Got a feature request for the next iPhone? Found a glaring security hole in iOS? Think Apple’s services would be better if you were in charge? There are plenty of reasons to contact Apple, and the company openly encourages feedback on its products and services. If you want to reach out, there are plenty of ways to do it – just make sure you pick the right channel to increase your chances of being heard.
Remember that support queries should be directed to Apple Support – the tips laid out here are specifically for giving feedback, not asking for help.
Product feedback
If you have a bone to pick – or praise to give – about any of Apple’s hardware, software, or services, this is the way. Head to Apple’s official Product Feedback page and choose the relevant product. If your comment is about the website or Apple’s customer support, use the Website Feedback page instead. If you’re hoping to give feedback on something not directly listed, like an ad campaign, try to choose the closest option and Apple’s team can forward your message on if needed.
You’ll get a different form to fill in depending on the product – ensure you carefully fill out the details if your feedback is of a technical nature. Feature requests are a very popular form of feedback and a good way for Apple to keep a handle on what the public wants. Make sure to include your email address if you’re happy for Apple to get in touch to clarify any of your comments.
Apple says it reads all feedback sent via these forms, but can’t reply to individual submissions, so don’t hold your breath for a direct answer. Just know that your feedback is being heard, and if enough voices mention the same thing Apple is likely to take note.
Big ideas
Got a suggestion for a cool new ad campaign or an awesome product name? You are welcome to send ideas to Apple, but just know that doing so will legally relinquish all rights to the idea. Apple’s Unsolicited Ideas Submission Policy strongly encourages people not to send ideas to “avoid potential misunderstandings” if a similar product or feature ever sees the light of day.
There’s nothing to stop you sending Apple your ideas anyway, using the forms mentioned earlier – but just know you’re not going to get credit or recognition, even in the slim chance that your ideas come to light.
Reporting bugs
If you try out any of Apple’s public software betas – like the pre-release versions of iOS and iPadOS – you’ll get access to a Feedback Assistant app. This is the best route for letting Apple know about any problems you encounter using the beta, and all feedback sent this way will contribute to squashing bugs before the full public release of the software.
Outside of these betas, if you think you’ve found a security or privacy vulnerability in any of Apple’s products or services, there’s a dedicated team you can contact. Send an email to product-security@apple.com with as much detail as possible on the issue. Apple says best practice for these emails is to include specific version numbers for all relevant software, a full description of what happened, and screenshots or recordings if you have them.
Dear Tim
If you’re someone who likes to skip straight to the top, dealing with managers rather then underlings, you can’t do any better than messaging Apple CEO Tim Cook directly. Tim even makes his corporate email address public for this very reason: it’s tcook@apple.com.
Reportedly, he spends an hour each morning replying personally to emails, and has a full-time assistant on staff reading them the rest of the time. It’s likely the assistant filters the most pressing and/or interesting messages for Tim’s personal attention, so if you do reach out be sure to write something compelling that will grab the assistant’s attention. Generic questions are more likely to get a stock reply. He can also be found on Twitter @tim_cook, though bear in mind his time spent on social media is minimal.
Of course, contacting Tim directly is a long shot – he receives huge volumes of correspondence and can’t possibly reply to it all. But it’s certainly an avenue you can investigate if you really want your thoughts to be heard by Apple’s top dog.
Corporate mail
If you’ve run out of options, or just want to make a statement, you can try sending a good old-fashioned letter to Apple’s main HQ. If you want to give this a try, use Apple’s corporate address.
Apple
One Apple Park Way
Cupertino, CA 95014
It might be a shot in the dark to get the right team to see your correspondance, but Apple gets much less physical mail than it does electronic – so at the very least, you’ll have a chance of standing out. Good luck!