Camera & Permissions

The Circadify SDK requires access to the front-facing camera. iOS enforces strict permission controls — your app must handle the permission flow before starting a measurement.

Info.plist

Add the camera usage description to your Info.plist. Without this, iOS will terminate your app on camera access.

<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>This app uses the camera to measure your vital signs contactlessly.</string>

Write a clear, specific description. Vague descriptions like “Camera access needed” may cause App Store review rejection.

Permission Flow

1. Check the current permission status with checkCameraPermission().

2. Request permission if the status is .notDetermined. This shows the system dialog.

3. Handle denial — if the user denied permission, guide them to Settings. iOS won’t show the dialog again.

SwiftUI

import CircadifySDK

struct ScanView: View {
    @State private var permissionGranted = false
    @State private var showSettingsAlert = false

    let sdk = try! CircadifySDK(apiKey: "ck_test_your_key_here")

    var body: some View {
        VStack {
            if permissionGranted {
                // Show scan UI
                Text("Ready to scan")
            } else {
                Button("Enable Camera") {
                    Task { await requestPermission() }
                }
            }
        }
        .alert("Camera Access Required", isPresented: $showSettingsAlert) {
            Button("Open Settings") {
                if let url = URL(string: UIApplication.openSettingsURLString) {
                    UIApplication.shared.open(url)
                }
            }
            Button("Cancel", role: .cancel) { }
        } message: {
            Text("Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera and enable access for this app.")
        }
        .task { checkPermission() }
    }

    func checkPermission() {
        let status = sdk.checkCameraPermission()
        permissionGranted = (status == .authorized)
    }

    func requestPermission() async {
        let status = sdk.checkCameraPermission()

        switch status {
        case .notDetermined:
            permissionGranted = await sdk.requestCameraPermission()
            if !permissionGranted { showSettingsAlert = true }
        case .denied, .restricted:
            showSettingsAlert = true
        case .authorized:
            permissionGranted = true
        @unknown default:
            break
        }
    }
}

UIKit

import CircadifySDK

class ScanViewController: UIViewController {
    let sdk = try! CircadifySDK(apiKey: "ck_test_your_key_here")

    override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
        super.viewDidAppear(animated)
        checkAndRequestPermission()
    }

    func checkAndRequestPermission() {
        let status = sdk.checkCameraPermission()

        switch status {
        case .authorized:
            enableScanButton()
        case .notDetermined:
            Task {
                let granted = await sdk.requestCameraPermission()
                DispatchQueue.main.async {
                    if granted {
                        self.enableScanButton()
                    } else {
                        self.showSettingsAlert()
                    }
                }
            }
        case .denied, .restricted:
            showSettingsAlert()
        @unknown default:
            break
        }
    }

    func showSettingsAlert() {
        let alert = UIAlertController(
            title: "Camera Access Required",
            message: "Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera and enable access for this app.",
            preferredStyle: .alert
        )
        alert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "Open Settings", style: .default) { _ in
            if let url = URL(string: UIApplication.openSettingsURLString) {
                UIApplication.shared.open(url)
            }
        })
        alert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "Cancel", style: .cancel))
        present(alert, animated: true)
    }
}

Best Practices

• Check before measuring. Always call checkCameraPermission() before measureVitals(). The SDK will throw CircadifyError.cameraPermissionDenied if permission hasn’t been granted, but handling it proactively gives a better user experience.
• Request early. Ask for permission during onboarding or before the scan screen, not at the last moment.
• Handle denial gracefully. Provide a clear path to Settings with a direct deep link (UIApplication.openSettingsURLString).
• Listen for app foreground. After the user returns from Settings, re-check permission in sceneDidBecomeActive or .onReceive(NotificationCenter.default.publisher(for: UIApplication.didBecomeActiveNotification)).

Note

iOS only shows the system permission dialog once per app install. If the user dismisses or denies it, the only way to re-enable camera access is through Settings.

Next Steps

• Methods — Start a measurement
• Error Handling — Handle permission-related errors
• Configuration — SDK setup options