App privacy report issued with native apps on iPhone

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Level 1

6 points

App privacy report issued with native apps on iPhone

Hello,

Such as other threads I’ve been reading about that privacy app report "issue?", I do not understand how and why so many of my native apps (and few other third parties) are registered as "used" by my iPhone while I did not open any of those apps.

Per example, my native photo apps is often listed and shown as used at 3 or 4 am while I am sleeping, with the microphone as well..

The same for messages, mail (that I never ever used) and so on…

I also have that mysterious "ShortcutsActions" listed and accessing my contacts 20 times per day if not more… (screenshots)

I deleted long ago the shortcut native app, there is no such app called like this anywhere on the App Store, and never downloaded something or anything close to it or to that name.

It has that mesh Icon as a missing app, as described by other members in other threads.

Most of those native apps are accessing my contacts, but, when I am seeing my camera app (with the microphone) opening by itself at random (or not?) hours while I didn’t use it for days or weeks, it’s obviously concerning me.

whatsapp also uses contacts, camera and microphone often when my phone is idled.

This is not a recent issue,I have observed that behaviour since 2022 and I decided to post a thread since I can not find anything useful on the web explaining that behaviour.

No one would appreciate having having your camera and the mic opened when you are at work or at home having private discussions.

There is also, often, the Photo app that is listed and again, at weird hours, accessing my contacts..

I saw many posts about those issues but never resolved or explained so far.

I’ve never jailbroken any of my iPhones, I only use one IPhone and have only one ID.

Everything is up to date.

No other Apple devices at home except an Apple TV that is not even connected to my account.

To finish, the history of each app accessing my contacts or other features (camera, mic, etc..) is getting often deleted.

i had sometimes ~20/30 entries about how often my camera is used.

Today, for instance, I have only a few left.

Is the history getting deleted at some point or is this another weird action out my reach and comprehension ?

Here is some sc about shortcutsactions activity and my camera activity, to note about the cam, the microphone that usually opens automatically when the app camera is launched, do not have the same timings (less) than the cam itself.

Kind regards

[Edited by Moderator]

iPhone 12 mini, iOS 18

Posted on Aug 2, 2025 4:11 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 3, 2025 7:15 AM in response to Teka85

While that issue has been seen by many others and I am sure you were able to verify that through your searches, Apple has provided no insight on why that is the case or suggested any solutions. I would recommend to contact Apple directly to see what they say, as it must be a known issue with the many users reporting the same thing.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

That would be the most responsible approach instead of just recommending things like a Force Restart, Factory Reset, or Reset All Settings, when it has not been verified if that would actually solve the problem. If you get any details from Apple, please update here, otherwise I suspect the issue would be logged for a potential fix in a future update.

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Answer 2

Aug 3, 2025 7:32 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

Contacts use is much easier to understand with the information that Apple does provide, where you could see how an app would use it even when the device is not being used. Photos uses contacts to identify people in photos and to generate the Memories you see and that is processed in the background. Contacts is used to show the name of the person who sent a message, and the same for emails, and phone calls you receive even when you are not using the phone. None of that or this support article explains Microphone use though. so that is why I recommended to contact Apple for that specific issue.

About App Privacy Report - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Aug 2, 2025 10:59 PM in response to Teka85

ShortcutsActions is not an app at all and is a process that runs on iOS. It makes no difference if you have the Shortcuts app or not. Usually processes are not included in these reports, but I have also seen them show up in Screen Time (and later removed after an update) and would consider that a bug. The processes are identified by the generic icon you see, instead of the normal app icon. You should send feedback to Apple here.:

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 4

Aug 3, 2025 10:49 AM in response to Teka85

Thanks for the update. I can address 2 additional issues you provided:

Receiving a notification of a new device being logged into a service when you sign in is not a concern. Websites are just trying to guess what device you have as Apple is not broadcasting that information to them. A website will receive the User Agent string from the browser used and the browser engine. The User Agent string is usually updated after a software update, especially Safari, where a website will think it is a new device. The browser engine is commonly referenced as being from a Mac OS device on many websites. There are a few other indicators websites can use to try and guess your device, such as screen size, but none of them are definitive.
For Apple ID duplication, it is certainly possible for another device to be using your Apple Account. In fact scammers are constantly looking for users to provide their Apple Account/Password through phishing messages. To see if there is any other device currently logged into your account, you can go to Settings > [name on top], and scroll to the bottom to see the device list.

I would also suggest you request the Data & Privacy Report on your Apple ID Sign On Information using the information provided here. This will show you much more information about devices that have signed into your account by showing you:

Device Identifier
IP Address
Login Date
Sign in status

Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple Account - Apple Support

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Answer 5

Teka85 Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 3, 2025 7:26 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

Thank you for your help concerning shorcutactions, what about the native apps activating by themselves, while I am sleeping or my phone idle ? Any ideas why would they been shown here as if they were indeed opened by I don’t know what or who ?

many other apps are very (very) often accessing my contacts, that, I would pass on, but accessing my camera or my microphone is intrusive and after hours of browsing here or Reddit and co, I didn’t find any answers about that issue.

It worries me, and sometimes I can see the microphone activated for 10/15mns (from 8:10-8:25 am) for instance.

Here is an example, I didn’t use my phone or any other apps using the microphone, I was actually sleeping at that time and we can see the microphone usage (from the the phone app) during 3 minutes. That’s a typical example, besides yesterday with multiple usage at the same hour while I have no phone records at that time..

Thank you again !

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 6

Teka85 Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 3, 2025 10:09 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

Thank you again Mac Jim, it is much appreciated.

To reply about apps using contacts with the Photo app for instance, it makes sense, but for others, why is the Mail app, for example, doing it since I never use it, having no account logged in, and never opening it.

If I could uninstall it I would since I see it listed here as well.

I will keep looking forward to find any viable explanations if not resolving this issue if it is one actually. As you said, activating the microphone for no purpose is not really problematic but if it’s for any other purpose than it is.

I have already contacted Apple phone security services regarding this issue among others that I had in the past, they went through my phone online, several times (teamviewer like) and they assessed some unknown facts (they didn’t want to call it an issue or a security leak as long as they couldn’t explain the source but it didn’t feel as if they were used to see what was happening then, such as the VPN activating during a call having no VPN installed, or apps that I never installed on any device listed on the App Store history in the column « not on this device », with some of them were really concerning…)

Knowing that I do not have many apps, using my phone mostly for very casual usage (calls, messaging, browsing, buying and that’s it). No games, music, editing or anything else, quite the minimum usage of a smartphone.

Still, I never got an answer about those but at least it stopped..

They spoke, though, about a possible Apple ID duplication issue which would explain why I do have those never downloaded apps installed "elsewhere"…

After all, when I log in to some website, we often receive a mail notification about a new device connected to that platform and it arrives often that my iPhone isn’t recognized as anything or shown as if I was on Mac OS X or other desktop OS (while using chrome on iOS..) and other bizarre stuff.

It keeps happening with PayPal for instance, that does it after each iOS update, I receive a notif showing an unknown device, or even a blank line connected, or no device but just the browsing app if I connect through Chrome or Brave, never had that issue the past years with that Paypal, that I use for more 15 years or so.

Apple ID duplication seems to exist, as if my phone was duplicated on a

computer (like Bluestack for Android) but again, never got a clear answer neither a solution from it.

Wether I change my phone, everything is alright as long as I do not connect to my Apple ID where all those symptoms reappear, on WhatsApp and other apps coded in the same language in particular, where I posted an issue on this forum ("double" or "ghost" cursor following the real one, looking like a key logger or who knows, if it exists on iOS, my guess being probably positive after some active research on Russian IT/Tech forums.. My wife being native in Russian)

Anyway, I would appreciate to keep this thread open for anyone having other insights or ideas about it and not closing it as if it was resolved, please.

I am a bit fed up to have to change iPhone often and would like to know what I am dealing with, especially concerning the camera/microphone issue which continues whatever IPhone I use.

Thank you again for your help.

Kind regards

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Answer 7

Teka85 Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 11, 2025 1:44 PM in response to Mac Jim ID

Thanks to you Mac Jim.

I am understanding your answers, it is just hard to comprehend why some platforms are recognizing my iPhone when logging in and others aren’t. I am strictly using chrome or apps themselves to log in, safari is blocked through apps restrictions such as the native mail app.

Though, talking about problems since we are here. As many users complaining about this one, I can not open hyperlinks anymore since a major update (iOS 18 or 17 I would say).

When I click on a link (from mails, sms, apps proposing offers and deals through a link redirection and so on) it is either doing nothing or it opens a limited "safari" page (for offers and deals as an example.

On text messages, a shot click leads me to copy it or share it, a long click proposes me to open the link, at least I can.

On most of my apps where hyperlinks are proposed to click on it is either nothing or opening Safari (how by the way ? since I have restricted it ??)

I have tried to turn off, reboot, hard reboot, nothing works so far and I would really appreciate not to reset my phone. It’s quite a popular issue among users but did not find any solutions so far.

Now, considering my App Store app history (downloaded and installed), there are 2 columns such as « all of them » and « not on this iPhone »

The latter one is a matter of suspicion according to apple tech service on phone since there are many apps that I have never downloaded, installed, or even heard about.

I took a screenshot of my latest apps and there is one that I never saw, used etc…

there are plenty more below (during 2021/22) and I m not gonna upload all of them, one is enough to explain the issue. That’s when the Apple ID duplication got to me from the techs.

Except that, beyond being super cautious, I am still using one Apple Device (listed as you explained above, and a mere Apple TV 4K not even not logged in with my ID)

never had to enter password anywhere except after changing password on the App Store, once I ve changed my main password.

The few memberships linked to my Apple ID have been confirmed through Face ID, and I am always avoiding, by any case to enter my password anywhere. If I am forced to type it, then I avoid the service/app or whatever that needs it to work and find an alternative ressource.

The 1st problem mentioned is annoying but not related to any security issues.

the 2nd one though surely is or was, as mentioned, last app downloaded or installed without my consent was in 2024, but an app with a camera and microphone access, if it was just a game or anything not using sensors, then I wouldn’t give attention.

It isn’t here..

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 8

Aug 11, 2025 2:43 PM in response to Teka85

Yes, websites to a poor job of identifying the device used to log in and it depends on how they are attempting to guess which device it is. For most it is the User Agent string that your browser provides and sometimes they will use Screen Size to make that guess. The User Agent string for Chrome just tells them what version of Chrome you are using and is the same across many different platforms.
For privacy, Chrome is not what you should be using. If you want to use a Chromium based browser, choose one of the many alternatives such as Brave that does not include all the data harvesting features found in Chrome. Safari offers many more magnitudes of privacy/security than Chrome and Safari even blocks Trackers found on the internet. Many of those are Google trackers and currently on Safari for me, the top 4 trackers blocked were from Google and found on 450 websites I visited. You certainly do not have to use Safari, but make any choice other than Chrome if Security/Privacy is of any concern.
For your hyperlinks not working correctly, make sure the Setting for Default Apps to open them is correct. It may be possible that you have restricted Safari in Screen Time, but Safari is still set to open the hyperlinks.

Change your default apps for features on iPhone and iPad - Apple Support

Also note for hyperlinks, some are coded to open a specific app. Apple calls this Universal Linking and Google calls it App Links, but the results is the same to open a link with a specific app. While this Support Document is designed for Developers, it does offer the way a link is coded to open a specific app.

Allowing apps and websites to link to your content | Apple Developer Documentation

For your App Store apps that are not on your device, it does appear that the app Lifesize Video Conferencing was downloaded a year ago using your Apple Account. I can't offer any specific reason why you had that downloaded a year ago, as I could not even tell you what I was doing on my device a year ago. I would recommend to get the “App install and push notification activity” privacy report, similar to the other one I recommended for the Sign in details in the previously supplied link. This report will give you the time of the install, the device identifier that installed it, and the OS version of the device. If the device proves to be yours, you know that if occurred on your device by someone knowing your Passcode.

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App privacy report issued with native apps on iPhone

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