iOS 14.5 App new update displays App Tracking Transparency disabled for some users

by Alicia Brown Application Developer

Despite Facebook throwing the biggest temper tantrum of the decade, Apple has finally launched the App Tracking Transparency feature available to users. The much-debated feature is part of the iOS 14.5 update.

The App Tracking Transparency feature enables users to opt-out of being by third-party apps, but the toggle is grayed out for some users even after installing iOS 14.5. The grayed-out toggle is creating confusion among users since they are not sure how the new feature works.

What went wrong?

Usually, after a new feature is introduced in most cases the toggle is turned on by default. After the update has been completed, the feature will be enabled and you can decide which apps cannot track you or even choose to completely disable tracking within the Privacy settings on iOS. On the other hand, numerous users have voiced on social media that the App Tracking Transparency feature toggle has been grayed out for them even after the update.

We believe that this anomaly is related to the “Personalized Ads” option that can be located in the Privacy Settings. For those devices that had this option enabled before updating the iPhone or iPad to iOS 14.5, the new App Tracking Transparency setting became available. Whereas, on those devices where the Personalized Ads option was disabled, the App Tracking Transparency controls were grayed out after the update. As of now, it is unclear if this is expected behavior or a bug.

According to recent reports by 9to5Mac, the tracking option has been intentionally grayed out for Apple ID owners under the age of 18 or for devices with an MDM profile that restricts the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” settings. Regardless, the toggle is still grayed out for some users where these conditions are not being met.

What can we do?

Since most users have already updated their devices to the iOS 14.5 update and the toggle has been grayed out, there is not much to be done. Apple created this feature as part of its data privacy initiative. It aims to protect user’s data so any part cannot be shared such as duplicate photos or videos.

Apple has yet to comment on the situation, all we can do is wait.