iOS: App is not asking user's permission while installing the app. getting kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined every time - Objective-c & Swift

I am trying to fetch user location in my iOS app. I have included corelocation framework in my project first. Then on a button click I am invoking the core location api as below. When I am trying to install this in a device, the core location never asks the user permission. When I try to fetch the location on button click, I am getting kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined as the authorisationStatus. Please help me in this. I have no clue what is happening.

- (IBAction)fetchLessAccurateLocation:(id)sender {
    [self.txtLocation setText:@""];

    locationManager = [[CLLocationManager alloc] init];
    locationManager.delegate = self;
    locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyKilometer;
    locationManager.distanceFilter = 1000;

    if ([self shouldFetchUserLocation]) {
        [locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
    }
}

This is my shouldFetchUserLocation method:

-(BOOL)shouldFetchUserLocation{

    BOOL shouldFetchLocation= NO;

    if ([CLLocationManager locationServicesEnabled]) {
        switch ([CLLocationManager authorizationStatus]) {
            case kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorized:
                shouldFetchLocation= YES;
                break;
            case kCLAuthorizationStatusDenied:
            {
                UIAlertView *alert= [[UIAlertView alloc]initWithTitle:@"Error" message:@"App level settings has been denied" delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"Ok" otherButtonTitles: nil];
                [alert show];
                alert= nil;
            }
                break;
            case kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined:
            {
                UIAlertView *alert= [[UIAlertView alloc]initWithTitle:@"Error" message:@"The user is yet to provide the permission" delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"Ok" otherButtonTitles: nil];
                [alert show];
                alert= nil;
            }
                break;
            case kCLAuthorizationStatusRestricted:
            {
                UIAlertView *alert= [[UIAlertView alloc]initWithTitle:@"Error" message:@"The app is recstricted from using location services." delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"Ok" otherButtonTitles: nil];
                [alert show];
                alert= nil;
            }
                break;

            default:
                break;
        }
    }
    else{
        UIAlertView *alert= [[UIAlertView alloc]initWithTitle:@"Error" message:@"The location services seems to be disabled from the settings." delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"Ok" otherButtonTitles: nil];
        [alert show];
        alert= nil;
    }

    return shouldFetchLocation;
}

Here is my core location delegate method:

- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager
    didUpdateLocations:(NSArray *)locations __OSX_AVAILABLE_STARTING(__MAC_NA,__IPHONE_6_0){

    NSLog(@"location fetched in delegate");

    CLLocation* location = [locations lastObject];
    NSDate* eventDate = location.timestamp;
    NSTimeInterval howRecent = [eventDate timeIntervalSinceNow];

    if (abs(howRecent) < 15.0) {
        // If the event is recent, do something with it.
        NSLog(@"inside loop.... latitude %+.6f, longitude %+.6f\n",
              location.coordinate.latitude,
              location.coordinate.longitude);
    }
    NSLog(@"latitude %+.6f, longitude %+.6f\n",
          location.coordinate.latitude,
          location.coordinate.longitude);
    [self.txtLocation setText:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"\nlatitude: %+.6f \nlongitude:   %+.6f", location.coordinate.latitude, location.coordinate.longitude]];

    [locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];
    [locationManager stopMonitoringSignificantLocationChanges];

    if(locationManager!=nil){
        locationManager.delegate= nil;
        locationManager= nil;
    }
}

Solution 1:

iOS8 has got us major API changes with the LocationsServices

Assuming [CLLocationManager locationServicesEnabled] return YES,

With the First Launch of the iOS App [both iOS7 and iOS8] - locationMangers(CLLocationManager) authorizationStatus preset to

authorizationStatus(CLAuthorizationStatus) = kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined

Prompting in iOS7+

Initiate the locationManger (CLLocationManager , Strong) and set the delegates(CLLocationManagerDelegate)

Now to prompt the user to use Locations Services and List the App under the Settings> Privacy> Locations Services its MUST to call any of the Locations Services Methods, its depends on the App requirement- for example if app is kind of one of the below

Locations Updates - [self.locationManager startUpdatingLocation]

RegionMonitoring - [self.locationManager startMonitoringForRegion:beaconRegion]

right after executions of the above method iOS will prompt user requesting to accept use of Locations Services in app and irrespective of user choice app will be listed under the Settings > Privacy > Locations Services.

Prompting in iOS8+

Its in same case with iOS8, with the first launch the App Locations Services

authorizationStatus(CLAuthorizationStatus) = kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined

iOS 8 we got new methods for showing prompt to user

[self.locationManager requestAlwaysAuthorization] 
or
[self.locationManager requestWhenInUseAuthorization]

requestAlwaysAuthorization/requestWhenInUseAuthorization availbable from iOS8. if App deployment target is iOS7 then wrap this under if block to make sure in iOS7 this doesn't lead to app crash.

if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestAlwaysAuthorization)])
{
[self.locationManager requestAlwaysAuthorization]; .
}

or

if ([self.locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestWhenInUseAuthorization)])
{
[self.locationManager requestWhenInUseAuthorization];
}

Very Important ###:

As per iOS8 its mandatory to include the string stating why app uses requestAlwaysAuthorization/requestWhenInUseAuthorization In info.plist include any of these property respective to the requirement of the app

for kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorizedAlways include Key/Value(string Value) pair

NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription = App use Locations service mode Always

for kCLAuthorizationStatusAuthorizedWhenInUse include Key/Value(string Value) pair

NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription = App use Locations service mode In Use 

Screenshot of info.plist (in case anybody is confused by this)

Solution 2:

I was facing the same issue, after re-installing my app it was returning kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined whenever checking for [CLLocationManager authorizationStatus] and the app didn't even show up in Settings > Privacy > Location Services.

The authorization dialog that iOS prompts user to approve access to location services is triggered on [locationManager startUpdatingLocation] which in your case is never called (shouldFetchUserLocation will be always NO).

Miguel C.'s solution seems like a good fix, will try that.

Edit for iOS8.x

When iOS8 came it brought little change in the way CLLocationManager is used. As mentioned few times in other answers it requires additional step comparing to iOS7. Today I faced the issue myself and found this article (it's been referenced from multiple other questions but it completes my earlier answer). Hope it helps!

Solution 3:

Objective-C Follow the below intructions:

iOS-11 For iOS 11 have a look into this Answer: iOS 11 location access

Need to Add two Keys into plist and provide message as below image:

 1. NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription 
 2. NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription

iOS-10 and below:

NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription

locationManager = [[CLLocationManager alloc] init];
locationManager.delegate = self;
locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyThreeKilometers;
if([locationManager respondsToSelector:@selector(requestWhenInUseAuthorization)]){
    [locationManager requestWhenInUseAuthorization];
}else{
    [locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
} 

Delegat Methods

#pragma mark - Lolcation Update 
- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didFailWithError:(NSError *)error
{
    NSLog(@"didFailWithError: %@", error);
    UIAlertView *errorAlert = [[UIAlertView alloc]
                               initWithTitle:@"Error" message:@"Failed to Get Your Location" delegate:nil cancelButtonTitle:@"OK" otherButtonTitles:nil];
    [errorAlert show];
}
-(void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager didChangeAuthorizationStatus:(CLAuthorizationStatus)status
{
    switch (status) {
        case kCLAuthorizationStatusNotDetermined:
        case kCLAuthorizationStatusRestricted:
        case kCLAuthorizationStatusDenied:
        {
            // do some error handling
        }
            break;
        default:{
            [locationManager startUpdatingLocation];
        }
            break;
    }
}
- (void)locationManager:(CLLocationManager *)manager
     didUpdateLocations:(NSArray *)locations
{
    CLLocation *location = [locations lastObject];
    userLatitude =  [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%f", location.coordinate.latitude] ;
    userLongitude =  [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%f",location.coordinate.longitude];
    [locationManager stopUpdatingLocation];
}

Swift Code

Follow the below instructions:

iOS-11 For iOS 11 have a look into this Answer: iOS 11 location access

Need to Add two Keys into plist and provide message as below image:

 1. NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription 
 2. NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription

iOS-10 and below:

import CoreLocation
class ViewController: UIViewController ,CLLocationManagerDelegate {
var locationManager = CLLocationManager()

//MARK- Update Location 
func updateMyLocation(){
    locationManager.delegate = self;
    locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyThreeKilometers;
    if locationManager.respondsToSelector(#selector(CLLocationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization)){
       locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
    }
    else{
        locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
    }
}

Delegate Methods

//MARK: Location Update
func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didFailWithError error: NSError) {
    NSLog("Error to update location :%@",error)
}
func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didChangeAuthorizationStatus status: CLAuthorizationStatus) {
    switch status {
    case .NotDetermined: break
    case .Restricted: break
    case .Denied:
            NSLog("do some error handling")
        break
    default:
        locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
    }
}
func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
     let location = locations.last! as CLLocation
    var latitude = location.coordinate.latitude
    var longitude = location.coordinate.longitude

}