App Privacy checklist
App Privacy details need a data inventory, not guesses.
Before submitting an iOS app, the owner should understand what data the app and SDKs collect, whether it is linked to users, whether tracking is involved, and whether the privacy policy matches the product.
App Privacy details in App Store Connect are often assigned to whoever is uploading the build. That is risky. The developer may know the code, but not the business reason for analytics, support, ads, payments, CRM, or user data retention. The founder may know the business, but not every SDK in the app.
Official source note: Apple says App Store product pages help users understand privacy practices, including data types an app may collect and whether data is linked to them or used to track them: App Privacy Details.
Privacy workflow
Quick answer
Answer App Privacy details from the actual product and third-party stack.
A practical checklist includes app data collection, backend data collection, SDK behavior, account data, device data, analytics, crash logs, payments, ads, messaging, location, photos, contacts, tracking, linked data, privacy policy alignment, and final owner approval.
Quick answer: App Privacy checklist
App Privacy preparation
- List all data collected by the app, backend, and third-party SDKs.
- Identify whether each data type is linked to a user or device.
- Identify whether any data is used for tracking as Apple defines it.
- Confirm purposes: app functionality, analytics, advertising, personalization, developer communications, or other uses.
- Review privacy policy language against the actual app.
- Confirm account creation, deletion, and support workflows.
- Get owner approval before submitting answers.
- Save a handover copy of answers and source notes.
Build a data inventory first
Do not start with the App Store Connect form. Start with the product. Walk through onboarding, login, profile, payments, orders, messaging, support, crash reporting, analytics, ads, push notifications, location, media upload, and backend integrations.
Data inventory worksheet
| Area | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Account | What identifiers, contact details, profile fields, and authentication data exist? |
| Device | What device identifiers, diagnostics, crash logs, or performance data are collected? |
| Usage | What events, analytics, searches, or app interactions are tracked? |
| Location | Is precise or coarse location collected, and for what feature? |
| Payments | What payment or subscription systems are integrated? |
| Media | Are photos, files, contacts, camera, microphone, or uploads involved? |
| Support | What support tickets, messages, or communications are stored? |
SDK and third-party review
Third-party SDKs are a common source of privacy mismatch. The app team should inventory analytics, crash reporting, attribution, ads, maps, chat, payments, push notifications, authentication, customer support, and social login SDKs.
Events are still data
Screen views, button taps, session IDs, and funnels may affect privacy answers even when the app does not sell data.
Diagnostics can include identifiers
Crash reporting may collect device, app, performance, or diagnostic data that should be reviewed.
Tracking needs special attention
Advertising, attribution, and cross-app measurement require careful review before answers are submitted.
Human workflows matter
Chat, tickets, email support, and CRM integrations may collect contact and message data outside the app UI.
Owner approval and handover
The final App Privacy answers should be approved by the app owner, not only by the release engineer. The owner is accountable for public claims on the product page and should understand what the answers mean.
Developer inventory
Developers list app data, backend calls, SDKs, permissions, and third-party services.
Business review
The owner confirms business purpose, retention, support routes, ads, payments, and policy language.
Form completion
The App Store Connect answers are completed from documented facts, not memory.
Handover
Save the answer summary, SDK list, privacy policy URL, and review owner for future app updates.
FAQ
Who should answer App Privacy details?
The app owner should approve the final answers, but developers, backend teams, analytics owners, ad-tech owners, and third-party SDK maintainers may need to provide the factual data inventory.
Do SDKs count in App Privacy details?
Yes, privacy answers should consider app code and third-party SDK behavior. Teams should inventory analytics, crash reporting, ads, payments, chat, maps, authentication, and messaging SDKs.
Is this legal advice?
No. This checklist helps organize technical and operational privacy information for App Store Connect. Companies should involve legal or privacy counsel where required.
