Several popular apps are having various issues due to the Facebook iOS SDK bug. Spotify, Pinterest, TikTok and Tinder are affected by this outage that causes these apps to crash on iPhone and iPad.
Users can’t open the apps as they crash upon launching. Some of them can launch an app just fine but are being restricted from signing in to their accounts.
This bug is not only affecting users who have connected their Facebook accounts to the affected apps but it seems to be perfectly random. It affects even those who don’t have Facebook installed on their devices. Apparently, app developers implemented the Facebook iOS SDK to allow users to login by using their accounts through the app.
Facebook is still investigating the issue and is certainly working on a fix soon. While some users have already reported that the affected apps are now back up and running, especially for Spotify. But, if you are still experiencing the down time brought about by this Facebook SDK bug, you can use Lockdown Apps as a temporary workaround.
Lockdown Apps is an open-source tool that filters ads and trackers as a VPN service. This firewall and privacy app for iOS and macOS can block Facebook iOS SDK from loading. It will allow users to launch and sign in to apps like Spotify, Pinterest, Tinder and TikTok even when the Facebook iOS SDK is down.
The best thing about this workaround is that, it is completely free. It was a brainchild of former Apple engineers. So here it is, if you want to try it out!
How to Install and Use Lockdown Apps for iOS
- Go to the iOS App Store to download and install the Lockdown Apps.
- Once installed, open Lockdown Apps, and follow the on-boarding instructions.
- You can sign up for an account or simply hit cancel when asked to sign up or log in.
- At the top of the app screen, tap on the “firewall on” button.
- Agree to set up a VPN profile on your iPhone when asked.
That’s it! You can now toggle the VPN or firewall service from the Lockdown Apps to use it.
Once everything is back to normal and you no longer need the Lockdown Apps, you can simply uninstall the app and the VPN profile it created will also be removed.
Do you know of any other workaround for service outages like this? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
