How To Turn On App Privacy Report On iPhone In iOS 15

App Privacy Report iOS 15

The App Privacy Report is finally here! Apple has highlighted it during WWDC21 but the feature did not make the cut in the initial iOS 15 release. It’s now available starting with iOS 15.2 and it replaces the Record App Activity option!

What Is App Privacy Report?

This privacy feature records data and sensor access, app and website network activity as well as the most frequently contacted domains allowing you to get the full picture about what apps do behind the scenes!

App Privacy Report allows you to find out how often apps have accessed sensitive info as location, microphone, camera, photos and contacts over the past seven days!

How To Turn On App Privacy Report

This feature isn’t enabled by default. Proceed as follows to activate it:

• Open Settings and browse for Privacy.
• Scroll all the way down to App Privacy Report.
• Tap the toggle to turn ON to start monitoring apps on your iPhone.

Tip: If you haven’t updated to iOS 15.2, Record App Activity is available instead. I recommend you to enable it, as it will start collecting data. However, you won’t be able to interpret it until you’re able to get the App Privacy Report upgrade!

How To Read App Privacy Report

After you enable the feature you have to start using the apps and the list will start populating. The report is divided in multiple sections:

1. Data & Sensor Access

In this section iOS 15 lists the apps that have accessed your data and sensor over the past 7 days. Sensitive info tracked in this section is: Camera, Microphone, Contacts, Location, Photos, and Media Library.

Important: All these apps have asked and gotten your privacy permission for it when you first installed them!

Tip: Tap the app name to get a detailed view! You can also tap the data type to see every time when the app in question accessed your iPhone’s sensitive info!

2. App Network Activity

Displays a list of apps that have contacted domains in the past 7 days. Tap on the app name to see an extended list of domains that have been directly contact by the app.

Tip: Tap the domain to see all apps that have contacted the same domain. If multiple apps contact the same domain it could indicate that the domain is trying to combine your activity into a profile.

3. Website Network Activity

Is similar to the App Network Activity list. It shows all the domains that have been contacted by websites that you visited in Safari and other apps.

Fact: Websites labeled with ‘A’ App Store icon are provided by the app in question, while all other names have been aggregated automatically.

Website Network Activity is basically identical to App Network Activity, but it shows you all of the domains contacted by the websites that you visited in Safari and other apps.

Tip: Tap the website name and you will see a list with the domains contacted by the website, along with info about the apps that you viewed this website in. Tap the domain from the list to see all apps that accessed it.

4. Most Contacted Domains

Is a list populated with domains that were contacted by more than one app or website in the past 7 days. This list is usually populated with trackers and analytics domains.

Tip: Tap on a domain and you will get two list of apps and websites that contacted this domain. this can uncover potential domains that combine your activity into a profile!

How To Turn Off App Privacy Report

If you want to stop using these reports you can easily stop app monitoring by using the Turn Off App Privacy Report option, available at the bottom of the screen.

Fact: Disabling the report implies deleting of all data. Which means that if you decide to turn it back ON, you will have to wait until results are populated again as you use apps on your iPhone or iPad!

Are you using the App Privacy Report on your iPhone and iPad? What’s your feedback? Do you have any questions? Use the comments section.

Related: For more iOS 15 Privacy features please check:
– iCloud Private Relay
– Hide My Email
– Mail Privacy Protection