Terms & Conditions

Apple Support Communities Use Agreement

(revised 24 April 2014)

This Apple Support Communities Use Agreement (the "Agreement") provides important information about your use of the Apple Support Communities site (the "Site"). You should read it, understand it, and consider printing a reference copy as you use 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.


  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.com Terms of Use (http://www.apple.com/legal/terms/site.html).
    3. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and Apple.com Terms of Use, the terms of this Agreement will govern.
    4. Views expressed on the Site are not endorsed by Apple.
    5. Apple does not prescreen information 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. Apple involvement. Apple may respond to questions but does not formally provide technical support on the Site. Any information that is provided by Apple or Apple employees is offered on an “AS IS” basis without warranties of any kind.
    7. Apple may offer you benefits and award 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.
    8. Apple may use “cookies” and other technologies to track user activity within the Apple Support Communities. These technologies help us improve your experience and our products and services. Apple’s use of this tracking information will conform to Apple’s Privacy Policy (http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy)
    9. Apple Support Communities includes a “connections” feature which allows an Apple Support Communities user to receive email notifications when another user submits a post. This feature requires an approval process where a user can deny connection requests and remove connections at anytime.
    10. To submit information to the Site, each user must have a unique user name and password combination, known as an Apple ID. Please review Apple's Privacy Policy (http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy), which describes how Apple collects, uses and protects your personal information. Apple cannot and will not be responsible for any problems or liability that may arise if you do not provide accurate, truthful and complete information.
    11. By using the Site, you agree to receive certain communications from Apple in connection with Apple Support Communities. For example, you may receive reminder emails for posts if you have not visited Apple Support Communities for a certain period of time, a reminder to respond to answers that have helped you or solved your question, or a survey on improving the services offered at the Site. You can opt-out of communications here (http://appleid.apple.com).
    12. 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.
    13. For questions or problems regarding your Apple Support Communities account, please post a question in the Using Apple Support Communities forum, or email communityaccounts@apple.com
  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 add Submissions about nontechnical topics, including:
      1. Speculations or rumors about unannounced products.
    2. Be polite. Everyone should feel comfortable reading Submissions and participating in discussions. Apple will not tolerate flames or other inappropriate statements, material, or links. Most often, a "flame" is simply a statement that is taunting and thus arbitrarily inflammatory. However, this also includes those which are libelous, defamatory, indecent, harmful, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, objectionable, discriminatory, abusive, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive in a sexual, racial, cultural, or ethnic context.
    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 welcome as well. If your Submission contains the phrase “I’m sorry for the rant, but…” you are likely in violation of this policy.
    4. Do not post polls or petitions or links to same.
    5. Test your answer. When possible, make sure your Submission works on your own computer before you post it.
    6. No advertising. Do not use the Site to sell or market your products to others and do not post a URL unless it directly answers a user's question. If any portion of your Submission, including any posted URL, results in any accrual of compensation or benefit to you, you must note this in your post by stating, "I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link." As well, the following are not allowed:
      1. A submission created solely to advertise a book, service, software or some other item for sale.
      2. Any reference, including a link, to a commercial item that is not directly related to a relevant technical support question or answer. For example: "This post created by Super Post Creator."
      3. You may sign your Submissions with information about yourself. However, this should not include a link to a website. An example of an acceptable signature:
        Justine R.
        Author, "Apple Lisa Communities: Tips and Tricks"
    7. No inappropriate user names ("Aliases") or impersonations. Inappropriate or offensive user names or aliases will be removed and persons attempting to impersonate another user will be removed. User names may not contain website, email addresses or other contact information.
    8. Keep within the Law
      1. No material 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 FairPlay software used on the iTunes Store.
      3. Do not post defamatory material.
    9. Material submitted must be your own work or work to which you have a license. You warrant and represent that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the information contained in your Submission.
    10. License to Use Submission. By sending a Submission to the Site 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 to 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 to post to the Site. If you are over 13 years old but have not yet reached the age of majority, you must have your parent or guardian's permissions to post 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.
      1. Do not 'game' the system. You agree to not create multiple IDs or otherwise manipulate the points system.
      2. Do not ask for points. If you feel the system is not clear to users, please provide feedback to Apple; do not instruct other users unless they ask.
  5. Breach of the Agreement
    1. If you fail to abide by these terms Apple may remove your submission. Apple may also send an email that informs you that your Submission has been deleted or edited. Repeated inappropriate Submissions may result in your relevant account or accounts being placed into temporary or permanent suspension of your ability to participate in any or all of the areas on the Site.
    2. If you post or send offensive or inappropriate content anywhere on or to the Site or otherwise engage in any disruptive behavior which Apple considers to be serious and/or repeated, Apple may use all available information about you to stop any further infringements. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school, Internet service provider, or law enforcement authorities of the infringement.
    3. Apple reserves the right to delete any Submission, or take action against any account, at any time, for any reason.