Permission Priming

Permission Priming Generator

Generate pre-permission priming screens — shown before iOS system permission dialogs to explain WHY the app needs access. Dramatically increases permission grant rates vs. cold-prompting users with the system alert.

When This Skill Activates

Use this skill when the user:

• Asks to "add permission priming" or "pre-permission screen"
• Mentions "explain permissions" or "permission request screen"
• Wants to "ask for camera permission" or "notification permission"
• Asks about "location permission explanation" or "permission grant rate"
• Wants to "prime before requesting access" or "improve opt-in rates"
• Mentions "permission dialog" or "permission flow"

Pre-Generation Checks

1. Project Context Detection

• Check deployment target (iOS 16+ / macOS 13+)
• Check for @Observable support (iOS 17+ / macOS 14+)
• Identify source file locations

2. Existing Permission Code

Search for existing permission handling:

Glob: **/*Permission*.swift, **/*Authorization*.swift
Grep: "requestAuthorization" or "AVCaptureDevice" or "UNUserNotificationCenter" or "CLLocationManager" or "PHPhotoLibrary"

If existing permission code found:

• Ask if user wants to wrap existing calls with priming screens or replace entirely
• If wrapping, integrate priming views upstream of existing request calls

3. Info.plist Usage Description Strings

Search for required usage description keys:

Grep: "NSCameraUsageDescription" or "NSMicrophoneUsageDescription" or "NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription" or "NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription" or "NSContactsUsageDescription" or "NSHealthShareUsageDescription"

If missing keys found for requested permissions:

• Warn user that the app will crash without the corresponding Info.plist entry
• Provide the required key and a suggested description string

Configuration Questions

Ask user via AskUserQuestion:

1. Which permissions to prime? (multi-select)

   • Push Notifications
   • Camera
   • Photo Library
   • Location (When In Use)
   • Location (Always)
   • Microphone
   • Contacts
   • Health (HealthKit)
   • App Tracking Transparency (ATT)

2. Priming style?

   • Full-screen (dedicated view with illustration, title, benefits, CTA) — recommended
   • Alert-style (compact alert-like overlay before system prompt)
   • Inline (embedded card within existing content)

3. Include "Not Now" option?

   • Yes (recommended — reduces user frustration, can re-prompt later)
   • No (only "Enable" button — more aggressive)

4. Show benefits illustration?

   • SF Symbol (simple, matches system style)
   • Custom illustration area (placeholder for designer asset)
   • None (text only)

Generation Process

Step 1: Read Templates

Read templates.md for production Swift code.

Step 2: Create Core Files

Generate these files:

1. PermissionType.swift — Enum of all permission types with metadata
2. PermissionStatus.swift — Unified status enum wrapping platform-specific statuses
3. PermissionManager.swift — @Observable class that checks, requests, and opens Settings

Step 3: Create UI Files

4. PermissionPrimingView.swift — Pre-permission screen with benefits and CTA
5. PermissionStatusTracker.swift — Monitors status changes from Settings

Step 4: Create Modifier Files

6. PermissionGatedModifier.swift — ViewModifier that gates content behind permission check

Step 5: Determine File Location

Check project structure:

• If Sources/ exists -> Sources/Permissions/
• If App/ exists -> App/Permissions/
• Otherwise -> Permissions/

Output Format

After generation, provide:

Files Created

Permissions/
├── PermissionType.swift            # Permission enum with metadata
├── PermissionStatus.swift          # Unified status wrapper
├── PermissionManager.swift         # Check, request, open Settings
├── PermissionPrimingView.swift     # Pre-permission priming screen
├── PermissionStatusTracker.swift   # Monitor status changes
└── PermissionGatedModifier.swift   # Gate content behind permission

Integration Steps

Basic priming before system prompt:

// Show priming screen, then request system permission on tap
PermissionPrimingView(permissionType: .notifications) {
    // User granted — proceed with feature
    startSendingNotifications()
} onDenied: {
    // User denied or tapped "Not Now"
    showLaterPrompt()
}

Gate a feature behind permission:

// Camera feature gated behind permission
CameraView()
    .permissionGated(.camera) {
        // Priming screen shown automatically if not yet authorized
    }

In onboarding flow:

struct OnboardingPermissionsView: View {
    @State private var permissionManager = PermissionManager()

    var body: some View {
        VStack(spacing: 32) {
            PermissionPrimingView(permissionType: .notifications) {
                // Move to next permission
            } onDenied: {
                // Skip, ask later
            }
        }
    }
}

Check status and re-prompt after denial:

struct SettingsView: View {
    @State private var permissionManager = PermissionManager()

    var body: some View {
        Section("Permissions") {
            ForEach(PermissionType.allCases, id: \.self) { type in
                PermissionRow(
                    type: type,
                    status: permissionManager.status(for: type),
                    onRequest: { permissionManager.openSettings() }
                )
            }
        }
    }
}

Testing

@Test
func primingViewShowsBeforeSystemPrompt() async throws {
    let manager = PermissionManager()
    let status = await manager.status(for: .notifications)
    #expect(status == .notDetermined)
    // Priming view should appear before system dialog
}

@Test
func deniedPermissionDirectsToSettings() async throws {
    let manager = PermissionManager()
    // After denial, tapping "Enable" should open Settings
    let settingsURL = manager.settingsURL
    #expect(settingsURL != nil)
}

@Test
func permissionGatedModifierShowsPrimingWhenNotAuthorized() async throws {
    // ViewModifier should show priming screen when permission is .notDetermined
    // and show content when .authorized
}

Common Patterns

Prime Before First Use

Show priming screen at the natural moment the user first needs the feature, not during onboarding:

// User taps "Take Photo" -> show camera priming -> then system prompt
Button("Take Photo") {
    showCameraPriming = true
}
.sheet(isPresented: $showCameraPriming) {
    PermissionPrimingView(permissionType: .camera,
                          onGranted: { openCamera() },
                          onDenied: { showCameraPriming = false })
}

Contextual Priming

Explain the benefit in context of what the user is trying to do:

PermissionPrimingView(
    permissionType: .location(.whenInUse),
    customTitle: "Find Nearby Restaurants",
    customDescription: "We use your location to show restaurants within walking distance."
) { ... }

Re-Request After Denial

After denial, the system prompt cannot be shown again. Direct to Settings:

if permissionManager.status(for: .camera) == .denied {
    // Show explanation + "Open Settings" button
    PermissionDeniedView(permissionType: .camera) {
        permissionManager.openSettings()
    }
}

Gotchas

• Cannot re-show system prompt after denial. Once the user denies a permission, iOS will never show the system dialog again. You must direct the user to Settings > Privacy to re-enable. Always handle the .denied state gracefully.
• App Tracking Transparency (ATT) has special requirements. ATT must be requested before tracking begins. The priming screen must NOT use misleading language. Apple reviews ATT implementations closely — avoid incentivizing users to allow tracking.
• Health permissions have unique two-column UI. HealthKit authorization uses its own system sheet with read/write toggles per data type. You cannot customize it. Your priming screen should explain which health data you need and why before presenting the HealthKit sheet.
• Location "Always" requires progressive authorization. You must first request .whenInUse, then separately request .always. iOS shows a follow-up prompt only after the user has used the app with When In Use access. Do not request Always upfront.
• Provisional notifications (iOS 12+) bypass the prompt entirely. With .provisional, notifications are delivered silently to Notification Center without asking. Consider whether quiet delivery is acceptable before building a priming screen.
• Info.plist keys are mandatory. If you call a permission API without the corresponding NS*UsageDescription key in Info.plist, the app will crash immediately. Always verify these keys exist.

References

• templates.md — All production Swift templates for permission priming
• Related: generators/push-notifications — Push notification setup and handling
• Related: generators/consent-flow — GDPR/privacy consent flows