Install the latest version of Xcode
To use Nearby Connections in your project, Xcode 14.0 or later is required.
Add the Nearby Connections package to your project
Xcode comes with a built-in package manager. To add Nearby Connections to your
Xcode project, select File > Add Packages… and search for
google/nearby. Then click Add Package and wait for the process to complete
(this may take a few minutes).
Configure capabilities and entitlements
Depending on the mediums your application uses, configure the following capabilities in Xcode under Signing & Capabilities:
- Access Wi-Fi Information: Required for accessing Wi-Fi network information and state.
- Hotspot Configuration: Required if your app supports high-speed data transfer via Wi-Fi Hotspot (allowing the iOS device to connect to a nearby peer hosting a Wi-Fi Hotspot).
These capabilities generate the corresponding keys in your app's .entitlements file:
<key>com.apple.developer.networking.HotspotConfiguration</key>
<true/>
<key>com.apple.developer.networking.wifi-info</key>
<true/>
Request access to protected resources
Nearby Connections needs access to Bluetooth, the local network, and location services to advertise, discover, establish high-speed connections, and transfer data. Provide a usage description for each resource needed in your app’s Info.plist. If you don’t, attempts to access the resource will fail and might cause your app to crash.
Required usage description keys:
NSBluetoothAlwaysUsageDescription: Used to discover and advertise nearby devices over Bluetooth Low Energy.NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription: Used to discover and communicate with devices on the local network (Wi-Fi LAN).NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription: Required by iOS 13+ when connecting to high-speed Wi-Fi Hotspots (NEHotspotConfigurationManager).
In addition to usage description keys, an NSBonjourServices key with a list of the service types that will be browsed by the app must also be added for local network discovery. The only service type that must be added can be generated by taking the first 12 bytes of the SHA-256 hash of your app's service ID.
You can use the following tool to automatically generate this value for you:
Request runtime location authorization
When using Wi-Fi Hotspot for bandwidth upgrades, iOS requires runtime location authorization. Request location authorization early in your application lifecycle (for example, in your App initializer or AppDelegate):
import CoreLocation
class AppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
private let locationManager = CLLocationManager()
func application(
_ application: UIApplication,
didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]? = nil
) -> Bool {
// Request location authorization required for Wi-Fi Hotspot operations
locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
return true
}
}