The Identifier for Vendors (IDFV) is a unique alphanumeric code assigned by Apple to a user’s device. It allows app developers who publish multiple apps under the same Apple developer account to identify and measure user activity across all their apps on that device without revealing personal data.
Think of the IDFV as a first-party identifier that belongs to a single vendor’s ecosystem. It helps developers understand how users engage with their apps, measure app performance, and manage cross-promotion between apps they own.
If a user installs two or more apps from the same developer, those apps share the same IDFV on that device. Once all of those apps are deleted, the IDFV disappears and will be replaced with a new one if any of the apps are reinstalled later.
When a user installs an app, iOS generates an IDFV linked to the developer’s account rather than to the device itself. This IDFV remains consistent across all apps from that same developer on that device.
Developers use this identifier to track and analyze aggregated user behavior across their apps, such as session length, feature usage, and conversion events. Because IDFV data stays within a single developer’s ecosystem and does not combine with external data sources, it complies with Apple’s privacy guidelines.
For example, a game studio with several mobile titles can use IDFV data to understand which games their users play most and promote new games to those users directly, without accessing personal identifiers.
The IDFV has become increasingly important since Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which limited access to IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers). While IDFA allows tracking across apps from different developers, IDFV works only within a single developer’s ecosystem.
This difference makes IDFV an essential tool for first-party data analysis. It allows developers to:
Because IDFV does not require explicit user consent to access, it has become a cornerstone of privacy-safe analytics in the iOS ecosystem.
Although both IDFV and IDFA are identifiers created by Apple, they serve very different purposes.
| Feature | IDFV (Identifier for Vendors) | IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Shared across apps by the same developer on one device | Shared across all apps on a device |
| Consent Required | No (first-party only) | Yes (via App Tracking Transparency) |
| Purpose | Analytics, cross-promotion, user behavior analysis | Advertising, attribution, and targeting |
| Persistence | Reset when all apps from the developer are uninstalled | Can be reset manually by the user |
| Privacy Risk | Low | Higher, as it tracks across apps |
In short, IDFV is for understanding your own users, while IDFA is for advertising across ecosystems.
While IDFV is valuable, it also has clear boundaries:
These limitations reflect Apple’s continued emphasis on privacy and transparency.
There is no direct equivalent to IDFV in Android. The closest identifier is the Google Play Services ID (ADID), which functions similarly to Apple’s IDFA, not IDFV. However, Android developers often rely on their own internal identifiers or login-based systems to replicate IDFV-like behavior for first-party analytics.
IDFV is used by developers to analyze user activity, behavior, and engagement across multiple apps owned by the same company.
No. Because IDFV is limited to a single developer’s apps and does not track across vendors, it does not require user permission under Apple’s privacy rules.
Yes, indirectly. The IDFV resets when all apps from that developer are deleted from the user’s device.
No. Apple prohibits combining IDFV data with external data sources for advertising without explicit user consent.
IDFV remains accessible even after the introduction of App Tracking Transparency, making it a key privacy-safe identifier for first-party data.
IDFV is a first-party identifier assigned by Apple to help developers measure user behavior across their own apps.
IDFV cannot be used for third-party attribution or advertising.
IDFV has become a critical tool for developers in a privacy-centric mobile ecosystem.