[ios] ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption export compliance while internal testing?

I got this message while selecting build for internal testing.it says about setting ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption in info.plist what does it mean? is it necessary?

enter image description here

This question is related to ios objective-c app-store-connect

The answer is


Basically <key>ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption</key><false/> stands for a Boolean value equal to NO.

info.plist value

Update by @JosepH: This value means that the app uses no encryption, or only exempt encryption. If your app uses encryption and is not exempt, you must set this value to YES/true.

It seems debatable sometimes when an app is considered to use encryption.


The same error solved like this

enter image description here

    using UnityEngine;
    using System.Collections;
    using UnityEditor.Callbacks;
    using UnityEditor;
    using System;
    using UnityEditor.iOS.Xcode;
    using System.IO;

public class AutoIncrement : MonoBehaviour {

    [PostProcessBuild]
    public static void ChangeXcodePlist(BuildTarget buildTarget, string pathToBuiltProject)
    {

        if (buildTarget == BuildTarget.iOS)
        {

            // Get plist
            string plistPath = pathToBuiltProject + "/Info.plist";
            var plist = new PlistDocument();
            plist.ReadFromString(File.ReadAllText(plistPath));

            // Get root
            var rootDict = plist.root;

            // Change value of NSCameraUsageDescription in Xcode plist
            var buildKey = "NSCameraUsageDescription";
            rootDict.SetString(buildKey, "Taking screenshots");

            var buildKey2 = "ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption";
            rootDict.SetString(buildKey2, "false");


            // Write to file
            File.WriteAllText(plistPath, plist.WriteToString());
        }
    }
    // Use this for initialization
    void Start () {

    }

    // Update is called once per frame
    void Update () {

    }

    [PostProcessBuild]
    public static void OnPostprocessBuild(BuildTarget target, string pathToBuiltProject)
    {
        //A new build has happened so lets increase our version number
        BumpBundleVersion();
    }


    // Bump version number in PlayerSettings.bundleVersion
    private static void BumpBundleVersion()
    {
        float versionFloat;

        if (float.TryParse(PlayerSettings.bundleVersion, out versionFloat))
        {
            versionFloat += 0.01f;
            PlayerSettings.bundleVersion = versionFloat.ToString();
        }
    }
    [MenuItem("Leman/Build iOS Development", false, 10)]
    public static void CustomBuild()
    {
        BumpBundleVersion();
        var levels= new String[] { "Assets\\ShootTheBall\\Scenes\\MainScene.unity" };
        BuildPipeline.BuildPlayer(levels, 
            "iOS", BuildTarget.iOS, BuildOptions.Development);
    }

}

Apple has changed the rules on this. I read through all the Apple docs and as many of the US export regs as I could find.

My view on this was until recently even using HTTPS for most apps meant Apple would require the export certificate. Some apps such as banking would be OK but for many apps they did not fall into the excempt category which is very, very broad.

However Apple has now introduced a getout under the exempt category for apps that JUST use https. I do not know when they did this but I think it was either Dec 2016 or Jan 2017. We are now submitting our apps without the certificate from the US Govt.


There are basically 2 things to bear in mind. You are only allowed to set it to NO if you either don't use encryption at all, or you are part of the exempt regulations. This applies to the following kind of applications:

Source: Chamber of Commerce: https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/encryption/encryption-faqs#15

Consumer applications

  • piracy and theft prevention for software or music;
  • music, movies, tunes/music, digital photos – players, recorders and organizers
  • games/gaming – devices, runtime software, HDMI and other component interfaces, development tools
  • LCD TV, Blu-ray / DVD, video on demand (VoD), cinema, digital video recorders (DVRs) / personal video recorders (PVRs) – devices, on-line media guides, commercial content integrity and protection, HDMI and other component interfaces (not videoconferencing);
  • printers, copiers, scanners, digital cameras, Internet cameras – including parts and sub-assemblies
  • household utilities and appliances

Business / systems applications: systems operations, integration and control. Some examples

  • business process automation (BPA) – process planning and scheduling, supply chain management, inventory and delivery

  • transportation – safety and maintenance, systems monitoring and on-board controllers (including aviation, railway, and commercial automotive systems), ‘smart highway’ technologies, public transit operations and fare collection, etc.

  • industrial, manufacturing or mechanical systems - including robotics, plant safety, utilities, factory and other heavy equipment, facilities systems controllers such as fire alarms and HVAC

  • medical / clinical – including diagnostic applications, patient scheduling, and medical data records confidentiality

  • applied geosciences – mining / drilling, atmospheric sampling / weather monitoring, mapping / surveying, dams / hydrology

Research /scientific /analytical. Some examples:

  • business process management (BPM) – business process abstraction and modeling

  • scientific visualization / simulation / co-simulation (excluding such tools for computing, networking, cryptanalysis, etc.)

  • data synthesis tools for social, economic, and political sciences (e.g., economic, population, global climate change, public opinion polling, etc. forecasting and modeling)

Secure intellectual property delivery and installation. Some examples

  • software download auto-installers and updaters

  • license key product protection and similar purchase validation

  • software and hardware design IP protection

  • computer aided design (CAD) software and other drafting tools

Note: These regulations are also true for testing your app using TestFlight


Add this key in plist file...Everything will be alright..

<key>ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption</key>  
<false/>

Just paste before </dict></plist>


Apple has simplified our building process, so you don't need to click on the same checkbox every time. You can streamline your iTC flow by compiling this flag into the app.

This is still the case as of 2019.


To select from dropdown please start typing following line:

App Uses Non-Exempt Encryption


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