Apple in iOS 13.5 is introducing an exposure notification API designed to allow apps created by public health authorities worldwide to notify people who come into contact with someone who has COVID-19 about their exposure to the virus.
Apple’s Exposure Notification feature is privacy focused and shares no personally identifiable information or location data with the public health authorities creating the apps, but some users may want to opt out of the feature, which is enabled by default when upgrading to iOS 13.5.
Apple in the iOS 13.5 update added a toggle to disable COVID-19 Exposure Notifications for those who do not want to participate and do not want to be notified should they come into contact with someone who has COVID-19. Here’s how to get to it:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on Privacy.
Tap on Health.
Tap on COVID-19 Exposure Notifications.
Tap the toggle to turn the feature off.
The purpose of the exposure notification system is to limit the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible by informing people who have been exposed so they can self-isolate and get recommendations from their local health authorities. Because it works by allowing two smartphones to interface with one another using random identifier beacons and Bluetooth, it works best when most people have it turned on.
Re-enabling Exposure Notifications can be done by following the steps above and tapping the toggle to turn the feature back on. If the toggle is green, it’s on, and if the toggle is gray, it’s off.
iOS 13.5 is available in a beta capacity at the current time, and there won’t be apps that take advantage of Exposure Notifications until the update is released. Receiving Exposure Notifications also requires downloading an app from a public health organization that uses the API and agreeing to its terms and conditions. Simply having the toggle turned on won’t do anything without the app.
Tags: COVID-19 Coronavirus Guide , Exposure Notification Guide Related Forum: iOS 13 251 comments Get weekly top MacRumors stories in your inbox. Top Rated Comments Itada 62 months ago The tin foil is going to be strong in this thread. Score: 33 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) rk-apple 62 months ago Let’s hope this works. Contact tracing is a key element to fighting this virus! Score: 28 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) V_Man 62 months ago Thanks for this info. Won’t be using it. Score: 26 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) GuruZac 62 months ago My only qualm with this is I don’t see contact tracing ever going away. They say it’s for COVID-19, then they’ll tell us it’s to assist with the next inevitable pandemic, but it will mostly be a way for big tech/governments to justify monitoring the movement of all of their citizens and inevitably abuse that privilege in nefarious ways, a la China‘s CCP. Score: 23 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) Radeon85 62 months ago Wish all the tin foil hat conspiracy theorists would give it a bloody rest :rolleyes: Score: 19 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) asopublic 62 months ago Made sure it was turned ON and I want an app so I can participate. I read the APIs. Score: 18 Votes ( Like | Disagree ) Read All Comments Popular Stories ‘iPhone 17 Air’ With Rear Camera Bar Allegedly Shown in Leaked Photo Tuesday January 21, 2025 12:46 pm PST by Joe Rossignol A leaker known as “Majin Bu” today shared an alleged image of a component for the rumored, ultra-thin “iPhone 17 Air” model.
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