it but it can run well ,next time I think should add such key in plist,just do some description
Solution 18 - Ios
A short answer to the above problem -
NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
must be updated with the following description in Info.plist file
> {Your App Name} requires access to the location to suggest dengue > outbreak zones.
Solution 19 - Ios
In our case, we were using NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription
in our app, but not NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
.
Reading from the comments here (thanks matt-oakes), it looks like NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
is being used by one of the dependency frameworks we use.
Running our app it doesn't show the actual NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription permission modal, so it looks to just handle this in the background.
So in summary, adding NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription
to the Info.plist fixed the warning email, and did not change any behaviour in the app