Guides

Integrate SDK

Learn how to initialize and start the iOS SDK.

Suggest Edits

Recommended

Get started with our SDK integration wizard

  • Before integrating, you must Install the SDK.
  • This document contains example implementations. Make sure to replace the following:
    • <YOUR_DEV_KEY>: The AppsFlyer dev key.
    • <APPLE_APP_ID>: The Apple App ID (without the id prefix).
    • Additional placeholders, where needed.

Initializing the iOS SDK

Step 1: Import dependencies
Import AppsFlyerLib:

// AppDelegate.h
#import <AppsFlyerLib/AppsFlyerLib.h>

@interface AppDelegate : UIResponder <UIApplicationDelegate>

@end

import UIKit
import AppsFlyerLib

@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    // ...
}

Step 2: Initialize the SDK
In didFinishLaunchingWithOptions configure your Apple App ID and AppsFlyer dev key:

[[AppsFlyerLib shared] setAppsFlyerDevKey:@"<YOUR_DEV_KEY>"];
[[AppsFlyerLib shared] setAppleAppID:@"<APPLE_APP_ID>"];

AppsFlyerLib.shared().appsFlyerDevKey = "<YOUR_DEV_KEY>"
AppsFlyerLib.shared().appleAppID = "<APPLE_APP_ID>"

Starting the iOS SDK

In applicationDidBecomeActive, call start:

[[AppsFlyerLib shared] start];

func applicationDidBecomeActive(_ application: UIApplication) {
    AppsFlyerLib.shared().start()
    // ...
}

Add SceneDelegate support

Optional
Do the following only if you use SceneDelegates:

In didFinishLaunchingWithOptions, add a UIApplicationDidBecomeActiveNotification observer and set it to run start:

@implementation AppDelegate
    // SceneDelegate support - start AppsFlyer SDK
    - (void)sendLaunch:(UIApplication *)application {
    [[AppsFlyerLib shared] start];
}
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
    // ...
    // SceneDelegate support
    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
     selector:@selector(sendLaunch:)
     name:UIApplicationDidBecomeActiveNotification
     object:nil];
    // ...
    return YES;
}
// ...
@end

import UIKit
import AppsFlyerLib
@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        ...
        // SceneDelegate support
        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: NSSelectorFromString("sendLaunch"), name: UIApplicationdidBecomeActiveNotification, object: nil)
        return true
    }
    // SceneDelegate support - start AppsFlyer SDK
    @objc func sendLaunch() {
        AppsFlyerLib.shared().start()
    }
// ...
}

Start with completion handler

Optional
To confirm that the SDK started successfully and notified the AppsFlyer servers, call start with a completion handler. You can then apply logic to handle the success or failure of the SDK launch.

[[AppsFlyerLib shared] startWithCompletionHandler:^(NSDictionary<NSString *,id> *dictionary, NSError *error) {
        if (error) {
            NSLog(@"%@", error);
            return;
        }
        if (dictionary) {
            NSLog(@"%@", dictionary);
            return;
        }
    }];

AppsFlyerLib.shared()?.start(completionHandler: { (dictionary, error) in
            if (error != nil){
                print(error ?? "")
                return
            } else {
                print(dictionary ?? "")
                return
            }
        })

Full example

#import "AppDelegate.h"
#import <AppsFlyerLib/AppsFlyerLib.h>
#import <UserNotifications/UserNotifications.h>
@interface AppDelegate ()
@end
@implementation AppDelegate
    // Start the AppsFlyer SDK
    - (void)sendLaunch:(UIApplication *)application {
    [[AppsFlyerLib shared] start];
}
- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions {
    // Override point for customization after application launch.
    /** APPSFLYER INIT **/
    [AppsFlyerLib shared].appsFlyerDevKey = @"<YOUR_DEV_KEY>";
    [AppsFlyerLib shared].appleAppID = @"<APPLE_APP_ID>";
    /* Uncomment the following line to see AppsFlyer debug logs */
    // [AppsFlyerLib shared].isDebug = true;
  
    // SceneDelegate support
    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
     selector:@selector(sendLaunch:)
     name:UIApplicationDidBecomeActiveNotification
     object:nil];
    if (@available(iOS 10, *)) {
        UNUserNotificationCenter *center = [UNUserNotificationCenter currentNotificationCenter];
        center.delegate = self;
        [center requestAuthorizationWithOptions:(UNAuthorizationOptionSound | UNAuthorizationOptionAlert | UNAuthorizationOptionBadge) completionHandler:^(BOOL granted, NSError * _Nullable error) {
        }];
    }

    else {
        UIUserNotificationSettings *settings = [UIUserNotificationSettings settingsForTypes: UIUserNotificationTypeAlert | UIUserNotificationTypeSound | UIUserNotificationTypeBadge categories:nil];
        [[UIApplication sharedApplication] registerUserNotificationSettings:settings];
    }

    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] registerForRemoteNotifications];
    return YES;
}

@end

import UIKit
import AppsFlyerLib
@UIApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
    func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
        AppsFlyerLib.shared().appsFlyerDevKey = "<YOUR_DEV_KEY>"
        AppsFlyerLib.shared().appleAppID = "<APPLE_APP_ID>"
        /* Uncomment the following line to see AppsFlyer debug logs */
        // AppsFlyerLib.shared().isDebug = true
        // SceneDelegate support
        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: NSSelectorFromString("sendLaunch"), name: UIApplication.didBecomeActiveNotification, object: nil)
        return true
    }
    // SceneDelegate support
    @objc func sendLaunch() {
        AppsFlyerLib.shared().start()
    }
// ...
}

Github link

Setting the Customer User ID

Optional
The Customer User ID (CUID) is a unique user identifier created outside the SDK by the app owner. If made available to the SDK, it can be associated with installs and other in-app events. These CUID-tagged events can be cross-referenced with user data from other devices and applications.

Set the CUID

To set the CUID:

[AppsFlyerLib shared].customerUserID = @"my user id";

AppsFlyerLib.shared().customerUserID = "my user id"

📘

Note

The Customer User ID must be set with every app launch.

Associate the CUID with the install event

If it’s important for you to associate the install event with the CUID, you should set to set the customerUserId before calling the start method. This is because start sends the install event to AppsFlyer. If the CUID is set after calling start, it will not be associated with the install event.

- (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(UIApplication *)application {
  	// Your custom logic of retrieving CUID
    NSString *customUserId = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] stringForKey:@"customerUserId"];  
    if (customUserId != nil && ![customUserId  isEqual: @""]) {
        // Set CUID in AppsFlyer SDK for this session
        [AppsFlyerLib shared].customerUserID = customUserId; 
        // Start
        [[AppsFlyerLib shared] start]; 
    }
}

func applicationDidBecomeActive(_ application: UIApplication) {
  //  your logic to retrieve CUID
  let customUserId = UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: "customUserId") 
  
  if(customUserId != nil && customUserId != ""){
     // Set CUID in AppsFlyer SDK for this session
    AppsFlyerLib.shared().customerUserID = customUserId    
    AppsFlyerLib.shared().start() // Start
  }
}

Log sessions

The SDK sends an af_app_opened message whenever the app is opened or brought to the foreground, providing that start is called in the didBecomeActive lifecycle event method. Before the message is sent, the SDK makes sure that the time passed since sending the last message is not smaller than a predefined interval.

Setting the time interval between app launches

Set minTimeBetweenSessions to the minimal time interval that must lapse between two af_app_opened messages. The default interval is 5 seconds.

iOS 14 support

Following are guides on setting up support for iOS 14+ features.

Enabling App Tracking Transparency (ATT) support

Starting iOS 14.5, IDFA access is governed by the ATT framework.
Enabling ATT support in the SDK handles IDFA collection on devices with iOS 14.5+ installed.

🚧

Attention

Call waitForATTUserAuthorization only if you intend to call requestTrackingAuthorization somewhere in your app.

Step 1: Set up waitForATTUserAuthorization
When Initializing the SDK, before calling start In applicationDidBecomeActive, call waitForATTUserAuthorization:

[[AppsFlyerLib shared] waitForATTUserAuthorizationWithTimeoutInterval:60];

AppsFlyerLib.shared().waitForATTUserAuthorization(timeoutInterval: 60)

Github link

Set timeoutInterval as such that app users have enough time to see and engage with the ATT prompt. A few examples:

  • If ATT prompt is displayed on app launch–a 60-second interval should be enough
  • If ATT prompt is displayed after a tutorial that takes approximately 2 minutes to complete–a 120-second interval should be enough.

Step 2: Call requestTrackingAuthorization
Call requestTrackingAuthorization where you wish to display the prompt:

- (void)didBecomeActiveNotification {
    // start is usually called here:
    // [[AppsFlyerLib shared] start]; 
    if @available(iOS 14, *) {
      
      [ATTrackingManager requestTrackingAuthorizationWithCompletionHandler:^(ATTrackingManagerAuthorizationStatus status) {
        NSLog(@"Status: %lu", (unsigned long)status);
      }];
    }
}

@objc func didBecomeActiveNotification() {
    // start is usually called here:
    // AppsFlyerLib.shared().start()
    if #available(iOS 14, *) {
      ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization { (status) in
        switch status {
        case .denied:
            print("AuthorizationSatus is denied")
        case .notDetermined:
            print("AuthorizationSatus is notDetermined")
        case .restricted:
            print("AuthorizationSatus is restricted")
        case .authorized:
            print("AuthorizationSatus is authorized")
        @unknown default:
            fatalError("Invalid authorization status")
        }
      }
    }
}

Github link

📘

Note

  • You need to import the AppTrackingTransparency framework to call requestTrackingAuthorization.
  • According to Apple documentation:
    • requestTrackingAuthorization is invoked only if the app is in the UIApplicationStateActive state.
    • requestTrackingAuthorization can't be invoked from App Extensions.

Customizing the ATT consent dialog

The ATT consent dialog can be customized by modifying your Xcode project's info.plist:

For detailed instructions, see Apple's documentation.

Attributing App Clips

Apple App Clips attribution was introduced in iOS SDK V6.0.8. See our App Clips integration guide for detailed instructions.

Sending SKAN postback copies to AppsFlyer

iOS 15
Configure your app to send postback copies to AppsFlyer.

To register the AppsFlyer endpoint:

  1. Add the NSAdvertisingAttributionReportEndpoint key to your app's info.plist.
  2. Set the key's value to https://appsflyer-skadnetwork.com/.

According to Apple, you can set only one endpoint. Copies of received postbacks are available in the postbacks copy report.

Enabling debug mode

You can enable debug logs by setting isDebug to true:

[AppsFlyerLib shared].isDebug = true;

AppsFlyerLib.shared().isDebug = true

📘

Note

To see full debug logs, make sure to set isDebug before invoking other SDK methods.

See example.

🚧

Warning

To avoid leaking sensitive information, make sure debug logs are disabled before distributing the app.

Testing the integration

For detailed integration testing instructions, see the iOS SDK integration testing guide.

Updated about 1 month ago