Apple Support Communities Use Agreement

Updated December 12, 2024

This Apple Support Communities Use Agreement (the "Agreement") provides important information about your use of the Apple Support Communities site (the "Site").

IMPORTANT: IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT, YOU MUST ACCEPT IT AS PRESENTED TO YOU, WITHOUT CHANGES. APPLE WILL ACCEPT NO ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS. At any time Apple may change, add, or remove any part of this Agreement or any part of the services and features provided at the Site. If it does so, Apple will update the Agreement here (Terms of Use) and may also post such changes elsewhere on the Site.

IF ANY FUTURE CHANGE IS UNACCEPTABLE TO YOU, YOU SHOULD DISCONTINUE USING THE SITE. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF THE SITE WILL ALWAYS INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CHANGES TO IT.

1. General
1. As long as you comply with the Agreement, Apple grants you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited privilege to enter and use the Site.
2. In addition to the terms and conditions in the Agreement, all use of the Site is governed by the Apple Website Terms of Use.
3. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and the Apple Website Terms of Use, the terms of this Agreement will govern for use of the Site.
4. Views expressed on the Site are not endorsed by Apple.
5. Apple does not prescreen content, including but not limited to questions, statements, images, avatars and links, submitted by users of the Site ("Submissions"). Apple retains the right, but not the responsibility, to edit or remove any Submission, including those deemed by Apple to violate the Agreement. Apple will make good faith efforts to investigate allegations that Submissions violate the Agreement but (a) makes no warranty to you that it will edit, remove, or continue to permit the display of any specific Submission, whether or not subject to such allegations, and (b) will have no liability whatsoever for editing, removing, or continuing to permit the display of any Submission whatsoever.
6. Some Submissions may contain information about products not manufactured by Apple or links to independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple. Information about non-Apple Products or links to non-Apple websites are provided without recommendation or endorsement by Apple. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Apple may remove links to third-party websites containing information about products or instructions that could damage a user’s device, create a potential safety risk, or invalidate Apple’s limited warranty.
7. Apple may respond to questions but does not formally provide technical support on the Site.
8. Apple may offer certain benefits and privileges for your participation in the Site. The benefits and privileges provided do not create an employee, agency or independent contractor relationship between you and Apple, and you may not present yourself as a spokesperson for Apple.
9. Apple may use cookies and other technologies within Apple Support Communities. Such cookies enable us to maintain your session and to personalize your experience on the site, help us measure the effectiveness of the site, and improve user experience. For more information, see https://discussions.apple.com/privacy.
10. To submit content to the Site, you must have an Apple Account. For more information about Apple Account, please visit Apple Account Support.
11. If you provide any ideas, suggestions, or recommendations on this site regarding Apple’s products, technologies or services ("Feedback"), Apple may use such Feedback and incorporate it in Apple products, technologies, and services without paying royalties and without any other obligations or restrictions.
12. When you use Communities, you also have the choice to receive certain communications from Apple in connection with Communities. Apple may respond to your post directly in Communities and, if the preferences you set permit it, Apple may attempt to contact you outside Communities via telephone, email, text message, or another method of communication. For example, you may receive reminder emails for posts if you have not visited Communities for a certain period of time, a reminder to respond to answers that have helped you or solved your questions, or a survey on improving the services offered at Communities. You can manage your communications preferences by going to https://discussions.apple.com/profile/preferences.
13. For questions or problems regarding your Apple Support Communities account, please post a question in Using Apple Support Communities, or email communityaccounts@apple.com.
14. You can report posts that you find to be off topic, inappropriate, contain personal information or do not comply with these terms. The Apple Support Community team reviews the reports to keep the community a great place to learn and engage with others. For more information, see https://support.apple.com/101769.
15. For Australian users, further information about how to report and make complaints about content or breaches of these terms is available here.
2. Submissions
1. Stay on topic. Apple Support Communities is here to help people use Apple products and technologies more effectively. Unless otherwise noted, do not post Submissions about non-technical topics, including:
1. Speculation or rumors about unannounced products.
2. Discussion of Apple policies or procedures or Apple’s moderation of the Site.
2. Comply with the Apple Support Community Guidelines. Be polite. Everyone should feel comfortable reading Submissions and participating in discussions. Submissions that are inflammatory or inappropriate must not be submitted and will be edited or removed. This includes Submissions with content that is libelous, defamatory, indecent, harmful, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, objectionable, discriminatory, politically divisive or inflammatory, abusive, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive in a sexual, racial, cultural, or ethnic context or otherwise illegal.
3. Post constructive comments and questions. Unless otherwise noted, your Submission should either be a technical support question or a technical support answer. Constructive feedback about product features is also welcome.
4. Do not post polls or petitions or links to the same.
5. Test your answer. When answering a technical question, if possible, make sure your Submission works on your own Apple device before you post it.
6. No advertising. Do not use the Site to sell or market products or services to others and do not post a URL unless it directly answers a user’s question. For the avoidance of doubt, the following are not permitted on the Site:
1. A Submission created solely to advertise a book, service, software or another item or product for sale.
2. Any reference, including a link, to a commercial product or service that is not directly related to a relevant technical support question or answer. For example: "This post created by Super Post Creator."
3. Links to personal or professional websites or any link that results in any accrual of compensation or benefit to you. However, you may sign your Submissions with information about yourself. An example of an acceptable signature: Justine R., Author, "Apple Lisa Communities: Tips and Tricks"
7. No inappropriate or offensive user names ("Aliases") or impersonations. Inappropriate or offensive Aliases will be removed, and persons attempting to impersonate another person will have their Submissions removed or may have their account deactivated. Aliases may not contain website, email addresses or other contact information.
8. Keep within the law.
1. No content may be submitted that is intended to promote or commit an illegal act.
2. Do not submit software or descriptions of processes that break or otherwise ‘work around’ digital rights management software or hardware. This includes conversations about ‘ripping’ DVDs or working around digital rights management software used on Apple Music or other media sources.
3. Do not post defamatory material.
9. Material submitted must be your own work or work to which you have a license. By posting a Submission, you warrant and represent that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the information contained in your Submission. Apple has the right, but not the obligation, to remove any Submission that is wholly or substantially created by using generative AI tools. Generative AI tools include image generators (such as Midjourney or Stable Diffusion), large language models (such as GPT-4, PaLM, or Claude), code generation tools (such as Copilot), audio generation tools (such as VALL-E or resemble.ai.), or any other tool or system that primarily functions to automatically generate content or answers for a user.
10. License to Use Submission. By posting a Submission, you agree to grant Apple a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive worldwide right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, play, make available to the public, and exercise all copyright and publicity rights with respect to the Submission. If you do not want to grant Apple the rights set out above, do not send your Submission to the Site.
11. Never reveal any personal information.
3. Minors
1. You must be at least 13 years old (or the equivalent minimum age in your region) to make a Submission to the Site. If you are over 13 years old (or the equivalent minimum age in your region) but have not yet reached the age of majority, you must have your parent’s or guardian’s permission to make a Submission to the Site.
4. Interference with the Site
1. You agree to not interfere with or disrupt the Site.
2. Apple may provide a system whereby users acquire points for various activities on the Site.
1. Do not ‘game’ the system. You agree to not create multiple user accounts on the Site or otherwise manipulate the points system.
2. Do not ask for points. Learn more about points and how to build your reputation and get rewarded on the Site. For further clarification, please post a question in Using Apple Support Communities, or email communityaccounts@apple.com.
5. Breach of the Agreement
1. If you fail to abide by these terms Apple may remove your Submission. Apple may also send you an email informing you that your Submission has been deleted or edited. Repeated inappropriate Submissions or disruptive behavior may result in your account being placed into temporary or permanent suspension, limiting your ability to participate in any or all of the areas on the Site.
2. Apple reserves the right to delete any Submission, or take action against any account, at any time, for any reason.