How to open Settings programmatically like in Facebook app?

I need to open Settings programmatically from within my app. I searched across SO but everywhere people say that it's impossible. But today I saw that it's implemented in Facebook app. There's a button on an UIAlertView and when you click it you open the Settings. So indeed this is possible to open Settings, I have witnessed this myself. But how to do that? Does anyone know how Facebook does that?

Solution 1:

On iOS 8 you can open Settings programmatically!

Here is the code:

- (void)openSettings
{
    BOOL canOpenSettings = (&UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString != NULL);
    if (canOpenSettings) {
        NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString];
        [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];
    }
}

If your app has it’s own settings bundle, the settings will be opened showing your app’s settings. If your app does not have a setting bundle, the main settings page will be shown.

Solution 2:

You can't, there is no API call to do this.

Only system dialogs, dialogs from Apple Frameworks, can open the settings app. In iOS 5 there was a app url scheme to open the system dialog but Apple removed it later.

With the coming of iOS 8 you can open the settings dialog on your apps page.

if (&UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString != NULL) {
   NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString];
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];
}
else {
  // Present some dialog telling the user to open the settings app.
}

Solution 3:

On iOS 8 you can open Settings programmatically!

Here is the list of currently known URLs in the Settings app:

- (void) openSettings
{
if (&UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString != nil)
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString]];
else
    NSLog(@"UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString is not available in current iOS version");
}    

• prefs:root=General&path=About
• prefs:root=General&path=ACCESSIBILITY
• prefs:root=AIRPLANE_MODE
• prefs:root=General&path=AUTOLOCK
• prefs:root=General&path=USAGE/CELLULAR_USAGE
• prefs:root=Brightness
• prefs:root=General&path=Bluetooth
• prefs:root=General&path=DATE_AND_TIME
• prefs:root=FACETIME
• prefs:root=General
• prefs:root=General&path=Keyboard
• prefs:root=CASTLE
• prefs:root=CASTLE&path=STORAGE_AND_BACKUP
• prefs:root=General&path=INTERNATIONAL
• prefs:root=LOCATION_SERVICES
• prefs:root=ACCOUNT_SETTINGS
• prefs:root=MUSIC
• prefs:root=MUSIC&path=EQ
• prefs:root=MUSIC&path=VolumeLimit
• prefs:root=General&path=Network
• prefs:root=NIKE_PLUS_IPOD
• prefs:root=NOTES
• prefs:root=NOTIFICATIONS_ID
• prefs:root=Phone
• prefs:root=Photos
• prefs:root=General&path=ManagedConfigurationList
• prefs:root=General&path=Reset
• prefs:root=Sounds&path=Ringtone
• prefs:root=Safari
• prefs:root=General&path=Assistant
• prefs:root=Sounds
• prefs:root=General&path=SOFTWARE_UPDATE_LINK
• prefs:root=STORE
• prefs:root=TWITTER
• prefs:root=General&path=USAGE
• prefs:root=VIDEO
• prefs:root=General&path=Network/VPN
• prefs:root=Wallpaper
• prefs:root=WIFI
• prefs:root=INTERNET_TETHERING

Solution 4:

Vito Ziv's answer in Swift.

func openSettings() {
    UIApplication.shared.open(URL(string: UIApplicationOpenSettingsURLString)!, completionHandler: nil)

}