how to prevent app network access on iOS?

Question

Level 1

5 points

how to prevent app network access on iOS?

I would like to prevent certain apps from accessing the network.

Currently, my strategy is:

deny the app mobile network access through iOS settings and
switch off wifi when/before starting the app (that's done automatically through an iOS automation).

As far as I can see, this should prevent the app to access the network at all (unless I turn on wifi after the app is started).

To my surprise, an app subject to this framework managed to access the network (as noticed while the app was running and confirmed by the App Privacy Report). This happened after about a week or two using the app without any signs of it having accessed the network.

How can this be?

I would like to know the reasons and, ultimately, learn about a fail-safe framework to deny certain apps (all) network access.

Posted on May 29, 2025 11:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

May 29, 2025 11:38 AM in response to jju4

Then it has no internet access. If you open a browser can you go to a website? How about with an app like Speedtest? Might the apps in question be queuing their access until network service is restored?

Reply

Answer 2

May 29, 2025 11:19 AM in response to jju4

Well, we’re all users here, so no one can tell you the reasons.

So a couple of questions:

In Settings/Cellular do you have the app turned off for cellular data access?

How are you turning off Wi-Fi? The correct way is to turn off Wi-Fi in Settings, NOT in the Control Center (which doesn’t actually turn it off, it just disconnects all active devices until the next morning, or they relaunch).

Reply

Answer 3

jju4 Author

Level 1

5 points

May 30, 2025 2:41 AM in response to jju4

Many thanks for the feedback/questions, that helped me think things through better:

the first question for reasons of the mystifying app network access may be explained by an automation that briefly establishes a network connection from time to time (so that the phone can be found if lost while offline),
the second question for an (almost, see previous bullet point) fail-safe framework to prevent app access can, of course, be easily answered: just switch off wifi as well as mobile network (for example, through an automation triggered by an app start or by starting apps through a suitable shortcut).

Clearly, the two answers reveal contradictory aims (which obviously is not a topic for this support forum)...

Thanks again for the help!

Reply

Answer 4

jju4 Author

Level 1

5 points

May 29, 2025 11:30 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

cellular data access is turned off for the app(s) in settings (the section of the app(s) concerned),
wifi is turned off in settings.

Reply

Answer 5

jju4 Author

Level 1

5 points

May 29, 2025 12:58 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I would think that it should not have internet access. But my observation (and the App Privacy Report) tell differently.

To answer KiltedTim's question: this observation concerns the app "G-Band", which is a companion app for various smartwatches. I use it without an account but it should try to, for example, refresh weather data (to feed it to the smartwatch).

Trying to clarify the situation/chain of events:

in iOS settings: wifi is switched off and
in iOS settings: mobile data (as well as background app refresh) are switched off for the app
the app is started: network access is observed (i.e., online content is loaded)
the app is terminated (following Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support)
in iOS settings/App Privacy Report: network access is confirmed

My expectation was, that the above iOS settings should suffice to prevent network access?

Reply